Played his role
For a while, Halebop had a unique position and offered something that no other operator had, but today they have long played out their role.
When Telia, which owns Halebop, announced today that they are shutting down the operator, I learned for the first time that Halebop was a “mid-price” operator. That was how Telia themselves now described the operator and it was probably at the same time an explanation for Halebop not filling any important role.
In general today, there are large operators with their own networks, there are the operators’ own low-cost brands or various niche operators, and there are independents that hire themselves into the networks. In Telia’s case, Fello has been the operator’s low-cost option for several years. If we compare prices, Halebop’s prices in recent years are roughly at the same level as Telia’s own, while Fello is significantly cheaper.
They were unique but have lost that
The combination of “significantly cheaper” and coverage using Telia’s network was originally what made Halebop almost unique. Telia’s coverage, especially in northern Norrland, has long been recognized as good, and Halebop in the form of a prepaid card or subscription was a way to access it without taking out an expensive Telia subscription.
Most recently, about a year ago, Halebop tried to launch a new strategy, to not only attract young people in the metropolitan regions, but a wider target group throughout the country. That strategy would lift Halebop’s good deals, but even then the price list had difficulty competing with the small operators and competitors who then and today simply give an even better deal.
Move to Telia not the best choice
When existing Halebop customers are now transferred and become Telia customers, the operator promises that everyone will get at least as good an offer and price as before, but often a move to Fello would have been more advantageous on paper. Although now Telia highlights more security services and package offers as advantages for those who go to Telia.
All of this reminds us that, even when you’re happy with the mobile plan you have, it’s always wise to compare prices. Of course, your usage can change so that you can find a subscription that suits you better, but even if you don’t change your mind, new options pop up.
Big price differences
For unlimited surfing, the big operators charge SEK 629-379 per month, and a subscription with 10 GB of data per month can cost anything between SEK 300 and SEK 20, but then the very cheapest prices are discounted for a couple of months and then become more expensive once the operator gets over you.
Also, don’t forget that it’s easy to change operators. You only need to contact the operator you want to switch to and they will arrange for your existing number to be transferred.