Last updated on August 8th, 2021
When you’re looking for a SIM-only plan in Singapore, it can be really tough with so many choices!
2 telcos that you may have come across include Circles Life and Giga.
So which telco is more suitable for you?
Contents
The difference between Circles Life and Giga
Giga offers a better deal for the lower-tiered plans (6GB, 40GB and 60GB). However when comparing between the 100GB plans, Circles Life seems to offer the plan with greater value.
Here is an in-depth comparison between both mobile plans:
Network
Circles Life is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) which uses M1’s 4G network to provide you with your data coverage.
Circles Life also claims that you’ll be able to receive reception when you’re underground or in the MRT.
Meanwhile, Giga uses Starhub’s network.
According to OpenSignal’s study, both M1 and Starhub have rather similar coverage experience. Starhub received a score of 10, while M1’s score was 9.9.
As such, it depends on which telco’s network that you prefer to be on.
Plans
Here are the different plans that both telcos can offer you:
Tier 1 plans ($10/month)
Both Circles Life and Giga have a low tier plan that gives you less than 10GB of mobile data.
Here are both plans being compared:
| Circles Life | Giga | |
|---|---|---|
| Data | 5GB | 6GB |
| SMS | 25 SMS | 500 SMS |
| Call Minutes | 100 minutes | 500 minutes |
| Cost | $10/month | $10/month |
In terms of value, Giga certainly looks more worth it compared to Circles Life’s $10/month plan!
You get 1 extra GB of data, as well as more SMS and talktime.
Tier 2 plans ($18-20/month)
Both telcos offer a mid-tier plan that costs between $18-20/month. Here are the comparisons between both of their base plans (with no promotions):
| Circles Life | Giga | |
|---|---|---|
| Data | 20GB | 40GB |
| SMS | 25 SMS | 300 SMS |
| Call Minutes | 100 minutes | 300 minutes |
| Cost | $18/month | $20/month |
The winner is definitely Giga again. For an extra $2/month, you are able to receive an extra 20GB, as well as more SMSes and talktime!
If you intend to get a new number with Circles Life, it will cost you an additional $10/month.
However, Circles Life does have a promotion for the first 3 months for their $18/month, which includes:
- Unlimited data and call minutes
- 25 SMS
Tier 3 plans (40-100GB)
Both Circles Life and Giga offer you plans with more data. However, the pricing is quite different for both plans:
| Circles Life | Giga (60GB) | Giga (100GB) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data | 100GB with 4G Rollover | 60GB | 100 GB |
| SMS | 25 SMS | 2,000 SMS | 10,000 SMS |
| Call Minutes | 100 minutes | 2,000 minutes | 10,000 minutes |
| Cost | $38/month (Existing) or $48/month (New) | $25/month | $45/month |
If you are expecting to use up to 60GB of data, then Giga’s 60GB plan would be good enough for you.
However if you intend to use up to 100GB of data, Circles Life’s 100GB plan may be more worth it.
You will receive less SMSes and call minutes compared to Giga. However, if you are ok with that, then you get to save an extra $7 each month for the same amount of data!
Verdict
Giga seems to provide the better plans for the cheaper plans. You are able to receive slightly more data, as well as more SMSes and call time compared to Circles Life.
However, Circles Life’s 100GB plan seems to be more worth it as it is $7 cheaper compared to Giga. You’ll receive less SMSes and call time, but you will get the same amount of data (100GB).
As such, it really depends on your needs to see which plan is more suitable for you.
Rollover data
The unique feature of Giga is that it offers you rollover data for all of your plans.
The rollover of data is only applicable for another 2 renewal cycles.
Meanwhile, Circles Life only has rollover data for their 100GB plan.
This rollover is capped up to 300GB.
The rollover feature is great for Giga, especially if you do not use all of the data allocated to you.
Add-ons
On top of the basic plans that you can purchase, you can purchase some add-ons to your plans, depending on your needs.
Here are some common add-ons that you can purchase from both telcos:
| Circles Life | Giga | |
|---|---|---|
| Roam | $12/month (3GB/month across 14 APAC countries and USA) | 1GB at $5 (14 APAC countries) 1GB at $15 (34 countries) |
| IDD Calls | $10/month (Up to 150 minutes across 15 countries) | $5 pack (rates depend on country) |
| Outgoing and Incoming calls | $8/month (Unlimited outgoing) and $2/month (Unlimited incoming) | NA |
| SMS/MMS | NA | NA |
| Extra SIM | $14/month | NA |
One of the telcos’ add-ons may be more suitable for you, depending on your needs.
Porting of phone number
If you want to sign up for a Circles Life plan, you can either:
- Port your number from an existing telco
- Get a new number (for an additional $10/month)
For Giga, you can only port in your numbers from an existing telco.
If you are porting over your number, you’ll need to make sure that you do not terminate your number with your current telco.
If you do so, then either of these telcos will be unable to transfer your number over!
Your number will be automatically terminated with your previous telco once the porting is completed.
Cancellation
Both plans are very flexible, and you can cancel them any time. This is because they are different from the contract plans that you can have with the original telcos.
These plans are similar to the monthly subscriptions that you pay for, such as Disney+.
This means that if you are unhappy with either service, you are able to switch to another telco! However, the process may be slightly troublesome, so that’s something you may want to take note of.
Verdict
Which telco should you choose between Circles Life and Giga?
Choose Giga for the better ‘lower-tier deals’
Giga seems to have the better deals for:
- $10/month (6GB)
- $20/month (40GB)
They provide much better value compared to Circles Life, as they offer more data, call time and SMSes.
Giga also has a 60GB plan which Circles Life does not. The jump between Circles Life’s 20GB and 100GB plan is really huge.
If your data usage is somewhere in between, then Giga’s 60GB plan may be useful for you.
Choose Circles Life for the better 100GB plan
Circles Life’s main advantage over Giga is their 100GB plan. Their plan is $7 cheaper compared to Giga, for the same amount of data.
Circles Life has a much lower SMS and call time compared to Giga.
As such, you’ll need to see if the extra $7 is worth the extra SMS and talk time you’ll be receiving!
Conclusion
Both telcos offer affordable plans for your data.
Circles Life focuses more on data, while Giga offers you much higher SMSes and call times.
As such, the plan that you ultimately choose depends on your needs!
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