Choosing the Best Cell Phone Operator: Know Five Tips

The competition among mobile operators in Brazil can make the user consider migrating from company to save or get better packages. Providers take advantage of the proximity of year-end purchases to offer advantages to new customers, including invoice discounts or smartphones, among other benefits.

The attractiveness of each plan and company, however, depends on the consumer's profile, such as the need for a robust data package or minutes at ease to talk. To help with the decision, TechTudo has put together a handful of tips to keep in mind when searching for a mobile plan at a different carrier. Check out the following lines.

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List gathers five tips for choosing the best mobile carrier

1. See if there are unlimited apps (no deductibles)

The operators began, some years ago, to include social networks in a quota of free internet, that does not consume of its monthly plan. Today, however, this benefit has been extended to other applications. There are cases where music and video apps, such as Deezer, Spotify, YouTube and Netflix, are not deducted from the franchise. Plans that offer this advantage end up coming out ahead if you use the services a lot.

In addition to knowing which apps are in the package, it is important to know the mode of the benefit. In general, there are two cases: either the apps have unlimited free connection, or have an extra bundle of restricted data.

Operator releases use of WhatsApp, Waze, Cabify, Easy, Instagram and Facebook

Vivo, for example, offers Double Play, the internet package with the same amount of data contracted by the customer for a selection of apps. In practice, the user who subscribes to a 12GB plan, for example, has another 12 GB to use only in those applications. The rest is available to consume at will. At TIM, during Black Friday, the data offer reached 100 GB just for videos. In Claro and Oi, WhatsApp and some social networks are not deducted from the monthly package.

2. Check the coverage in your region

The coverage of the cellular network is very unequal in Brazil, which can directly impact the speed of 4G internet. So it's important to research which carriers work best in your region, especially if you do not live in a capital city.

A good way to get this information is through Mosaico ( sistemas.anatel.gov.br/se/public/cmap.php ), Anatel's coverage analysis tool. The online platform estimates the performance of the mobile network in a given region based on the technical information of the Personal Mobile Service (SMP) stations registered in the Anatel database by the operators.

Anatel tool helps you check coverage in your region

3. Check if there is a progressive discount

To attract a new customer, carriers can offer discounts that increase as you add some criteria. At Claro, customers who take numbers from other operators can earn internet bonuses, and those who opt for automatic debit payment get a discount on the invoice. At Vivo, customers who activate the digital account, which arrives only via email and app, also receive extra megabytes every month.

Another way to filter plans is by loyalty. It is important that the operator offers some clear advantage to require the standard one-year contract. This is because it is already common that some companies do not require minimum time to stay to allow cancellation. If there are no benefits, it is better to sign a plan without fidelity.

Of course: carrier offers Internet bonuses for those who carry out portability

4. Watch out for mobile offerings

Companies in the industry can offer discounts on mobile phones depending on the plans chosen. However, you need to research the price of the device on the internet before buying. Providers usually work with the original price of the handsets, applying the discount on a value that may have already suffered devaluation in the market. It is common that a telephone on offer, for example, is costing the same or even cheaper in e-commerce.

A good way to find out this information is by comparing prices, like Compare. Do not forget to consider the freight in the final value of the mobile phone on the internet before comparing with the price of the carrier.

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5. Do you travel a lot? Analyze roaming offers in Brazil and abroad

Those who travel a lot through Brazil or the world should keep an eye on the best national and international roaming prices. Claro, for example, has recently renewed its packages for use abroad. For monthly charges varying between US $ 9.99 and US $ 29.99, depending on the country, the service provider allows you to use your internet package, make unlimited calls, receive calls and send SMS outside Brazil.

Via Vivo, Claro (1, 2), Tim, Oi and Anatel

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