Three’s youth MVNO, 48 Months, has just relaunched with a new look and shortened name. Now simply known as 48, this new network is Three’s effort in the increasingly competitive discount plan market. Vodafone has Vodafone X, Eir launched the very competitive Gomo and now Three enters with 48. Here’s everything you need to know along with how they compare with the competition.
Who Is 48?
I think we’ve all known someone who thought they were pulling a fast one over 48 Months back in the day. The network, an MVNO run by Three, targets younger smartphone users. That’s the name was all about. Between 18 and 22 was supposed to be the most exciting 48 months of your life. Many believed you had to be in this age bracket to be on the network, but no network would ever be that fussy!
While 48 is Three’s network to target the youth market, it’s open to everyone who believes they have a good offering that suits their needs.
The Cheap Phone Plan Market In Ireland
In the past six months, the cheap phone plan market has burst into life in Ireland. While 48 was still tipping along as 48 Months, little has changed in the past few years. Vodafone launched Vodafone X in 2017, but it did little to turn the market on its head. Late last year, Eir rolled a real grenade into the room with Gomo. While there were plenty of customer care issues, customers seeking a cheap phone plan couldn’t argue with Gomo’s €9.99 launch offer which is now just €12.99.
Gomo’s launch sent a shockwave through the Irish mobile market. According to ComReg figures, the launch quick gobbled up a fair bit of market share and handed it to Eir. It makes sense. You take unlimited calls, texts and data and charge very little for it. You can be sure the people of Ireland will answer with their wallets. Of course, there is a data fair usage, but 80GB isn’t leaving you too short on data either.
What 48 Brings To The Market
48 now brings two plans to the market. That’s a €9.99 plan and a €14.99 plan. While 48 runs on the Three network, you won’t have access to their “Unlimited” All You Can Eat Data. 48 claims this is “cause you don’t need it”. 48 also promises to give you “full control of your data”, meaning you can carry over unused data to the next month and donate it to charity.
Interestingly, 48 also offers a “try before you buy” 1GB SIM for free which you can order on their website. Let’s take a quick look at the new plans they have on offer.
What Are The New 48 Plans?
Right, so they’re offering a €9.99 plan and a €14.99 plan which means their either side of Gomo. But how do they stack up?
48’s new plans both give you 300 minutes and unlimited texts. The big difference between the two plans is going to be data. To be fair, it’s the only thing that any network can really charge for these days. First of all, 48 has now opened up 4G. This is something that wasn’t available on the network before launch.
In terms of data allowances, for €9.99 you get €20GB data with 7GB EU roaming and for €14.99 you get 40GB and 9GB data roaming.
How Do The 48 Plans Stack Up?
| Monthly Plan Cost | |||||
| €10 | €13 | €15 | €20 | ||
| 48 |
Monthly Data Allowance
|
20 | N/A | 40 | N/A |
| Gomo | N/A | 80 | N/A | N/A | |
| Vodafone X | N/A | N/A | N/A | 30 | |
48 makes the argument that they’re really only trying to give you enough data that you need in an effort to charge less. In practice, some won’t see it this way. If you look at price per GB, Gomo is still leading the pack with 80GB for €12.99. That’s 16c per GB.
However, 80GB really is a lot of data and, to be honest, more than what many will need on a monthly basis. If you’re a very light data user spending most of your time on WiFi, 48’s €9.99 plan might just whet your appetite a little bit. Even though your paying 50c per GB, your monthly is €3 less than Gomo. There’s also the added benefit of knowing unused data will roll over or be donated to charity.
48’s New Plans: The Verdict
48 is further confirmation that the Irish phone plan market has become a scramble to grab customers who just want a cheap plan. On the surface, Eir’s Gomo is offering the best value plan. But if you’re willing to spend a little bit of time checking in on your plan, 48’s €9.99 is Ireland’s cheapest smartphone plan.
Also remember, you can try out a 1GB SIM for free. Just check out the 48 website.
Update: This article was updated to show 48’s new plans include 300 minutes and unlimited texts.
