“Unlimited” is just a cover. Which data card is the most cost-effective?

In order to use more affordable mobile data, I believe many people will plan to buy data cards. If you are a user with a relatively large demand for data, you can choose from unlimited data packages and daily rental cards.

I just happened to need a data card recently, so I researched several major data cards, daily rental cards and unlimited data packages. Let's see which data service is best for you!

1. Rice noodle card

Xiaomi has currently launched two types of cards: daily rental cards and data cards. Daily rental cards are divided into two types: 1 yuan daily rental cards and unlimited daily rental cards. The 1 yuan daily rental card is charged at 1 yuan/day, and the fee will be automatically added at 1 yuan/800M if the total traffic exceeds 800M. If the total traffic in the month reaches 40GB, the Internet service will be suspended for that month.

The unlimited daily rental card is charged at 3 yuan/day, and there is no limit on the traffic within the province. After the cumulative mobile Internet traffic reaches 40GB in the month, the Internet speed drops to below 3.1Mbps. After the cumulative traffic reaches 100GB in the month, the Internet speed drops to 128Kbps, and the 4G Internet speed is restored in the next month.

The domestic traffic packages for both daily rental cards are charged at 2 yuan for 800MB/day. There is no charge if no domestic traffic is generated on the day. When the user's domestic traffic exceeds 800MB, 2 yuan will be charged for every 800MB exceeding the limit.

Mifen Card also has an optional "all-you-can-eat data card". Users can choose China Telecom or China Unicom network, with a fixed rate. Users can get 1GB of national data for 39 yuan, and 10GB of national data (China Telecom network) for 188 yuan.

2. Tencent King Card

Tencent's traffic cards focus on free traffic for Tencent applications, and are divided into Tencent King Card at 19 yuan/month and Tencent King Card at 59 yuan/month. The Tencent King Card offers free domestic Tencent exclusive traffic, 1 yuan/500MB of traffic within the province, and 2 yuan/500MB of traffic outside the province. It is valid for the day and automatically renewed.

The 59-yuan Tianwang Card includes 500 minutes of free domestic voice calls in addition to the rates in the Dawang Card package.

Recently, the official also announced that Tencent King Card will be upgraded again - 1 GB of domestic traffic for 1 yuan. Users of Tencent King Card and Tianwang Card packages, as long as they have been online for 12 months (the month of network access is regarded as a full month), or the available prepaid balance reaches 300 yuan or more (one of the two conditions is sufficient), can apply to upgrade the daily rental package to 1 GB of domestic traffic for 1 yuan. After a successful upgrade, it will take effect on the 1st of the next month.

3. Ant Treasure Card

Ant Bao Card is an exclusive data package mobile phone card jointly created by China Unicom and Ant Financial. There are two package options: Ant Xiaobao+ Card and Ant Dabao Card. The Ant Xiaobao+ Card is 16 yuan/month, including 1GB of domestic data and free domestic calls; while the Ant Dabao Card is 36 yuan/month, including 2GB of domestic data, plus 100 minutes of domestic voice calls.

In addition to its own traffic package, Ant Bao Card also has some additional "benefits", such as free Youku video privileges for only 3 months each month; 10 yuan/1GB domestic traffic, automatically superimposed; you can add 3 family numbers (China Unicom mobile numbers) after activation, and domestic calls to family numbers are free.

20MB of domestic data traffic will be given for each offline purchase (depending on membership level, up to 20 purchases can be made each month); there is no monthly fee for the first month of membership, and 2GB of national data traffic will be given upon activation of the card, etc.

4. CMB Data Card

Currently, China Merchants Bank has also jointly launched two data cards, the Big Zhao Card and the Small Zhao Card, with China Unicom. The Small Zhao Card is 36 yuan/month, and the package includes: 2GB domestic data traffic + 100 minutes of domestic calls; the Big Zhao Card is 96 yuan/month, and the package includes: 6GB domestic data traffic + 600 minutes of domestic calls.

At the same time, both traffic cards can enjoy domestic traffic at 10 yuan/1GB and can be automatically renewed.

In addition, recently both the big and small Zhaozhao cards have upgraded their packages. For the small Zhaozhao card, as long as the user has been online for 6 months or has an available prepaid balance of RMB 200 or more, he or she can add 500MB of domestic data and 50 minutes of calls on top of the RMB package.

If the online usage period is 12 months or the account balance reaches 300 yuan or more, you can add 1GB of national data traffic and 100 minutes of national calls on top of the original package.

As long as users of the Big Move Card have been online for six months or have an account balance of RMB 300 or more, they can add 2GB of national data traffic on top of the original package. Although there is a certain threshold for the upgrade, for old users, the data traffic does increase a lot after the upgrade.

Are “unlimited” data plans really unlimited?

Although the three major operators have launched nominally "unlimited traffic" package services, there are certain restrictions on traffic in actual use. For example, the monthly traffic cannot exceed 100GB, and if it exceeds, the idle network speed will be affected, there are differences in charges in different regions, and local/domestic traffic restrictions. Let's take a look at the "unlimited" traffic packages operated by each operator.

1. China Unicom

The unlimited data package launched by China Unicom is called the "Ice Cream Series" package. Currently, the 398 yuan Ice Cream package only requires a prepayment of 99 yuan to enjoy a monthly package fee of 199 yuan, with unlimited domestic voice and domestic data traffic.

However, when the user's total domestic traffic reaches 40GB in that month, the Internet speed will drop to 7.2Mbps; and after the cumulative usage of 100GB in that month, the Internet speed will drop to less than 256Kbps, and will be restored in the next month.

2. China Mobile

China Mobile launched the "Use Anything" package in May this year, and recently launched an unlimited data package for 98 yuan, which includes 2GB of domestic data, 200 minutes of domestic calls to domestic customers, and unlimited data within the province. After the limit, domestic data traffic is 0.29 yuan/MB and domestic calls to domestic customers are 0.19 yuan/minute.

After the total traffic generated by the primary and secondary cards reaches 40GB in a month, the network speed for that month will not exceed 1Mbps, and subsequent domestic traffic will no longer be charged.

For old users, China Mobile also has a data package priced at 238 yuan, which includes unlimited domestic data, 5GB*12 months of domestic data, and 500 minutes of talk time. When the user exceeds the data usage in the month, when the monthly national data usage reaches 15GB, the network speed will be reduced to no more than 1MB/second. When the total data usage in the month reaches 100GB, the Internet access function will be stopped and resumed the next month.

3. China Telecom

China Telecom offers users the option of a "Tianyi Unlimited Package" at 199/month, which provides users with 40GB of 4G traffic, 3,000 minutes of domestic talk time, and free nationwide incoming calls and caller ID.

When the user's traffic usage exceeds 40GB, the Internet speed will be reduced to 3G network speed. When the cumulative usage reaches 100GB in the month, the Internet speed will be reduced to 128Kbps and restored in the next month.

*Friendly reminder: The fees and contents of unlimited data packages provided by major operators may vary at different times and regions. Please refer to the information released by local operators.

Are the daily rental cards of the three major operators easy to use?

In order to adapt to the needs of users, the three major mobile operators have also launched daily rental card package options. Judging from the daily rental card package settings, they are mainly aimed at local users with relatively large traffic demands. Because the traffic package only includes local traffic, domestic traffic is actually charged according to normal rates. The price is too high and it is not cost-effective to use. Let's take a look at the three companies' respective "daily rental card" services.

1. Mobile daily rental card

China Mobile currently only offers a daily rental card with a monthly service fee of 8 yuan, which includes 1 yuan for 500MB of local traffic, which is automatically superimposed, and domestic traffic is 0.29 yuan/MB, equivalent to 60 yuan/GB. For calls, domestic calls are 0.25 yuan/minute, and domestic incoming calls are free.

2. China Unicom daily rental card

China Unicom has also launched only one daily rental card, with a monthly service fee of 5 yuan, including 50MB of local traffic, and data traffic is 1 yuan/500MB of local traffic, which can be automatically superimposed. Domestic roaming traffic is 0.27 yuan/MB, which is basically the same as the national traffic rate of China Mobile's daily rental card. For calls, domestic calls are 0.15 yuan/minute, and incoming calls are free nationwide.

3. Telecom daily rental card

China Telecom has also launched a 4G package called "Super Daily Rental Card" with a monthly rental of 6 yuan. The package includes 30 minutes of domestic talk time, free domestic incoming calls, 1 yuan per day for 1GB of local traffic, and 30 yuan/500MB of intra-provincial and domestic traffic. Compared with China Mobile and China Unicom's 4G daily rental cards, China Telecom's 1 yuan/1GB local traffic undoubtedly has a certain competitive advantage.

Summarize:

Currently, the three major mobile operators and major platforms have launched their own different data card package services, which have reduced the charges for users to use data to a certain extent. However, there are also many corresponding restrictions. Especially in unlimited data cards, there is actually a "cap" limit on traffic.

Despite this, for users who have data needs, daily rental cards and unlimited data packages also bring them real benefits.

If necessary, everyone can apply for it at any time. However, I need to remind everyone that if you don’t have a dual-SIM dual-standby phone (Apple users may be caught in the crossfire for no reason), then applying for a data card means that you may need a backup phone.