Switzerland’s second-largest mobile service provider Sunrise is replacing its four Mobile Internet data plans with four new We Connect plans. These plans are designed for trackers, smart watches, tablets and laptops.
What are the biggest changes?
The two most important differences between all the We Connect plans and the previous mobile data plans are:
- All new data plans support the transfer of data over 5G networks. A phone which supports the 5G standard is required for 5G data transfer. Up until now, only the most expensive mobile data plan was 5G enabled.
- All data plans include data roaming allowances for mobile Internet use in Europe. Depending on the plan, roaming allowances range between 100 megabytes and 1 gigabyte per month. Up until now, only the two most expensive data plans included data roaming (1 gigabyte).
What do the four new data plans from Sunrise give you?
The following table provides an overview of the new We Connect plans from Sunrise. All plans include unlimited mobile data. The Internet speed and included data roaming allowances vary between plans.
| Plan |
track |
watch |
surf |
WiFi |
| Internet speed |
500 Kbps |
2 Mbps |
100 Mbps |
2 Gbps |
| Data roaming (in Europe) |
100 MB |
200 MB |
500 MB |
1 GB |
| Basic monthly fee |
CHF 4.00 |
CHF 10.00 |
CHF 20.00 |
CHF 60.00 |
|
Basic monthly fee in
combination with mobile plan
|
CHF 2.00 |
CHF 5.00 |
CHF 10.00 |
CHF 20.00 |
Which data plan delivers the most value?
Which plan makes sense for you depends on your mobile data needs. Users who use mobile data plans primarily for browsing the Internet on a tablet or laptop will generally find the We Connect Surf plan sufficient. The We Connect Surf plans should also suffice if you use your phone as a mobile hotspot. Getting the We Connect WiFi plan only makes sense if multiple users share your mobile data connection and use it for data-intensive tasks like streaming video.
The Watch plan is designed for users of smart watches (the Apple Watch, for example). The Track plan is designed to be used with tracking devices which transmit data harvested by sensors.
What are the potential advantages for Sunrise mobile and home customers?
Sunrise customers who also have a Sunrise We mobile plan get a discount of at least 50 percent on the new We Connect plans. However, if you get a We Connect plan this way (the Extra SIM option), the plan will include neither local or roaming data. Instead, it simply allows you to use the data provided by your Sunrise We mobile plan on an additional device.
The most expensive plan – We Connect WiFi – is also discounted for Sunrise We Home subscribers.
Should existing Sunrise customers make the switch?
Migrating to the new plans is a sensible move for any Sunrise customers who want to connect to the Internet via a 5G network.
Sunrise customers who have both a mobile data plan and a we mobile plan benefit from a discount when they change to a new We Connect plan. So upgrading is advantageous in this case as well.
Customers who do not have a We Mobile plan from Sunrise can benefit from migrating in some cases – depending on their individual needs. Customers with a Mobile Internet Comfort plan in particular will benefit from migrating. Although the new plan costs one franc more per month than the old plan, it delivers significantly faster Internet speeds, access to 5G networks and a 500-megabyte data-roaming allowance.
Are there any introductory promotional offers?
Yes. Subscribers to Sunrise or UPC mobile plans or home Internet plans benefit from a promotional offer. The introductory offer is available to both Sunrise and UPC customers, and applies to both existing and new customers. The promotional offer is running until the end of April 2021.
The promotional offer gives you a lifelong We Connect Watch or We Connect Surf plan free of charge.
How do the data plans compare to offers from other telecom service providers?
There are not a whole lot of data plans on the Swiss market which give you unlimited local data. For example, the leading Swiss telecom company Swisscom does not currently offer a data plan with unlimited data.
Salt charges 35 francs for its unlimited data plan – although it has consistently offered the plan at half price in recent months. Yallo offers a data plan with unlimited local data and an Internet speed of 21 Mbps for 39 francs per month.
Swisscom customers can get a data plan which includes higher-speed 5G connectivity and 30 gigabytes of data per month for a monthly fee of 49 francs.
Do I even need a data plan?
Many mobile users do not need a dedicated data plan because they already have mobile plans which have sufficient data or even unlimited data. In this case, you can simply use your mobile phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot through which you can connect your laptop or tablet to the Internet.
But if you want to be able to connect your devices independently of your phone, getting a separate SIM for your laptop or tablet can be beneficial. Some service providers give you the option of ordering a second SIM linked to the same mobile plan.
Verdict by moneyland.ch telecom expert Ralf Beyeler
Whether or not the new plans are worth considering depends on your individual needs.
One advantage of the new data plans from Sunrise over competing offers is that they include unlimited local data. Having unlimited data is particularly beneficial for data plans.
The promotional free offer for Sunrise and UPC customers who have mobile plans or home Internet plans is very attractive. But it is important to note here that plans from Sunrise and UPC are among the more expensive on the market.
The data roaming allowances are more symbolic than significant. You can use either 500 megabytes or 1 gigabyte of data in Europe per month – depending on the plan. From a user standpoint, it would make more sense for Sunrise to offer affordable data roaming bundles with several gigabytes of data.
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