What does the data sharing plan mean?
Generally, when you get a mobile connection from your service provider, whether it is with a prepaid or postpaid plan, it comes with multiple features and facilities. Depending on the service provider, it varies from one to another. They are the number of free minutes and SMS included, including dollar minutes, international minutes, international SMS, roaming plan and data. For example, a $40 plan may offer unlimited local calls, 100 minutes of international calls to select countries with 8GB data.
Typically, this 8GB of data is called non-transfer data, meaning you need to use that 8GB within a month or billing cycle. Otherwise, you will lose this amount of data. (SIM1)
Also, this assumes that you have another mobile plan, the same as yours for your partner or child, where you will get another 8 GB. (SIM2)
Types of data sharing plan
There are two types of data sharing plans
Data sharing plan 1
When you buy a mobile plan with 8 GB, the provider can provide this data as shared data, which means you can get additional SIM cards to share the 8 GB data with other devices such as iPad, Wi-Fi hotspot modem / modem. However, you may need to pay for additional SIM cards depending on the service providers. Some service providers charge only for SIM card once a month, but some charge as normal data plan model. In the later option, you may be paying $30 for an additional SIM, where you’ll also get 5 GB of data, so your total shared data will be 13 GB between these two SIMs.
Data Sharing Plan 2
You can combine those two plans as a family plan and have 16GB (8GB + 8GB) for your family to use, where you can use 10GB on SIM 1 (your mobile) and 6GB on SIM 2 (Partner/Kid Mobile). Plus, you can get additional SIM cards, SIM 3 for iPad and SIM 4 on your Wi-Fi hotspot dongle, and use the same 16GB of data shared between all four SIM cards.