Swap Mobile has just launched a mobile service in Singapore that combines adjustable SIM plans, smartphone subscriptions and device protection. Operating as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) on StarHub’s nationwide 4G and 5G network, the service allows customers to change their monthly mobile allowances and request a new smartphone after six months under an eligible device subscription.
The service is already available online, with its official launch scheduled for 19 October, when plans will also become available through selected partner retailers. Customers can choose between SIM-only plans and subscriptions that combine a phone, mobile plan and protection under one monthly payment, with selected devices also available for outright purchase or through bank instalment plans.
Phone upgrades require a new 24-month subscription
Swap Mobile’s Device Subscription offers selected flagship and mid-range smartphones without an upfront device payment, combining an eligible handset, a selected 4G or 5G SIM plan and Swap Protect Pro into a single monthly fee. Customers become eligible to request a different handset every six months, provided they return their existing device and begin a new 24-month subscription with the replacement. Because ownership of subscribed phones remains with Swap Mobile, customers use the devices under a subscription arrangement rather than purchasing them outright. Customers considering frequent upgrades would therefore need to account for the renewed commitment alongside the monthly subscription cost.
For its limited-time launch promotion, Swap Mobile is offering Device Subscriptions priced between S$5.90 and S$105.90 per month for the first three months. Regular monthly pricing of S$29.90 to S$119.90 applies from the fourth month onwards.
SIM plans offer monthly adjustments and roaming allowances
Customers who prefer to keep their existing phones can subscribe to standalone 4G or 5G SIM plans without a long-term commitment. Through a slider-based interface, they can adjust their data, talk-time and SMS allowances each month without changing mobile providers.
Both types of plan include regional roaming data, with 4G subscribers receiving 10GB of APAC roaming and 5G subscribers receiving 25GB. The 5G plans also include 10GB of global roaming data, while additional roaming data can be configured for Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, depending on customers’ travel needs.
Wong Peng Yew, Executive Director, Swap Telecommunications, described the company’s intention to combine digital control over mobile services with access to customer support: “Consumers here are already highly connected and digitally confident. Singapore consumers don’t need another provider simply competing to give them more gigabytes. The market has moved beyond that. Our ambition is to build a mobile relationship that becomes more useful over time. Connectivity is the starting point, not the end point. We want customers to have greater control at their fingertips, while still ensuring real support is available whenever they need it. That balance between digital convenience and human support is an important part of how we want Swap Mobile to grow in Singapore.”
Regular SIM-only pricing starts at S$10 per month for 4G and S$15 per month for 5G. A separate limited-time launch promotion offers customisable SIM plans from S$1 per month for the first three months.
Device protection is included in both services
Every Device Subscription includes Swap Protect Pro at no additional monthly charge, covering accidental damage, attended theft and screen cracks, subject to the applicable policy terms, exclusions and claims procedures. Standalone SIM customers receive Screen Crack Protect at no additional cost, providing coverage for one claim per year, capped at S$250, for repairs performed by brand-authorised service centres.
StarHub has identified Swap Mobile as its newest MVNO partner. Vidur Rattan, Chief, Consumer Business, StarHub, said such partnerships enable different mobile service offerings and greater consumer choice while supporting StarHub’s efforts to expand its reach and build scale across its mobile business.
Swap Mobile is part of Swap Asia Group, which operates across Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan with more than two decades of experience in device distribution, supply chain services, trade-ins, device protection, financing and mobile lifecycle management. Following its Singapore launch, Swap Mobile plans to expand its services into travel connectivity, streaming and entertainment, and insurance, as part of its longer-term ambition to bring more services together under a single subscription arrangement.
