How to get the most mobile data for your money in this lockdown
Most of you may be aware of the way the mobile Internet data is priced by our two Telcos in Bhutan, but in case you are not, this article is meant to enlighten you on this. The data rate depends a lot on the package you purchase with the per MB data rate of smaller data packages being as much as three times or more more expensive compared to bigger data packages. The same pattern applies to post-paid data packages. (See Table 1 and Table 2 below for details)
Picture courtesy: Internet.
Therefore, if you are a regular user of mobile Internet and if you can afford it, it is always better to go for bigger data packages of at least Nu. 699, rather than using Nu. 99 or 199 packages. These smaller data packages cost you two to three times more in the long run. What this also means is that, this pricing scheme is hard on the people with lower income who may not be able afford to opt for bigger data packages. Could this be reviewed given that Internet connectivity is a basic necessity for almost everyone in this day and age?
| BTL Prepaid mobile data Package with cost in Nu | Data volume in MB | Rate per MB in Chhetrums | Validity | Probable users | Cost in Nu. for 10 GB data usage |
| 19 | 260 | 7.31 | 1 day | people with less income | 730.77 |
| 29 | 410 | 7.07 | 1 day | people with less income | 707.32 |
| 39 | 520 | 7.50 | 1 week | people with less income | 750.00 |
| 49 | 660 | 7.42 | 1 week | people with less income | 742.42 |
| 99 | 1330 | 7.44 | 1 month | people with less income | 744.36 |
| 199 | 2720 | 7.32 | 1 month | people with less income | 731.62 |
| 299 | 4500 | 6.64 | 1 month | people with less income | 664.44 |
| 499 | 8260 | 6.04 | 1 month | Higher income people | 604.12 |
| 699 | 22370 | 3.12 | 1 month | Higher income people | 312.47 |
| 799 | 26710 | 2.99 | 1 month | Higher income people | 299.14 |
| 999 | 37570 | 2.66 | 1 month | Higher income people | 265.90 |
| 1199 | 48730 | 2.46 | 1 month | Higher income people | 246.05 |
| TashiCell mobile data Package cost in Nu. | Data volume in MB | Per MB Rate in Chhetrums | validity | Probable users | Cost in Nu. for 10 GB data usage |
| 19 | 213 | 8.92 | 1 week | people with less income | 892.02 |
| 49 | 563 | 8.70 | 1 week | people with less income | 870.34 |
| 99 | 1280 | 7.73 | 1 month | people with less income | 773.44 |
| 199 | 2656 | 7.49 | 1 month | people with less income | 749.25 |
| 299 | 4219 | 7.09 | 1 month | people with less income | 708.70 |
| 499 | 7500 | 6.65 | 1 month | people with less income | 665.33 |
| 777 | 22500 | 3.45 | 1 month | people with less income | 345.33 |
| 999 | 37500 | 2.66 | 1 month | Higher income people | 266.40 |
| 1299 | 45000 | 2.89 | 1 month | Higher income people | 288.67 |
| 1499 | 60000 | 2.50 | 1 month | Higher income people | 249.83 |
| 1999 | 90000 | 2.22 | 1 month | Higher income people | 222.11 |
| 2499 | 120000 | 2.08 | 1 month | Higher income people | 208.25 |
| 2999 | 150000 | 2.00 | 1 month | Higher income people | 199.93 |
I use a post-paid data plan and I learnt about how to get better value for my money through my own experience. Few years ago, I had not cared to change my data plan since the initial days of my mobile subscription without realising that the my mobile service provider had reworked its data plans, and suddenly, my monthly bills were crossing Nu. 3,000. That’s when I did the analysis, and changed my data plan. Thereafter, my monthly bills dropped below Nu. 2,000.