Phone tariffs and mobile contracts: how are consumer habits changing?

Recently, internet users have been using innovative and very effective tools to find their way around prices and tariffs. We are talking about rate comparators, real tools available to each user to find what they need at the best price of the moment.

The most widely used rate comparators reach thousands and thousands of users every day and this is because they are tools that are easy to use, even by the less tech-savvy.

In recent years, the use of price comparison portals has also expanded because, due to the economic crisis, users are increasingly looking to maximise savings.

Consumers decide what to buy on their own and search the internet to find the best deals, which is where rate comparators come in.

The most widely used rate comparators allow you to consult huge catalogues with very detailed descriptions of products and services and the possibility of purchasing with just a few clicks.

In order to choose the best mobile phone plan for your needs and not get lost in the dozens of different offers, it is a good idea to have a complete overview of how the main phone company offers work. Here is a guide explaining the characteristics, differences, advantages and disadvantages of the two basic plans made available by mobile phone operators: prepaid and subscription.

Subscription: what it is and how it works

One solution increasingly chosen by customers is the subscription, a “package” that starts with more standard profiles with predefined amounts of traffic, and goes up to all-inclusive offers, with unlimited voice traffic, preferred number, GB of internet, sms included and any additional options.

The peculiarity of subscriptions is certainly that they release the user from phone top-ups: you can use your mobile phone without fear of running out of traffic (the monthly fee is charged to bank account or credit card) and you have constant control over your spending.

Pay-as-you-go: what it is and how it works

For regular customers, however, the ‘old’ top-ups are still the best solution. From sos top-ups to online top-ups, running out of credit no longer seems to be a problem, not to mention the messages your operator sends you before they expire warning you that your credit is running out.

The great advantage of rechargeables is that you are not tied to a contract.

Another advantage of rechargeable offers is that you can change your tariff plan at will, depending on your needs. This means that customers are free to choose and change at any time, while keeping their spending under control.

How to choose the most suitable plan?

The choice between mobile, subscription and pay-as-you-go offers should therefore be made on the basis of the use of one’s own mobile phone rather than on the basis of ‘convenience’.

If you make a lot of calls, send a lot of messages or need to use the internet extensively, a subscription is definitely the best solution, allowing you to save money without worrying about constantly topping up your credit or checking your traffic.

If, on the other hand, the phone is not used as much as it should be, a rechargeable phone seems to be the best solution, as it allows you to choose how much and when to recharge your phone.