How to save on telecommunications subscriptions — phone, internet, TV
Practical tips on how to negotiate lower prices for phone, internet, and television. Proven strategies for saving on telecommunications.
7 min czytaniaHow much do Poles spend on telecommunications?
The average Polish family spends 200-400 PLN monthly on phones, internet, and television. Annually, that's 2,400-4,800 PLN. And most of us overpay because we don't negotiate and don't compare offers.
Rule #1: never accept the first price
Telecommunications operators have huge margins and great pricing flexibility. The price on the website is the starting point, not the final offer.
Mobile phone
Check how much you really need
- How many GB of data do you use monthly? (Check in the operator's app)
- How many minutes do you talk?
- Do you really need an unlimited package?
Saving strategies
1. Compare offers
- play.pl, orange.pl, plus.pl, t-mobile.pl — compare current price lists
- Virtual operators (MVNO): nju mobile, Lajt Mobile, a]móvil, Virgin Mobile — often 30-50% cheaper
2. Call and negotiate
- Call the helpline 2-3 months before the contract ends
- Say: "I'm considering changing operators because I found a better offer at X"
- Ask to be connected to the retention (customer retention) department
- The retention department has authority to give discounts you won't find anywhere else
3. Number portability
- Number porting is free and takes 1 business day
- Just submitting a porting request often causes your current operator to call with a better offer
4. Buy the phone separately
- Subscription with phone = higher bill for 24-36 months
- Better: buy phone with cash (or 0% installments) + cheap SIM-only subscription
- Used phones: Allegro, OLX, recommerce.pl
How much can you save?
Typical savings: 30-60 PLN/month per person → 360-720 PLN annually
Home internet
Options
1. Fiber optic — best option if available
- Prices: 50-80 PLN/month for 300-1000 Mbps
- Providers: Orange, Play, Netia, local operators
2. Cable internet — UPC/Vectra/Multimedia
- Prices: 50-90 PLN/month
- Stable, but more expensive than fiber optic
3. Mobile internet (LTE/5G) — alternative in places without fiber optic
- Prices: 40-70 PLN/month
- LTE/5G router + SIM card with large data package
How to negotiate?
- Compare prices with competitors and show the operator
- Negotiate when extending the contract — don't accept automatic renewal
- Ask about packages (internet + TV + phone) — but only if you really need everything
- Check local providers — they often have better prices than big operators
How much can you save?
Typical savings: 20-40 PLN/month → 240-480 PLN annually
Television
Do you really need traditional TV?
Before negotiating TV price — think about whether you need it at all.
Alternatives:
- Netflix — 33-60 PLN/month
- Disney+ — 28-50 PLN/month
- HBO Max — 20-40 PLN/month
- Amazon Prime Video — 49 PLN/year (!)
- YouTube Premium — 26 PLN/month (no ads + music)
- Player.pl, Polsat Box Go — Polish content
Two streaming services (e.g., Netflix + Amazon Prime) cost less than cable TV package and provide more content you actually watch.
If you stay with TV
- Negotiate price annually
- Cancel premium channels you don't watch
- Ask about promotional packages
- Consider IPTV — often cheaper
How much can you save?
Canceling TV for streaming: 40-80 PLN/month → 480-960 PLN annually
Summary: total savings
| Category | Annual savings |
|---|---|
| Phone (2 people) | 720-1,440 PLN |
| Internet | 240-480 PLN |
| TV/streaming | 480-960 PLN |
| Total | 1,440-2,880 PLN |
This is money you can invest. With 7% annual return, 2,000 PLN annually becomes 40,000 PLN after 12 years.
Negotiation checklist
- Check current usage (GB, minutes, channels)
- Compare offers from 3-4 operators
- Call helpline 2-3 months before contract ends
- Ask for retention department
- Have competitor's offer ready
- Don't accept the first proposal
- Record agreed conditions (record the call)
How Freenance can help
Subscriptions are recurring expenses that are easy to ignore. Freenance helps you:
- Track all subscriptions in one place
- Identify overpriced services — see how much you spend on telecommunications
- Set reminders about contract endings — to negotiate, not renew automatically
- Invest savings — money saved on subscriptions → investment portfolio
Want full control over your finances?
Try Freenance for free