3 Sim Only Review: World Class Value
Published 4/04/18
Why you should choose Sim Only
As people are holding onto their phones for longer than ever before, it only makes sense that they look to sim only as a cheaper alternative to traditional bill pay plans. Virtually all of Ireland's mobile networks provide sim only plans, which essentially allow you to keep your phone and switch network as much as you like. Waving goodbye to contracts that seem to last an eternity, sim only generally gives you more for your money. That means more calls, texts and data (which is now undoubtedly the most important aspect of any plan) and the option of choosing bill pay sim only or pay as you go sim only. The latter is arguably more attractive for younger consumers because it offers complete freedom. Bill pay sim only is perfect for those who buy their phone unlocked, you get exactly what you pay for.
Of course, the very definition of sim only differs from network to network. Some networks, namely Virgin Mobile, have excelled thanks to their awesome bill pay sim only plans. Other networks add a minimum contract length so you don't have the ultimate freedom. Vodafone's student plans, Vodafone X, launched last year and are a prime example of just how much bang you can get for your buck on pay as you go sim only. It's probably not surprising that 3's sim only plans offer stellar value, they are the very network who has breathed competition into the Irish telecoms industry over the last number of years.
Of course, the very definition of sim only differs from network to network. Some networks, namely Virgin Mobile, have excelled thanks to their awesome bill pay sim only plans. Other networks add a minimum contract length so you don't have the ultimate freedom. Vodafone's student plans, Vodafone X, launched last year and are a prime example of just how much bang you can get for your buck on pay as you go sim only. It's probably not surprising that 3's sim only plans offer stellar value, they are the very network who has breathed competition into the Irish telecoms industry over the last number of years.
3 Bill Pay Sim Only: Nothing else comes close
Taking a look at 3's bill pay sim only plan, I can only forgive you for looking twice to see if it's a mistake. No other network in Ireland has a sim only plan that comes close to 3's, its just world-class value. Call, text and eat all the data you want (provided you have good 4G speeds) on a completely unlimited plan. All for €30 a month on a 30-day contract so you can abandon 3 when you wish.
The good doesn't end there, you can also enjoy three months free of Deezer Premium, a French music streaming service that is basically the same as Spotify. You can also take advantage of 3Plus, a rewards programme that every 3 customers should take advantage of. There must be a catch with this unlimited plan, right? That so-called 'all you can eat data' actually translates to 60GB before a fair usage policy kicks in. For most people, 60GB is a huge amount of data but I know many who exceed the threshold monthly because of their heavy usage of services such as YouTube and Netflix. If you do exceed 60GB of usage, you may not even be throttled so it could be deemed unlimited.
That unlimited data doesn't extend to roaming within the EU. 3 decided to continue limiting its customer's data allowances within the EU, something that Vodafone has completely forfeited. You can use 9GB while roaming in the EU. Calls and texts remain the same as the home allowance in the EU.
Comparing 3's bill pay sim only plan to the competition, Eir and Vodafone, proves just how good 3's plan is. For the same price on Vodafone, you are limited just 5GB of data, an absurdly low allowance in 2018. With Vodafone's plan, you are paying a premium for access to a better network, a network that works in places that 3's simply doesn't. Eir gives you 30GB data for €25 a month, along with unlimited access to social services such as YouTube or Whatsapp.
To conclude, if you want to keep your phone and are on the lookout for a bill pay sim only plan, you cant go wrong with 3. If you discover that you're not happy with your service, you can leave without any penalty. Unlimited everything is something that I'm sure many people would love, and 3's delivered just that.
The good doesn't end there, you can also enjoy three months free of Deezer Premium, a French music streaming service that is basically the same as Spotify. You can also take advantage of 3Plus, a rewards programme that every 3 customers should take advantage of. There must be a catch with this unlimited plan, right? That so-called 'all you can eat data' actually translates to 60GB before a fair usage policy kicks in. For most people, 60GB is a huge amount of data but I know many who exceed the threshold monthly because of their heavy usage of services such as YouTube and Netflix. If you do exceed 60GB of usage, you may not even be throttled so it could be deemed unlimited.
That unlimited data doesn't extend to roaming within the EU. 3 decided to continue limiting its customer's data allowances within the EU, something that Vodafone has completely forfeited. You can use 9GB while roaming in the EU. Calls and texts remain the same as the home allowance in the EU.
Comparing 3's bill pay sim only plan to the competition, Eir and Vodafone, proves just how good 3's plan is. For the same price on Vodafone, you are limited just 5GB of data, an absurdly low allowance in 2018. With Vodafone's plan, you are paying a premium for access to a better network, a network that works in places that 3's simply doesn't. Eir gives you 30GB data for €25 a month, along with unlimited access to social services such as YouTube or Whatsapp.
To conclude, if you want to keep your phone and are on the lookout for a bill pay sim only plan, you cant go wrong with 3. If you discover that you're not happy with your service, you can leave without any penalty. Unlimited everything is something that I'm sure many people would love, and 3's delivered just that.
3 Pay as You Go Sim Only: The very plan that defined 3
3's pay as you go sim only plan is perhaps among one of the most popular plans in Ireland. It's a classic that has withstood the test of time. It truly offers amazing value. If there's anyone that knows how to do pay as you go right, it's 3. Topping up by €20 28 days gives you unlimited data, texts and free 3 to 3 calls. You can move network as you wish, and whats best? The ability to keep your credit once the top up offer has expired, something that I wish Eir and Vodafone implemented. Again, data within the EU is restricted, you can use 6GB. Calls and texts within the EU remain the same as at home.
You can indulge in the same benefits offered by the bill pay sim only plan, three months access to Deezer Premium and access to 3Plus. The 'unlimited' data is 60GB again here, which is an ample allowance for most. But think about this: Vodafone, who is well known to be mean when it comes to data allowances, actually offers more data (100GB) on its Vodafone X Weekend plan for the same price. And we all know that it would be a much more pleasant experience to 'eat' that data on Vodafone because it's network is far superior. It makes me feel that 3 should raise its fair usage limit, it does call itself the network built for data after all.
Comparing this plan to the competition, its less attractive that the bill pay sim only plan above, but it easily trumps Eir's plan which offers 20GB of data with unlimited access to social networks and either unlimited calls or texts for €20. Vodafone has really stepped up its game, its Vodafone X plans may offer better value than 3's plan some people, especially if you're sports (free Sky Sports Mobile) or music fanatic (free Spotify Premium). 3's plan is by no means better than Vodafone's for many people. And that should worry 3, people will choose Vodafone for a superior network.
This is the pay as you go plan that defined 3, the plan that attracted those seeking more data. It has had a major influence on the plans offered by other networks in Ireland. Without 3, I think we'd be still using plans that offer tiny data allowances. This particular plan is less attractive than it was previously, not only because of increasing competition but also because 3 removed unlimited weekend calls. At the end of the day, you'd still struggle to complain about this plan because it is superb.
You can indulge in the same benefits offered by the bill pay sim only plan, three months access to Deezer Premium and access to 3Plus. The 'unlimited' data is 60GB again here, which is an ample allowance for most. But think about this: Vodafone, who is well known to be mean when it comes to data allowances, actually offers more data (100GB) on its Vodafone X Weekend plan for the same price. And we all know that it would be a much more pleasant experience to 'eat' that data on Vodafone because it's network is far superior. It makes me feel that 3 should raise its fair usage limit, it does call itself the network built for data after all.
Comparing this plan to the competition, its less attractive that the bill pay sim only plan above, but it easily trumps Eir's plan which offers 20GB of data with unlimited access to social networks and either unlimited calls or texts for €20. Vodafone has really stepped up its game, its Vodafone X plans may offer better value than 3's plan some people, especially if you're sports (free Sky Sports Mobile) or music fanatic (free Spotify Premium). 3's plan is by no means better than Vodafone's for many people. And that should worry 3, people will choose Vodafone for a superior network.
This is the pay as you go plan that defined 3, the plan that attracted those seeking more data. It has had a major influence on the plans offered by other networks in Ireland. Without 3, I think we'd be still using plans that offer tiny data allowances. This particular plan is less attractive than it was previously, not only because of increasing competition but also because 3 removed unlimited weekend calls. At the end of the day, you'd still struggle to complain about this plan because it is superb.
Side Note: Special offers and drawbacks
None of 3's plans support tethering, so if you plan to use your phone as a mobile hotspot you should look elsewhere. 3's network is significantly poorer than Vodafone's or Eir's, and unlimited data is only as good as the network its on. I would advise that you check the coverage and speeds provided by 3's network in your area by looking at Ookla or OpenSignal's coverage map.
As of writing this article, new 3 customers can avail of €120 free credit on the pay as you go plan mentioned above. For more details, click here.
As of writing this article, new 3 customers can avail of €120 free credit on the pay as you go plan mentioned above. For more details, click here.
