Opinions Needed on StarHub Mobile Services

kayheem · Post by **kayheem** » Thu Mar 25, 2004 3:15 pm

Hi,

I am thinking of converting to StarHub for my mobile phone needs. Does anyone have opinions on their reliability, customer service etc?

Would like to know all the pros and cons.

I am not considering M1 currently as the reception for M1 at my workplace is bad.

Thanks!

Kay Heem

lsy_98 · Post by **lsy_98** » Thu Mar 25, 2004 3:18 pm

i heard StarHub SMS is more expensive. Don't know how true is it.

Post by **zong** » Thu Mar 25, 2004 4:21 pm

Hi, I think I may be able to help on that, afterall I'm studying about such things as a pastime 8)

Costs per sms out of your plan limit for both Singtel and Starhub are both the same. I'm comparing between the $29 (est.) plans from starhub and singtel. If you're a crazy sms-er, it's better to take starhub, because they give more free sms in the plan (600 free compared to singtel 360). About free talktime, starhub is only 100 mins outgoing, incoming free(12hrs per day, either 7am to 7pm or 7pm to 7am); singtel gives you double, 200 mins but their policy doesn't care if the call is incoming or outgoing, meaning 200mins include incoming call-time. In terms of reception, starhub can rival singtel now, though in the past it was very bad.

However singtel now has a new policy, which is to make customers retain their phone line and not change every 2 years after the contract is up. For the $28 plan, they give "discounts" to the plan, meaning the first year you pay $28 a month, second year you pay $26 per month, then $24 a month for third year, and $20 for the 4th year onwards. I do not know of any such promotions with starhub.

I chose singtel because I don't sms alot, and i prefer to call people, even for short messages. Customer service I'm not very sure, I know starhub is 24hrs, which i always like, because problems usually come to me at unorthodox times (er, like midnight?!). I have not checked out customer service for singtel before, although I suspect they only provide 9-5 service.

Hope this helps! And as usual, I think my explanations have lotsa loopholes ^_^ feel free to ask me anything else

kayheem · Post by **kayheem** » Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:08 pm

zong wrote: About free talktime, starhub is only 100 mins outgoing, incoming free(12hrs per day, either 7am to 7pm or 7pm to 7am);

Hi Zong,

I do not SMS much and most of the calls I make is outgoing. I am thinking of StarHub as they charge by the second. As for the free incoming, do you mean you state upfront which 12 hrs you want when you sign up?

Thanks!

Kay Heem

Post by **Airconvent** » Fri Mar 26, 2004 12:57 am

starhub has some advantages like integration with SCV , etc and their free incoming call packages are quite attractive ...as low as $22.
however, they do have some capacity issue. during times like new year's eve, etc, you are more likely to get a busy network than M1 or singtel. (singtel seems to have the best).

Post by **zong** » Fri Mar 26, 2004 1:13 am

If most calls are outgoing, Singtel's 200 mins is great. But I forgot another point (silly me) that it's 150 mins peak (9am-9pm) and 50 mins non-peak. Starhub's per-second charging is great too, depends on which one you like. Free incoming is 12hrs and you tell them which 12 hours you want when you sign up, dunno if you can change via customer service though. Oh ya, if you can't finish your 100mins, Starhub has airtime rollover too, which is nice, but Singtel doesn't have it.

The integration for starhub isn't really attractive unless you mean you want a "super-starhub" home, where you have SCV channels, Starhub handphones, and Starhub broadband together. Then Starhub will start lovin' ya!

Capacity issues are less common now even in big hols, my sister uses starhub and she ain't experiencing problems yet. The only problem with capacity is because you get a few thousand people standing in a very small area (countdown parties), and the satellite will not be able to tell which phone has what number. Now THAT would cause trouble.