Prepaid SIM Cards in Singapore for Tourists and Expatriates
In my previous post, I mentioned that my friend was travelling to Singapore for 1 month. He needed a one month or 30 days prepaid telephone card to stay in communication with friends and also some mobile data plan for him to use GPS and surf the net for information while he was in Singapore. He has wifi services where he stays so he does not need to use a lot of data when he is outside.
In Singapore, a tourist can buy a prepaid sim card from Changi Airport upon arrival at the Changi Airport Terminal Arrival Hall. There are 3 telecommunication companies in Singapore – Singtel, M1 and Starhub in which all their prepaid cards could be bought in Changi Airport.
In Changi Airport, the range of Prepaid Cards is limited. Only the most expensive range are available. Depending on your needs, you choose the one that is most suitable for you. I find all the cards too expensive because my foreign friend is not going to make a lot of calls and rather having a higher mobile data plan is more feasible.
What’s more, if most of the communications are directed mainly to the Singaporeans, it is wise to know that majority of them have WhatsApp and/or other similar applications on their mobile phone which they use more frequently to send text messages or phone calls frequently using a wifi or data plan instead of the conventional method of calling.
In other words, once you have established that all your contacts have the above-mentioned application like WhatsApp or similar, you can use your mobile data to contact them via WhatsApp SMS or WhatsApp phone calls.
WhatsApp Inc. was founded by 2 former employees of Yahoo in 2009. The application was developed to allow a user to send text messages, images, video, user location and audio media messages for free. This is the most popular messaging application globally and it was acquired by Facebook on 19 Feb 2014 for approximately 16 billion USD.
WhatsApp phone call function was just introduced a few months ago where users with the downloaded application on their mobile can call each other for free using an internet connection with the latest upgraded version of WhatsApp. You can check whether your friends have the phone call function by giving them a call. Otherwise, get them to upgrade their existing version.
Our Choice
Eventually, after weighing all the pros and cons with a need for more data that can last for 30 days, we decided to get a $15 worth of $18 credit value M1 prepaid card bought from 7-11 convenience store in the neighbourhood area.
Some of the data offered by other cards can only last for a few days or it cost more than a $15 prepaid plan to get a data plan that can last for 30 days.
– Data Plan
M1 is currently running a very good promotional data plan until December 2015 as informed by the M1 staff over the phone. ie. 1 Gb for 30 days for only $10 which is deducted from the $18 credit value inside the prepaid card. If the 1 GB of data has been used up, $2 will be charged and deducted for every 1 MB of data.
The remaining $8 prepaid card value can be used for voice calls or SMS.
– Outgoing and Incoming Call Charges
The outgoing and incoming calls will be charged at 16 cents per minute from 8 am to 7.59 pm on weekdays (Monday to Friday) during peak hours and 8 cents per minute from 8 pm to 7.59 am during off-peak hours on weekdays. Weekends are considered off-peak hours.
– No Free Incoming Call
There is no free incoming call for this plan. If you want a free incoming call, 60¢ will be deducted per day. This is only cost-saving when you are expecting a lot of incoming calls.
– SMS
SMS is 5 cents per local SMS sent. You get an additional 10 local SMS free when you send 5 SMS.
How to Activate Your M1 Prepaid Card
- WARNING! All mobile data has to be turned off.
- Insert in your selected Sim card and turn on the phone.
- Use wifi. Press #100*3*1 to activate your data. You will be asked to make a selection of the data plan.
- Select the promotional plan at $10 for 1 Gb for 30 days.
How to check for the remaining data in your M1 Prepaid Card?
- Press #100*2*4*1# to check the remaining value of your data plan.
- Press #100*2*1# to check the balance of your prepaid card value.
Prepaid Card Sold In The Airport
Some of the cards below have voice and data plan together but most of the available data plan can only last for a few days.
Singtel
Singtel prepaid card has $8, $15, $28, $38 and $50 but only $28, $38 and $50 Tourist Package prepaid cards are sold in the airport.
Where to buy
- RHB Bank Currency Exchange Counters in Changi Airport Terminal 1, 2 and 3
- Changi Recommends Counters
- Singtel Store Locators
Starhub
$32 and $50 Starhub prepaid cards are available in Changi Airport with both voice and data plans. The additional data plan can be purchased using the remaining credit on the card.
$8 and $15 Starhub prepaid cards are available in Starhub shops, Starhub retailers and convenience stores such as 7-11.
Starhub also has a $15 prepaid card BlackBerry plan for 7 days for BlackBerry users.
For tourists staying in Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore, there is also a $15 prepaid card with an $18 credit value that has exclusive IDD rates for international calling.
Where to buy
Starhub Store Locators (including Changi Airport)
M1
$30 and $50 Tourist M1 prepaid cards can be purchased from the Arrival Hall of Terminal 1, 2 and 3 of Changi Airport.
Where to buy
- M1 Store Locator
- $5 and $15 prepaid cards are not available in Changi Airport and can be conveniently purchased at any 7-11 convenience shops found everywhere in Singapore.