Should I switch plans?

[BoomerB]

My current subscription is the $102/90-day , 60GB Data @ 4G Plan (expiring next week)...plus I got the 240Gb bonus a while back (60 days left and I used none of it so far)
I use about 12-15 GB per month of data.

If I switch to the $29/mth 10 GB @4G plan...would I lose the 240Gb bonus that I have? ... I've heard that some who have switched didn't lose it.

Also, what are the benefits of 5G over 4G?

Thanks!

[eddieO]

From Android Authority's website: (but I have read about this on a number of other sites)

"Does 5G use more battery than 4G LTE?

Yes, 5G can use more battery than 4G LTE in many scenarios. You’re also not alone if you’ve noticed higher battery drain than usual while connected to a 5G network.

Samsung, Apple, T-Mobile, and others have admitted that you should probably switch to 4G if you care about battery life. This may sound counter-intuitive, given that 5G was supposed to enable faster data transfer and reduce network activity. But there are actually a few good reasons behind this, starting with how carriers globally have upgraded to 5G infrastructure."

[will13am]

---

@eddieO wrote:

5G is technically the fastest data speeds available however with PM it's capped at 250 Mbps and their LTE is capable of very close to the same speeds so as a user you won't really notice the difference. Apparently 5G is also known to drain the battery slightly more though I'm sure in real world application it would be hard to notice

---

Where is the proof that a 5G connection is more power hungry?  I would say it is the other way around.  The newer protocols are more efficient and overall likely to be less of a power hog.  

[TheSterlinger]

I believe everyone  who switched does lose it. But for you it wouldn't matter as you are not going to be using it and it's expiring soon. Save money and Change on Renewal .

[funpig1]

@BoomerB 

If you downgrade, you will automatically lose the 240 GB bonus data. You could file a ticket and possibly wait up to 3 weeks to get a response from customer service and they may or may not return some but not all of your 240 GB. Meanwhile, the clock continues to run on that so-called bonus data. 

If you need and make use of the 60 GB over 3 months, you should stick with your plan. Keep an eye unavailable subscriptions to see if a better plan pops up and then you can change on renewal at that time.

[AK32]

I think there is a chance you may lose that bonus if you switch plans, but i have not done it so cannot confirm 100%. 
If you use 12-15 GB per month of data, then it sounds like the 10GB wont be enough. The bonus data will expire eventually and then you will have to find another new plan if you continue to use over 10GB a month.

For 5G vs 4G, the main difference is speed.  If you need the fastest possible connection, then you may want 5G, for me 4G works just fine and never had any issues. There is also only certain areas that have 5G coverage, so when you are not around a 5G tower you will be on 4G anyways.

[will13am]

@BoomerB , if you use more than 10GB per month on average, the $29 plan won't really work for you in the long run.  I think the best way forward is to get the $34/50GB plan.  There are two varieties of this plan, one with US roaming and one with unlimited throttled data.  If there is any chance that you can make use of US roaming or calling US numbers from Canada, the go with the US roaming option.  The unlimited throttle data option is generally not that practical because anyone consuming more than 50GB in a month will find the throttled data to rather unusable.  BTW, you will lose the bonus data because the $29 plan is less expensive than your current plan.  Something to think about...

[BKNS27]

@BoomerB 

I wouldn’t suggest you downgrade your plan because you will lose the 240gb of data as noted in the fine print.

5G is faster than 4G speed but only if your phone is 5G compatible.

[eddieO]

5G is technically the fastest data speeds available however with PM it's capped at 250 Mbps and their LTE is capable of very close to the same speeds so as a user you won't really notice the difference. Apparently 5G is also known to drain the battery slightly more though I'm sure in real world application it would be hard to notice

[hTideGnow]

hi @BoomerB you likely will lose that special add-on, but that add-on has a 150 days limit, by now, it should be around 90 days out of 150. If 10Gb is enough for you anyway, who cares about the bonus data, better to save money