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Comment by Ayesh | Hacker News Reader

Use prepaid.

I don't see why not many people see the appeal of prepaid SIM cards. Just buy an unlocked phone, and pop in a prepaid SIM card or install an eSIM profile. That's all it takes.

I rarely make phone calls, and haven't send an SMS in years. WiFi is everywhere, so all what I use the SIM card is to register with shitty 2FA providers that dont support TOTP/WebAuthn. The catch with prepaid SIM cards is that phone calls, SMSs, and mobile data are quite expensive. My carrier charges 9,95 euros for a 1GB bundle. I only use mobile data when I need to look up directions or something small that even a small package with a small data cap, or a package with unlimited data at slow rate does the job.

Context: Netherlands, using KPN prepaid. I understand postpaid packages are more common in the US and prepaid cost a lot more too.

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> The catch with prepaid SIM cards is that phone calls, SMSs, and mobile data are quite expensive.

If you're not using your phone for calls, SMSs, or mobile data, then what are you using it for?

Mostly for incoming SMS 2FA, and to use as a phone number for deliveries, forms, etc.

US Prepaid has a lot of price points. $5/mo for 200mb, $15/mo 3gb, $23/mo 10gb, $32/mo 50gb.

I'm with you that prepaid keeps me safe from unintended charges (eg: no activation fee for moving SIM to another handset). It's more flexible overall (eg:no hotspot restrictions).

$10/GB sounds very expensive. Even in the US it wouldn't be that.

Also, a major strike against most prepaid plans is they don't support things like smartwatches paired with a phone. So you're kinda stuck getting a postpaid plan that supports those features.

Yeah the $10/GB price is the catch. In reality, I haven't activated any of these plans in months. The credits have unlimited shelf life (as long as I make a call/SMS every six months), and it has been working great.

For me, having to pay $10 a gigabyte is absolutely absurd.

It is, and that's their catch. That number is only for 2FA SMSs, when I have deliveries, or when something requires a phone number verification. WiFi is plentiful everywhere nowadays, so I didn't have to activate this absurd plans in months.

Meanwhile in Ireland I pay €20 for a "throttles after 45gb" package on prepaid

Sounds like a great deal! I did try to game the EU roaming by using a Polish carrier SIM in the Netherlands, which in theory should work for a few months each.

> I don't see why not many people see the appeal of prepaid SIM cards.

Because paying your bill ahead of time means you're lending them money!

> My carrier charges 9,95 euros for a 1GB bundle.

That's stupidly high.

But you're also not giving them the opportunity to charge you for something you didn't realize. Imagine if YouTube could charge you automatically if you accidentally clicked on a "Premium" video without realizing.

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