SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - I always like to get connected whenever I am in a different country since I always want to share my adventures to my friends and my readers. To stay connected, you can either utilize the WIFI of some establishments who carry it or you could also buy a prepaid SIM card from a trusted telecom company that offers affordable data bundles for travellers like us.

WIFI is one of the greatest inventions of mankind but I found out that I cannot rely solely on WIFI because although a lot of establishments already carries it, it can still be a pain in the butt to get connected to it sometimes! And of course, add to it the fact that you will only be connected for as long as you stay in an establishment that has it which is simply a no-no if you want to be connected on the go!

Another option is to buy a prepaid SIM Card for your smartphone. It is more mobile, yes, and it could give you more flexibility but you know how expensive prepaid data plans can be, right? That is why a lot of research should be put into it before settling down on a SIM Card that you can rely on for the duration of your trip and one that will not put so much pressure in your wallet.

Anyway, I want to spare you of the effort to research for hours for that one SIM Card you can trust here in Singapore as I have already done the research for you, guys, and this is what I got!

SO, WHAT IS MY CHOSEN PROVIDER?

During my recent trip to the Little Red Dot, I purchased a hi! SIM Card from SingTel. Be prepared to present your passport when you buy one as the distribution of SIM Cards in Singapore are being controlled. Depending on how much you need and the phone that you are using, you may base there the type of SIM Card you will be getting. If you are having a hard time choosing one, you can utilize Singtel's Card Recommender for you to have an idea of the SIM that will best suit your needs.

1. BUY

I currently have an iPhone 4S and I only planned to stay for 3 days in Singapore so I got the $15 one with $18 credit as it is the lowest-value SIM Card that I can get that comes in a Micro SIM. For iPhone 5 and above, you will need to purchase the $38 SIM Card, at the very least, as that's the least that you can pay for to get a Nano SIM.

2. REGISTER ONLINE YOUR PREPAID ACCOUNT

Once you have already purchased your SIM Card you may then register your number through this page for easy managing of your Prepaid Account online at no extra data charge. You may check your account balance here, top-up your SIM Card by a Top-up card or by using your Credit Card, buy a data plan or add-ons that you will be needing during your stay in the country. Everything is just so convenient!

3. CHOOSE YOUR DATA PLAN

You may now choose the data plan that you would like to purchase for your trip. Each data plan is categorized in either Ultimate, Value, or a Super Plans and each of these categories cater to a particular type of traveller or visitor in Singapore. Here are my simple recommendations to guide you in choosing the right data plan for you:

ULTIMATE PLANS: Suitable for high-data users staying in Singapore for a short period of time, up to a week.
VALUE PLANS: Perfect for visitors who plan to stay for a week but only needs data for mundane activities like receiving and sending emails, posting photos in Facebook or Instagram, sending Viber or Line messages to their loved ones back at home or video calling them instead through Skype for a limited period of time.
SUPER PLANS: Best for travellers who plan to stay in Singapore for a month or so and do activities that does not require a huge amount of data (e.g. emailing, messaging and Google searching)

I bought the 7-Day $7 Value 1 GB Plan during my latest 3-day trip in Singapore. Checking my data usage, I was only consuming about 200 MB worth of data per day given that I was uploading pictures in Instagram every other hour, checking Facebook and Instagram non-stop, searching through Google, utilizing Waze and Google Maps and even Skype-d my cousin for 30 minutes!

For those who just wanted to connect through a certain app like Facebook, LINE, WeChat or WhatsApp, Social Plans are also available at a minimal cost.

WHY SHOULD YOU CHOOSE SINGTEL?

Choosing SingTel is a no-brainer as it makes staying connected a lot easier and fuss-free. I appreciate that you can register your prepaid number online so that you would be able to manage your account easily and conveniently. Wanting to top-up your account, check your remaining balance or buy a data or social plan in a blink? No problem! You can always connect at www.singtel.com/hi as long as you have your Singtel hi! SIM Card installed in your phone and you have your WIFI switched off. Aside from this, the connection was also fast and very dependable that I did not had any downtime or problem while I was using it. Furthermore, it is very affordable and it offers a lot of flexibility and variety that anyone in need of a data/social plan will find something that will best suit his/her needs.

So if you are still on the look out for a Prepaid SIM Card that you can use while you are in the Little Red Dot or if you have not decided yet on one, a hi! SIM Card from SingTel is greatly recommended!

You may purchase hi! SIM Cards and Top-Up Cards at SingTel Retail Shops, SingTel Exclusive Retailers, Authorized Prepaid Retailers and Convenience Stores like 7-Eleven and Cheers. You may also Top-Up online through www.singtel.com/hi (Free Access) or through their easy Online Top-Up facility at www.singtel.com/easyonlinetopup.