I calculated UQ discounts by situation based on 7 years of call center experience

I have spent 7 years in a call center handling inquiries regarding UQmobile.

In the course of speaking with 30 to 40 users a day, there was one consultation that came up particularly often from those considering switching.

"Even when I look at the official website, I don't really understand how much cheaper it will be in my case."

I sort of understand how the discount system works.

But when I try to apply it to my family structure and line situation, I can't calculate exactly how much it will cost.

I understand this concern very well.

There are multiple types of discounts, and the application conditions for each are different.

When you try to look it up yourself, it takes time to check the plan price list, look up the discount amounts, and think about the combinations, doesn't it?

When I switched from a major carrier to a budget SIM myself, it took more time than I expected to calculate the charges on my own.

But as a result of switching, I saved 5,000 yen every month, or 60,000 yen per year.

My honest impression is, "I wish I had done this sooner."

In this article, I simulated the actual monthly costs and savings for three patterns: "living alone/no fixed line," "family of 2/with fiber-optic line," and "family of 4/using au Denki."

By simply choosing the pattern closest to your own, you can grasp how much you can save every month.

Reading this article will change things for you in the following ways:

・You will know your monthly savings in concrete numbers just by choosing the pattern that fits your family structure and line situation.

・You can learn about and avoid patterns where you might lose money by choosing the wrong discount before you sign up.

・You will understand the five points to check before switching, allowing you to proceed with your application with confidence.

UQ mobile discounts can be organized by thinking of them as "three types."

Don't you get confused by the many types of UQ mobile discounts?

Even if the official website says "up to XX yen discount," you cannot necessarily apply the full amount to yourself.

However, when you break it down, there are basically three types of discounts.

Just by understanding these three types, you can significantly clarify which ones apply to you.

Three main types of discounts and their application conditions

I will organize the types of discounts and the conditions required for each.

■ Home Set Discount

This is a discount you can receive by combining it with your home internet line or au Denki.

Requirements for application:

・Optical line (Internet + optical phone)

・Cable TV (requires use of 2 services such as TV + Internet, or Internet + Phone)

・WiMAX + 5G

・au Denki

If you are subscribed to any of the above, a discount will be applied to eligible UQ mobile plans.

A discount of up to 1,100 yen per month will be applied.

■ Family Set Discount

This is a discount you can receive when using 2 or more UQ mobile lines together as a family.

Rather than switching just one line, the savings per person will be greater if the whole family switches.

A discount of 550 yen per month per line will be applied.

■ au PAY Card Payment Discount

This is a discount you can receive by setting your payment method to the au PAY Card.

A monthly discount of 220 yen is applied.

Some discounts can be combined, while others cannot

Now that you understand the three types of discounts, let's talk about "combinations."

You might be wondering, "Can I use all three?"

To summarize, it works like this.

The Home Set Discount and the au PAY Card Payment Discount can be applied together.

The Family Set Discount and the au PAY Card Payment Discount can also be used together.

However, the Home Set Discount and the Family Set Discount cannot be applied to the same line.

You might think, "I have fiber internet and I'm switching the whole family over, so can't I use both?" but both cannot be applied to a single line.

Discount Simulation (Reference Example)

Pattern 1: Living alone, no fixed-line internet

"I live alone and don't have internet installed at home."

This pattern is the case with the least amount of discount among the three.

Available discounts:

・Home Set Discount → Not eligible (because there is no internet line)

・Family Set Discount → Not eligible (because it is only one line)

・au PAY card payment discount → Applicable

Monthly calculation:

・Plan: Comi-Comi Plan Value 3,828 yen

・au PAY card payment discount -220 yen

・Monthly total: 3,608 yen

Since the home set discount cannot be used, the monthly fee is the highest among the three patterns.

However, if you are paying around 7,000 to 8,000 yen per month at a major carrier, you will save about 3,400 to 4,400 yen every month.

That is a difference of 40,000 to 50,000 yen per year.

The point to be careful about with this pattern is that the monthly fee without discounts is the base.

However, just switching from a major carrier will result in savings due to the difference in plan prices.

If your monthly data usage is high and you are considering installing home internet in the future, please also refer to the simulation for pattern ②.

Once you are able to use the home set discount, your monthly savings will increase even further.

Pattern 2: Family of 2, with fiber-optic internet (when using Tokutoku Plan 2)

“Thinking of switching as a family of two, such as a married couple or parent and child, and have a fiber-optic line eligible for the home set discount”

Potential discounts:

・Home set discount → Applicable (fiber-optic line available)

・au PAY card payment discount → Applicable

The home set discount and family set discount cannot be applied to the same line simultaneously.

Therefore, the combination that results in the most savings is as follows.

・(Applying home set discount): Tokutoku Plan 2: 4,048 yen - Home set discount 1,100 yen - au PAY 220 yen = 2,728 yen

Total for 2 lines: 5,456 yen/month (approx. 2,728 yen per person)

Compared to the standard cost for 2 lines from a major carrier (e.g., 14,000–16,000 yen), this saves about 8,000–10,000 yen every month.

That is a difference of about 100,000–120,000 yen per year.

When two people switch together, the savings per person are greater than when only one person switches.

When talking to your family about wanting to switch, it is easier to get them on board if you use specific numbers, such as 'If we both do it, we will save X amount of yen per year.'

Pattern 3: Family of 4, using 2 services from a cable TV provider (all 4 lines using Tokutoku Plan 2)

'A family of 4 consisting of a couple and 2 children, with a cable TV subscription'

This is the pattern where you can maximize your savings by applying for the home bundle discount.

Available discounts:

- Home Set Discount (eligible for Home Set Discount) -> Applicable

- au PAY Card Payment Discount -> Applicable

Similarly, since Home Set Discount and Family Set Discount cannot be combined, applying for the Home Set Discount for all 4 lines is the most cost-effective method.

(Home Set Discount applied/1 line): Tokutoku Plan 2 4,048 yen - Home Set Discount 1,100 yen - au PAY 220 yen = 2,728 yen

Total for 4 lines: 10,912 yen/month

Compared to the estimated cost for 4 lines from a major carrier (e.g., 28,000 to 32,000 yen), this results in savings of about 16,000 to 20,000 yen every month.

That is a difference of about 200,000 to 240,000 yen per year.

It turns out that just by reviewing your communication costs, you can save enough to cover several months of your child's extracurricular activity fees.

Once you have checked the simulation figures, I will summarize what you should know before applying.
Failure patterns and a 5-point checklist to check before applying

You might want to think, "Once I know the monthly fee from the simulation, all that's left is to apply," but please wait just a little longer.

In my experience working at a call center, there are certain patterns to the cases where inquiries come in after an application.

These are all things that could have been prevented if the customer had known about them.

Please check these before you apply.

Top 3 cases with the most inquiries at the call center

Case 1: Misunderstanding the timing of discount application

There are inquiries from people who thought, "I thought the discount would be reflected from the month after I switched."

For both the Home Set Discount and the Family Set Discount, the discount is applied starting from the usage month following the month of the application procedure.

Since the discount is not yet reflected in the bill for the month you completed the procedure, you might feel that "the discount hasn't been applied" when you see your first invoice.

Just knowing that "the discount applies from the month following the month of the procedure" can prevent you from being surprised when you see your bill.

Case 2: Regarding the billing for the first month of application

The first month's bill is prorated.
If you want to keep your first-month costs as low as possible, I recommend applying between the middle and the end of the month.

Failure 3: The discount was removed after changing the plan later

I have received inquiries saying, 'I didn't know the discount conditions would change when I tried to lower my plan because I had data left over every month.'

Discounts are sometimes tied to specific plans.

When changing plans, please check the impact on your discount conditions first.

For example, if you change from Tokutoku Plan 2 to Comi-Comi Plan Value because your data usage is low,the Home Set Discount will be removed.

The monthly price difference between the plans is 220 yen, but the Home Set Discount is up to 1,100 yen.

By changing, you end up losing about 880 yen.

When you want to change your plan, it is safest to check with support before proceeding with the change.

Pre-switch checklist (5 items)

Before applying, please check the following 5 items.

□ Check the contract details of your home internet connection

(What kind of line is it? Who is the contract holder?)

□ If switching as a family, organize how many lines there will be and who the contract holders are

□ Decide whether you have an au PAY card or will apply for one

□ Check the expiration date of your MNP reservation number

(15 days from acquisition. If it expires, you will need to get a new one)

□ Check if your device's SIM lock has been removed
*Devices sold (released) on or after October 1, 2021, do not have a SIM lock, so you don't need to worry about this.

Checking these 5 items before applying will prevent situations where you think, "This isn't what I expected," after the procedure.

If there are any items you are unsure about, I recommend checking with the official UQ mobile website or support before applying.

It is okay.

If you check them one by one, you will definitely be able to prepare.

Summary

Let's review the contents of this article.

There are three types of UQ mobile discounts: "Home Set Discount," "Family Set Discount," and "au PAY Card Payment Discount."

Your monthly savings will be determined by combining the discounts that apply to your situation.

Please check the three simulation patterns to find the one closest to your situation and get an idea of your savings.

Before applying, take a moment to check the 5 items on the checklist.

If you proceed in this order, you can almost certainly prevent any problems after applying.

I hope this will be helpful for those who are considering switching.