Providers use the first recharge to win the activation, then price the ongoing relationship. The published figures show both numbers side by side, so you can see exactly where the promotion ends.
The published pairs
| Recharge | First recharge | From the next recharge |
|---|---|---|
| $180 | 160GB | 100GB |
| $300 | 290GB | 240GB |
| $39 | 60GB (first 6) | 30GB from the 7th |
| $49 | 75GB (first 6) | 45GB from the 7th |
Why providers do it
It costs the provider one elevated recharge to remove most of the risk of switching, then the ongoing amount is a price the provider is comfortable holding for a year. The customer pays for a better first month than every month after it.
What to do about it
Decide on the ongoing figure and treat the first recharge as a bonus. If the ongoing number does not work for you, a large first recharge does not rescue the plan.
What we could not verify. Where a provider has not published a figure we mark it unknown rather than estimate it. Re-read the provider page linked below on the day you decide.