Phone Plan Philosophical Discussion

I'd look at your average usage and your highest month. Let's say I'm averaging 4GB with a high of 7.5, then I'd stay with 9. If I'm averaging 6 or 7 and consistently have to be aware of my usage the last few days of the billing cycle, I'd take the extra data.

It's all about marketing and the fear that you're missing out on a great deal. I've rarely used more than 2GB per month over the past year, but I jumped on the chance to get an extra 5GB for $5. Why? Because "it's a good deal."

The answer is no. Why pay $60/year for something you won't use. It's like paying $5 extra for unlimited pancakes when you know full well that you can only eat four before feeling sick.

Why pay $5/month extra for something you'll never use? These "deals" are crafted to get you to pay more while fooling you into thinking you're saving money.

1-2 GB is enough for me. I don't stream videos or do other data-heavy things when I don't have wifi.

Not long ago basic plans with 1-2GB and 100 minutes of talk were $45. Now they've increased the data to 3, 5, 8, 10GB, and added unlimited talk, but the plans are still $45. I don't need all of that data and talk; what I DO need is a cheaper price. People like to say telecom service is "getting cheaper" but that's BS. It's getting more expensive. They're just throwing in more unneeded extras to have us believe we're getting a deal.

If some company offered 1-2 GB, 100 minutes, and unlimited SMS for a reasonable and fair price like $10-$20 like you can get everywhere else in the world, I'd be all over it. But this of course is Canada, where reasonable and fair telecom prices are a pipe dream, so I just have to dream on.

With covid, working from home 100%, I took the Public-Mobile 15$ plan... I am using like 50MB data per month when I go out, and use mostly all the teams/skype/duo/whatever chat software. Why pay 60$/month when you can pay 15$/month?
People can still call me illimited which is great!

@Kiraly the 15$ plan include 100 minutes outgoing, unlimited incoming, unlimited SMS, 250MB data

I went from $85/15GB to $100/80GB.
I'd only use about 10-15 a month to start with anyways but now with restrictions easing and travel again having effectively unlimited full speed is nice.
I can tether anything I want including notebooks and do anything I want including remote gaming.

If your current plan meets your need, no need to pay more for more.

But if you ever get the opportunity to pay the same (or less) for more, you should jump on it.

@Magister is on to something. I've potentially overpaid for the last 15 months. But......... as @death_hawk notes.. We are trending towards re-opening.

It really depends on what the OP's "normal" is. Do they use above ground public transit? Data usage is really different for people sitting on a GO train compared to people who drive to work.

This is really good feedback and exactly what I was looking for. Thanks everyone

Here's a new philosophical discussion in the same vein: what are the chances there'll be a better deal for the same price point down the road?

What I'm getting at is this:

• They'll never offer me, say, 12GB for $50 because I'm already paying $50 for 9GB (unless I go through a customer retention battle)

• If they roll out a new $50 plan for everyone that's, say, 12GB they'll have some convoluted reason why as a current $50 subscriber I can't switch (unless I go through a customer retention battle)

• BUT, if I take the $55/16GB offer now and THEN they roll out a new $50 plan for everyone that's, say, 12GB I could roll back and get the more data for the same price I have now

Again, I'm only asking philosophically. I don't want to get into pitting carrier vs carrier but rather just trying get a sense of how the tide rises.

Kiraly wrote: ↑ If some company offered 1-2 GB, 100 minutes, and unlimited SMS for a reasonable and fair price like $10-$20 like you can get everywhere else in the world, I'd be all over it. But this of course is Canada, where reasonable and fair telecom prices are a pipe dream, so I just have to dream on.

Freedom Mobile has a $19/mo 1.5GB, unlimited talk/text deal on the prepaid side. I use this plan because my usage is exactly like yours.

To add to the philosophical discussion, I am also annoyed that you cannot get a plan like this that is post-paid. I look at the lists of plans and it's either reasonably priced, but way too little data, or expensive, with way too much data.

I saw discussion, but no philosophical

Might be you can tell us how FOMO of an offer impact your decision process

And

How confirmation bias can justify your decision

I don't necessarily agree with the whole "I never use more than x so why pay more to get more?" line of thinking for cell data.

You don't use more because we've all been conditioned to conserve data as much as you can. So if you're perfectly ok with jumping on public wifi every chance you get, pre-downloading all your media, and/or having to save things for later viewing because you'd rather conserve your data then by all means go with the lower data plan. I personally love the freedom of having a high data plan. I probably average around 12GB per month and that's not even that high for some people. Just have to remember to keep it to a price within your means.

It’s only a good deal if you need it.

FOMO is exactly what the telco’s want when they give you these offers.

I left Virgin about 4 months ago and got a fantastic Win Back offer. Turned it down after I really analyzed my needs and saw that this deal will be great for someone who needed it, but was not a good deal for my needs and usuage. But I am cheap anyway, which might make turning these things down a little easier for me versus some others.