Teleboy Mobile for CHF 12.90: How good are cheap Swiss mobile plans really?

Teleboy Mobile is once again being advertised for CHF 12.90 per month. This is the price of the Swiss plan, which offers unlimited data, calls and texts in Switzerland on Sunrise's 5G network, but without roaming included. The monthly fee alone therefore does not answer whether the plan suits you. What matters is the mobile network, any speed limits, whether 5G is really usable without restrictions, whether and how much roaming is included, and whether CHF 12.90 is a permanent price or an introductory offer.

The price reduction mainly shows one thing: a cheap Swiss mobile plan no longer automatically means compromising on domestic data. However, clear differences remain when it comes to roaming, contract conditions and how long a promotional price applies, including within Teleboy's own line-up.

Teleboy for CHF 12.90: the price is only the starting point

The price of CHF 12.90 applies to the Swiss plan and makes Teleboy Mobile interesting mainly for people who mostly call within Switzerland, send messages and use data. According to Teleboy, this comes with a one-off activation fee of CHF 49, no minimum contract term, and a 60-day cancellation period effective at the end of the month.

Before switching, check the specific offer directly with the provider anyway. Promotions may be subject to conditions, such as a limited ordering period or a price that only applies for a certain time. How long the reduced price of CHF 12.90 applies is not stated on Teleboy's website, more on that in the section below on permanent prices and introductory offers.

The offer overviews from Dschungelkompass and handyabo.com help put current price promotions from several providers into context. Important: do not compare only the prominently displayed monthly price, always compare the full tariff details of the relevant offer.

What distinguishes cheap mobile plans from one another

A plan costing around CHF 10 to CHF 15 can include very different services. Teleboy Swiss is a useful example of what matters:

These six points apply to any other provider too. The answers change, the questions stay the same.

Network and 5G: cheap does not automatically mean poorer reception

Teleboy uses Sunrise's network for all its mobile plans, Swiss, International, International Plus and the data-only plans. This is the same regardless of which price you choose. Many budget plans are sold as secondary brands or through virtual providers and use an existing Swiss mobile network. In practice, this can work well as long as the underlying network is strong in the places where you spend a lot of time.

So do not check only general network tests. What matters is your home, commute, workplace and places such as holiday homes or mountain regions. If reception is poor in your flat, even a plan with many gigabytes will not help much.

When it comes to 5G, it is worth looking closely at two questions: Is 5G included in the plan? And at what speed can you use it? Lower speeds are usually sufficient for messaging, music, navigation and regular streaming. You are more likely to notice a limit if you regularly upload large files, work via hotspot or stream high-resolution videos.

Roaming is the most common reason to choose a more expensive plan

For many people, a cheap domestic plan like Swiss is perfectly adequate. As soon as you travel abroad regularly, the calculation changes. At Teleboy, this is directly reflected in its own line-up: Swiss at CHF 12.90 includes no roaming, International at CHF 17.90 comes with twelve gigabytes in zone 1, covering the EU, UK, USA and Canada, and International Plus at CHF 23.90 includes twenty gigabytes in the same zone plus unlimited calls and texts while roaming. If you travel rarely, you can stay on the CHF 12.90 plan and add a single roaming package from CHF 7 when needed, rather than switching straight to a more expensive plan.

The definition of the countries covered is particularly important. A plan with European roaming does not necessarily cover every country you want to visit, and calls from Switzerland abroad or data used outside the included zone are also charged differently. For frequent trips to Germany, France, Italy or Austria, a plan with a fixed monthly data allowance is often easier to plan for than repeatedly buying individual packages.

Compare the Teleboy plans in detail or the general mobile plan overview, and calculate your typical annual usage rather than looking at just one holiday month.

Permanent price or introductory promotion? What to check before signing up

A promotional plan is not necessarily a bad choice. It is attractive when the conditions are transparent and the price remains stable for as long as you use it. With Teleboy's current mobile plans, this is worth a closer look: the order page shows a crossed-out comparison price each time, CHF 19.90 for Swiss, CHF 25.90 for International and CHF 29.90 for International Plus, while CHF 12.90, 17.90 and 23.90 are shown as the reduced price. How long this reduction applies is stated neither on Teleboy's website nor in our comparison, this is currently the only one of the following questions we cannot answer directly.

You can check the remaining points right here for Swiss, International and International Plus, without contacting the provider:

• Is the price permanent or valid only for a specific number of months? Not stated, either by Teleboy or in our comparison. If in doubt, ask customer service directly before ordering.
• Is a minimum contract term required? No, the minimum term is 0 months for all three plans.
• Are there one-off activation, SIM or eSIM fees? Yes, a CHF 49 activation fee per SIM card. Teleboy currently does not offer eSIM for these plans.
• Can the provider adjust prices in accordance with the contract terms? That is governed by the general terms and conditions, not the tariff overview. Check this directly in Teleboy's terms before ordering.
• What is the cancellation period and how can you cancel? 60 days, effective end of month, Teleboy handles cancellation automatically if you port your number.
• How much does additional roaming cost after the included allowance has been used up? One gigabyte for CHF 7 as an add-on package, regardless of which of the three plans you have.

With an offer costing CHF 12.90, this shows how quickly the picture can change: the CHF 49 activation fee is close to four months' worth of the base price. So read the price sheet and contract summary before initiating number porting.

Who is a cheap mobile plan sufficient for?

A budget plan like Teleboy Swiss is mainly suitable if you stay in Switzerland most of the time, have no special support requirements and know your data usage. Data-only plans also work well as a second plan for a tablet, smartwatch or separate device: at Teleboy, for example, Mobile Data 10 at CHF 9.90 with up to 10 Mbit/s, Mobile Data 50 at CHF 12.90 with up to 50 Mbit/s, or Mobile Data 2000 at CHF 15.90 with up to 2000 Mbit/s.

A more expensive plan such as International or International Plus is more appropriate if you use roaming frequently, rely on a powerful hotspot or regularly travel in poorly covered regions. The best plan is therefore not necessarily the cheapest one, but the one offering the services you actually use.

Before switching, compare at least the network, roaming and effective costs over twelve months, including the activation fee. You can find further selection criteria in the guide to mobile plans and the provider comparison.