Singtel introduces Bring It Back programme for SIM-only users who want iPhone 15 and future iPhones
Singtel’s SIM-only plan users (the phoneless, postpaid, 12-month mobile data plan) can now enjoy new iPhones without paying the entire device’s cost every time Apple launches a new iOS smartphone.
What is Bring It Back by Singtel?
The red camp telco is introducing a new Bring It Back programme, starting with the Apple iPhone 15 series and 15 Pro series handsets.
Bring It Back lets SIM-Only plan users get a guaranteed 50% trade-in value on their iPhone 15’s original retail price, even after paying for the device in monthly installments for at least 12 months.
How does it work?
To understand how this works, you must be familiar with its SIM-Only plans (linked above) and Singtel’s phone-only, 0% interest installment plan called Singtel PayLater.
Among its various monthly installment options, Singtel has a 24-month phone payment plan called PayLater 24. You pay zero upfront cost and split the phone’s recommended retail price across 24 months via your Singtel bill.
That also applies to the Bring It Back programme. You pay S$0 upfront for an iPhone 15 or 15 Pro variant, and pay off the device via Singtel PayLater 24 (on top of footing your SIM-Only plan’s bill). You also pay for the MobileSwop Unlimited Premium device care plan (starting at S$13.02 a month) to maintain your device’s eventual trade-in value (see caveats below).
At the 12-month mark, things are different. The user on these plans has two choices: they can either continue paying and using that iPhone 15 for the remainder of their installment, or they can “bring it back” to Singtel after the 12 months are up, trade in their iPhone 15 device for 50% of its original value, and start with next year’s iPhone at S$0 upfront cost.
That 50% trade-in value is redeemed as a one-time credit on your next Singtel PayLater bill, which basically zeroes out whatever you were supposed to pay for the full Singtel PayLater 24 on that “old” iPhone 15. By then, you would’ve started on a new Singtel PayLater with a new iPhone from the future. This makes Bring It Back a “forward trade-in” programme.
The table above is an example provided by Singtel in its official e-mail statement.
What’s the catch?
The only caveats are that the iPhone 15 must survive that year with no cosmetic or display damage, and the IMEI number must match the one you purchased through Singtel PayLater. The guaranteed trade-in value may differ from 50% if it doesn’t meet those requirements.
Singtel said that this arrangement spares the user from having to venture onto the murky second-hand marketplace to release their iPhone after a year, plus the telco will take on your one-year-old iPhone for “responsible repurposing”.
Also, this programme starts with the iPhone 15 — so nope, you can’t bring a current PayLater phone and cash it in now.
Singtel Bring It Back for iPhone 15 series and 15 Pro series
Bring It Back is available to Singtel SIM-Only users buying the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro series from now until 31 December 2023.
Hongzuo, L. (2023, September 13). Singtel introduces Bring It Back programme for SIM-only users who want iPhone 15 and future iPhones. HardwareZone.com.sg. https://www.hardwarezone.com.sg/tech-news-singtel-bring-it-back-forward-trade-in-iphone-15-pro-max-sim-only