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Deciphering three's Samsung Galaxy S2 subscription plans

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  1. #1

    Deciphering three's Samsung Galaxy S2 subscription plans

    Link to 3HK's Samsung Galaxy promo offers page

    Can the gurus here please help me decipher how much I'll exactly be paying if I subscribe to 3HK's Samsung Galaxy S2 plan?? And how do I optimize this?
    First things first : it most probably makes sense to get a package deal instead of purchasing the phone separately, I suppose?

    W.r.t. the first table under "Promotional Offers" on the above page for the S2, "Smart Unlimited" Monthly Plan (the one that gets focused on when you click the image of the S2 phone at the top of the page),

    - let's say I subscribe to the $198 plan with $0 Subscription Price (because 300 MB is enough if I visit reddit once only every 15 minutes, right?! :-) ),
    - plus they tag on the "MTR, tunnels and mobile service license fee of $12"
    - that's a total of $210 per month x contract period of 24 months = 5040
    - Plus initial prepayment of $3180 (assume credit card)
    - Total = $8220.

    Another one, based on the intuitive guess that non-zero Subscription Price == lesser contract period == better.
    - Subscription Price of $1480
    - Prepayment = $1700
    - ($198 + $12) x 18 months contract = $3780
    - Total = $6960

    That sounds quite reasonable, eh?
    But then, nothing is as it seems with cell phone companies, so let me know what I'm missing!

    I read about some "rebate" on some other thread. What is that? Ctrl-F "rebate" on the above page turns up zilch.

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,279

    Just a note on 3HK's current pricing. You are better off going on the $148 for 200MB plan, rather than the $198 for 300MB plan, even if you are going to use 300MB. This is because the excess charges are $10/30MB. ie It is cheaper to get the lower $148 plan and pay excess charges than it is to go on the higher plan.

    I can not understand this level of stupidity in 3HK's pricing. Yes, I understand you get a few other benefits like extra talk time, 6 month shorter contract etc on the $198 plan. But still, to have the excess charges work out cheaper than upgrading to the next pricing tier is a level of stupidity I have never seen in a phone contract before.

    The "rebate" you are referring to is the prepayment. You get the prepayment back. So if there is a prepayment of $3180 and you go on a 24 month contract, the phone company will pay you back $132.50 every month.


  3. #3

    Thanks, bdw, now I understand "rebate"!

    Landmines everywhere in the contracts, grr!


  4. #4
    3HK | Samsung GALAXY

    If i understand it correctly then it turns out to be like this. Please correct me if i am wrong.

    148 + 12 x 30 month = $4800?
    I am not concerned about prepayment of $4680 because this will be fully refunded every month. So leave it alone.

    If it is true then 3HK is giving out New Samsung Galaxy S2 at $4800 (market price 5298) including 30 month talk-time and 200mb of data. Is it too good to be true or there are some other hidden costs that i am not able to pick up. Please share you experience specially if you have recently signed a contract. Thanks
    Last edited by info_chanlee; 16-06-2011 at 09:53 PM.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,279

    Yes thats right, with one exception. There is one more hidden monthly cost of about $30 for VAS (value added service). This is where they force you to sign up for something like an sms pack, photo service, etc. You can choose what vas you want, but you have to pick one.

    They also give you a free movie ticket to any movie you want every wednesday for 12 months. Thats 52 free movie tickets.

    Yes the prices are really good for android phones these days and thats one reason I have been calling iphone users clueless sheep in a few other threads.

    Sent from my LT15i using GeoClicks Mobile


  6. #6

    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Tai Kok Tsui
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    Also note, if you are not attached to your phone number, you can go buy a $68 prepaid sim number from 7-11 from any carrier, then get that phone number ported in to 3HK. By doing that, you are able to add either 200mb of data per month or 400 voice minutes for free.

    Monk3y likes this.

  7. #7

    (There is one more hidden monthly cost of about $30 for VAS (value added service)

    I obviously missed that. so it should be like this
    148 + 12 (Tunnel fee) + 30 (VAS) x 30 month = $5700

    Bryanl can existing 3HK customers can also add 200mb data extra. any trick?

    I am thinking to sign a new contract with Smartone or CSL and will have no hesitation if they offer me same package as 3HK.