Choosing your mobile supplier
Finger on the pulse: In the spring of 2012, the cellular market was opened to new operators, and since then we have witnessed a large variety of new plans and options, many of them offering more lucrative terms for the customer. It’s a good idea to see if your plan and the supplier you subscribed to are still provide you with the best deal for you. It is worthwhile to do such an examination routinely, at least once a year. You’ll be surprised at how dynamic the market is.
There are a few websites you can check that compare deals and suppliers and they are well worth a visit
Take your time : Don’t be hasty in choosing the plan and don’t be tempted by “offers that won’t come back.” Take all the time you need to see if the proposed route is right for you. For this, it is important that you know what kind of cellular user are you. For instance, are you the “all inclusive” plan kind of customer, or maybe “pay as you use” plan is more your style
Written Torah: Ask for a detailed and written contract. Do not join the program based on a phone conversation or oral statements given to you by a sales representative so that you do not discover unpleasant surprises once you start getting those bills .
Adjustments: If you’re considering switching, check to see if your device matches the network you’re requesting to switch to. Switching operators may require the purchase of a new device.
Account tracking
Monthly check: You must check your account monthly. Quite a few times you will find that you were charged more than you expected, that services you did not sign for were billed or did not receive the benefits you were promised. On the website of the Israeli Consumer Council there is a guide explaining how to correctly read a cellular bill
Secret services: When you join your carrier, make sure that all content services on the sign-up form are marked with “No” so that you don’t discover that you purchased services you didn’t even know existed.
Purchase of a new mobile device
Frequencies: When purchasing a new device, it is recommended to check that it supports all relevant frequencies, and not just one of them, this will allow you flexibility in switching between all cellular networks in Israel.
Open market: When purchasing a new device, compare the prices of devices from third parties and cellular companies. There is no advantage in purchasing a device specifically from a mobile operator. Decide in advance whether you prefer a new device or a refurbished one and make sure you get the right kind. Check which entity gives you the warranty: the official importer or another importer, and for how long it is valid.
Insurance: New devices have a manufacturer’s warranty for the first year. There is no need for double insurance. When an uninsured device malfunctions, it is recommended to check external repair labs in addition to the supplier repair lab. In many cases the repair price charged by external labs can be significantly cheaper than the service centers of the cellular companies.
Route selection
Commitment: Today the tracks are without commitment. If you still have a commitment plan, it’s important to know that exit fines today aren’t as high as they used to be. By law, the penalty is limited to 8% of your average bill amount multiplied by the remaining months until the commitment ends. Sometimes it will be cheaper to pay the fine than to continue and stay on a bad plan.
SMS: If you subscribe to a metered plan (and not “all-inclusive”), you should know that one text message (SMS) in Hebrew consists of 70 characters. If you exceed the number of characters, you will be charged a fee for 2 text messages, over 140 characters for 3 text messages, and so on, so choose your words carefully…
Pending song service: You can reduce your cost by forgoing a pending song service
Browsing capacity: Pay attention to the data cap on your plan. Even so-called all-inclusive packages sometimes include such restrictions. The accepted volume on the market today is 3 gigabytes per month, although you can already find attractive packages in volumes of 5-6 gigabytes.
Communication abroad
Options: If you are traveling abroad with your cellular device, make sure immediately upon arrival that the “cellular data communication” option on your device is turned off (according to the instructions of the Ministry of Communications, it should be turned off in the first place, unless you request otherwise).
Network: In the market there are Internet programs (such as Whatsapp) that allow communication between two points in the world via the Internet. With every WiFi connection, you can make free calls and send Whatsapp messages.
Call back: To make discounted voice calls from your device, make sure Callback is turned on. When dialing the country, the call will be disconnected and will return to you immediately as an incoming call. Check the cost for this service and make sure it is worth your while.
And most importantly, don’t forget to talk face-to-face from time to time. You might discover a new experience…
