It’s clear that data has now become the most important element of a mobile plan! Kiwis spend more time than ever on the internet, so they need a mobile plan that can keep up with their digital needs.
So, if you’re shopping for a new mobile plan, you’ve likely seen Endless Data plans.
What are they? How do they work? Which one should I be on? We’ll cover all these questions and more right here!
What are Endless Data Plans?
An Endless Data plan is a mobile plan that offers you an “unlimited” amount of data for you to use. You may be familiar with mobile plans with unlimited texts and calls to NZ and Australian numbers (which almost every plan has nowadays). Endless Data plans are basically the same thing just for mobile data!
However, the term “Endless Data” can be slightly misleading. When you hear a plan offers you endless data, then you’d assume that you get as much data as you want at the normal speeds you’d expect from your mobile provider, right?
Well, unfortunately that’s not how all Endless Data plans work. While there are some plans that are truly endless, offering you unlimited data at maximum speeds, many plans offer you a set amount of data (5GB, 12GB, 40GB, etc.) at maximum speeds and once you reach that limit, you’ll get as much data as you want but at reduced speeds.
So, it’s important you choose an Endless Data plan carefully so you actually get what you want!
How do they work?
To make it super clear for you, let’s break down how an Endless Data plan works!
There are two types of Endless Data plans:
1). Endless Data Plans: Capped at a certain amount.
These are the more common plans you’ll see and they range from relatively cheap to pricey! These plans cap the amount of data you can use at the normal 4G/5G speeds and then subsequently offer you as much data as you like but at much lower speeds.
E.g. Skinny’s $46 Endless Plan is a 12GB plan. So, you’ll get 12GB worth of data you can use at maximum speeds then Endless Data at reduced speeds.
These reduced speeds will greatly impact your experience when browsing the web. Most providers will slow your speeds down to 1.2 Mbps after you go beyond your data cap. While you can still stream music and do general web surfing on reduced speeds, it’s not enough for video streaming or video calling. For context, most 4G speeds offered by providers range between 30-40 Mbps, with 5G speeds over 200 Mbps.
So even though you can use as much data as you like after you reach your cap, it might not be fast enough to actually do the things you want.
2). Endless Data Plans: Truly Unlimited.
On the other hand, there’s a few Endless Data plans which truly live up to their name. These plans are less common and more expensive but they offer you exactly what you’d expect: unlimited data.
These plans have no caps and no speed reductions, you simply get as much data as you want at the fastest speeds.
Other key information you should know!
When it comes to Endless Data plans, there are a few other things you should make sure to consider.
Fair Use Policy
These are policies which say that you have to use services (i.e. Endless Data plans) in a fair and reasonable way. Providers judge whether you are doing so by measuring your usage against the average or estimated average usage of all customers. If your provider believes you have unfairly exceeded your usage, they may cancel or alter your plan.
Hotspotting
Hotspotting is a feature where you can use your phone’s data as a remote WiFi signal that you can connect your other devices to. For example, you can connect your laptop to your phone’s hotspot and then be able to access the internet on it. Many Endless Data plans allow you to hotspot. However, some do not and you will have to buy an additional Add-On to be able to support this feature.
Group Plans
Group Plans are where you buy one initial plan and then you can add subsequent plans on, with the more you add the cheaper the individual price of every plan gets. These are great for large families as it can save heaps of money!
Which plan should I choose?
If you feel like you don’t actually need heaps and heaps of data then a capped Endless Data plan could be good. Whereas, if you are always on your phone chewing through data, then it may be wise to get a truly unlimited Endless Data plan.
There’s also the option of going with something a little bit different like MyRepublic’s plan. They offer truly unlimited data at a capped speed of 10 Mbps. While you won’t experience the super fast speeds of other plans, you also won’t have to deal with having your plan reduce your speeds dramatically at any point.
Ultimately, it’s up to you on which plan will work best! So, it’s a good idea to have a look around to see which one will suit your life.
Head to Mobile Compare!
If you’re wanting an Endless Data plan then you need to visit Mobile Compare!
Mobile Compare is a comparison website where you can compare different mobile plans. It makes comparing super easy! You can see all the information you need to know about different plans and providers to help you pick one which is best for your needs.
You’ll find the perfect plan for your life and budget!
Mobile Compare is super simple to use. All you have to do is follow these quick steps:
- Jump onto Mobile Compare
- Click on New Plan
- Select how much data, minutes and texts you’re after.
- Select the type of plan you want (Prepay or Monthly).
- Choose which provider you’re interested in (you can select multiple).
- Hit enter!
- Browse all the plans available to you & compare them side-by-side.
- Find one you like and switch!
Get the best Endless Data plan today with Mobile Compare!