Post by: alsoknownasDean on September 16, 2014, 04:56:14 AM
Righto, in the spirit of I.P. Daley's communications superguide, I figured it's right time to make an Australian version (of sorts), indicating some of the many mobile options available down under. :)
Available networks
There are three carriers who operate in Australia. These are Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Telstra tends to have the largest coverage footprint, but their prices tend to be higher than the others.
Choosing which network is most suitable for you depends partly on your device (which 3G/4G bands it supports, and if it is currently locked to any carrier), and what works best in your area. As YMMV, I'll be providing a list of MVNO options for all three carriers. I'm not providing recommendations for any carriers, just pointing out what's available. I'm not to be held responsible if anything happens :)
An exhaustive list of all available MVNOs is at the following link: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=939554&p=10 (http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=939554&p=10)
Telstra
Telstra is the biggest retail carrier in Australia, and has the largest network (covering 99.3% of the population). The coverage map for Telstra is below.
http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/coverage-networks/our-coverage/
For those wishing to bring a phone to a Telstra MVNO, here's the network frequencies Telstra use:
2G: No longer in use. Closed on 1 December 2016.
3G: 850MHz (with 2100MHz in busier areas)
4G (LTE): The main two frequencies in use are 1800MHz (band 3) and 700MHz (band 28, APT700), and they have recently started building out 2600MHz (band 7) and 900MHz (band 8) for IoT devices, but Telstra also have some spectrum in the 2100MHz band currently used by 3G that could be refarmed to 4G.
A number of MVNOs resell the Telstra network, however, the network coverage available to resellers is different to that of Telstra itself (with one exception). A coverage map for Telstra Wholesale (which covers closer to 98% of the population) is below:
https://www.mobilemaps.net.au/4G/
Some MVNOs that resell Telstra are the following:
Carrier: Aldi Mobile (https://www.aldimobile.com.au)
Network: Telstra Wholesale 4G
Prepaid or Postpaid: Prepaid
PAYG available: Yes, 12c/min, 12c/SMS, 5c/MB, 365 day credit expiry
Unlimited call/SMS plans available: Yes, from $15, per 30 days.
International roaming available: Yes, not all countries. No roaming packs available.
Aldi however is not present in all states, so customers in TAS and NT may need to look elsewhere. The long expiry and Telstra network makes them a good choice for lighter users.
Carrier: Telechoice (http://www.telechoice.com.au)
Network: Telstra Wholesale 4G
Prepaid or Postpaid: Postpaid
PAYG available: No.
International roaming available: Yes, not all countries. No roaming packs available.
Unlimited calls/SMS plans available: Yes, from $30 and up ($29 on 12/24 month contracts), calendar month.
Additional data available on unlimited plans if you sign up for 12/24 months. Handsets also available.
Carrier: Lycamobile (http://www.lycamobile.com.au/en/)
Network: Telstra Wholesale 4G
PAYG available: Yes, 12c/min (landlines) & 19c/min (mobiles), 15c SMS, 7c/MB data, unknown expiry
Unlimited calls/SMS plans available: Yes, from $10, 28 day expiry.
Data packs available: Yes
Carrier: CMobile (http://www.cmobile.com.au)
Network: Telstra Wholesale 4G (Blue Plans only)
PAYG Plan available: None on Blue plans
Unlimited calls/SMS plans available: Yes, from $24.90, calendar month postpaid.
Data packs available: Unsure
This carrier offers plans on both Telstra (Blue) and Vodafone (Red) networks.
Carrier:Woolworths Mobile (https://mobile.woolworths.com.au)
Network: Telstra Wholesale 4G
PAYG Plan available: No
Unlimited calls/SMS plans available: Yes, $20 recharge, 30 day expiry
Data packs available: Yes
Carrier: Boost (http://www.boost.com.au)
Network: Telstra 4G (coverage is similar to Telstra retail, but IIRC speeds are capped at 100mbps)
PAYG Plan available: No
Unlimited calls/SMS plans available Yes, from $10 recharge, from 7 day expiry.
Data packs available: No
Other MVNOs include Belong and Southern Phone. Telstra have their own prepaid or SIM-only postpaid offerings as well. These are generally competitive with inclusions, and naturally use the full Telstra network. One example is Telstra's Prepaid Extra.
Optus
Optus has the second largest network in Australia (with 98.5% population coverage, including 95.9% 4G coverage), their coverage maps are located below:
http://www.optus.com.au/network/mobile/coverage?SID=con:postmob:netcov:othr:tnav::cover
For those wishing to bring a phone to an Optus MVNO, here's the network frequencies used:
2G: Closed nationwide as of August 2017.
3G: In cities, 900MHz and 2100MHz, in the rural areas, 900MHz only.
4G (LTE): Numerous frequencies are used, including 1800MHz (band 3), 700MHz (band 28 APT700), 2300MHz TDD-LTE (band 40, metropolitan areas only), 2600MHz (band 7, regional areas only) and 2100MHz (band 1, some cities only)
Optus has been active in the MVNO market for a long time, and many MVNOs resell the Optus network, including 4G access.
Some Optus MVNOs include the following:
Carrier: amaysim (http://www.amaysim.com.au)
Network: Optus 4G
PAYG plan available: Yes, 15c/min, 15c/SMS, 15.4c/MB, 365 day credit expiry
Unlimited calls/SMS plans available: Yes, from $10, 28 day expiry
Data packs available: Yes
Carrier: Coles Mobile (https://www.coles.com.au/our-range/our-products/coles-mobile)
Network: Optus 4G
PAYG plan available: No.
Unlimited calls/SMS plans available: Yes, from $20, 35 day expiry
Data packs available: No
Carrier: Jeenee (http://www.jeenee.org.au)
Network: Optus 4G, 3G for higher quota plans
PAYG plan available: No
Unlimited calls/SMS plans available: Yes, from $9.90, calendar month.
Data packs available: Yes
Carrier: Spintel (https://www.spintel.net.au)
Network: Optus 4G, 3G for higher quota plans
PAYG plan available: No
Unlimited calls/SMS plans available: Yes, from $23.95, calendar month
Data packs available: No
Spintel offer an option where data can either be switched off upon reaching the quota and extra data purchased for $12/GB, or data is automatically credited at $10/GB.
Carrier: iiNet (http://iinet.net.au) or Internode (http://internode.on.net)
Network: Optus 4G
PAYG plan available: No
Unlimited calls/SMS plans available: Yes, from $29.95, calendar month
Data packs available: No.
Carrier: OVO (https://www.ovo.com.au)
Network: Optus 4G
PAYG plan available: No
Unlimited calls/SMS plans available: Yes, from $24.95, per 30 days
Data packs available: No.
OVO have a few interesting new plans, including some with included streaming of niche sports and a number of lower end plans targetted at kids (although check the CIS in case calls in excess of the cap are charged). Their $9.95 plan with 1GB of data, '$200' of calls and unlimited SMS has to be the cheapest unlimited SMS plan around.
Optus themselves also have some quite interesting offers. There's a number of SIM-only postpaid plans and a range of prepaid offers. They now offer data-free music streaming on their My Prepaid Ultimate offer.
Other Optus MVNOs include Virgin, Vaya, Yomojo, Southern Phone and Moose Mobile.
Vodafone
Vodafone has a slightly smaller network than the others (with 96% population coverage). Their coverage maps are below.
http://www.vodafone.com.au/aboutvodafone/network/checker?lid=v:footer:support:coverage-checker
For those wishing to bring a phone to a Vodafone MVNO, here's the network frequencies used:
2G: 900MHz (possibly 1800MHz as well, but unlikely nowadays). This will be closed by 31 March 2018.
3G: In cities, 900MHz and 2100MHz, in the rural areas, 900MHz only. Vodafone used to use 850MHz for 3G, but that's been allocated to 4G.
4G (LTE): Vodafone's network runs on the 1800MHz band (band 3) and 850MHz (band 5). I believe that there is a 2100MHz network in areas as well.
Some MVNOs using the Vodafone network are the following:
Carrier: Lebara (https://www.lebara.com.au)
Network: Vodafone 4G
PAYG plan available: Yes, 15c/min (+29c flagfall), 15c SMS, 2c/MB data, 365 day expiry
Unlimited calls/SMS plans available: Yes, from $14.90, 30 day expiry
Data packs available: Yes.
Lebara have an emphasis on cheap international calls, and often have good international calling rates.
Carrier: CMobile (http://www.cmobile.com.au)
Network: Vodafone 4G (Red Plans only)
PAYG Plan available: Yes, Red plans only
Unlimited calls/SMS plans available: Yes, from $16.90, calendar month
Data packs available: Yes
This carrier offers plans on both Telstra (Blue) and Vodafone (Red) networks. Prices above are for the Red plans.
Carrier: Think Mobile (https://www.thinkmobile.com.au)
Network: Vodafone 4G (Swift or Ultimate Plans only)
PAYG Plan available: No
Unlimited calls/SMS plans available: Ultimate plan, from $25, calendar month
Data packs available: Yes
This carrier offers plans on both Telstra (Classic) and Vodafone (Swift) networks. These plans are for the Vodafone offering.
Carrier: TPG (http://www.tpg.com.au)
Network: Vodafone 4G
PAYG Plan available: No, but their $1 50MB plan is effectively a PAYG plan.
Unlimited calls/SMS plans available: Yes, from $19.99, calendar month
Data packs available: No
Carrier: Kogan Mobile (https://www.koganmobile.com.au)
Network: Vodafone 4G
PAYG Plan available: No
Unlimited Calls/SMS plans available: Yes, from $16.90, 30 day expiry. Discounts available for purchasing 90/365 day plans.
One big advantage of Kogan's plans is the ability to buy 90 or 365 days in advance at a discounted rate (and these packs are often discounted further). Roaming is not available.
Vodafone themselves have their SIM-only plans and their prepaid offers. In the postpaid space, all of their plans include unlimited calls/SMS, and the higher plans include international calls as well. They have prepaid Combo caps that are similar to the plans in value (a bit more data but a slightly shorter expiry), and the PAYG Plus option is worthwhile for light users. Note that their prepaid services lack auto-recharge.
Things to watch out for
Roaming: A number of carriers do not offer international roaming.
Prepaid expiry periods. Many major carriers (and MVNOs) are shifting their prepaid offers from a 30 day expiry to a 28 day expiry. Over the course of the year that means there's 13 billing periods. I'd suggest to do the maths and work out if it still works out for you :)
Please note that this list is not exhaustive, there's plenty of carriers out there :)
Q&As
This one's a work in process, where plans are suggested for different usage scenarios:
Q: I have a feature phone that is rarely used, and I only make calls and send text messages on it. What is the best choice for me?
A: This depends on which network your phone supports, and what works best in your area. As a result, I'll provide advice for each of the three networks.
Telstra: If the reduced coverage of the Telstra resellers suits you, then the Aldi PAYG plan looks like the best bet. 12c/min calls and 12c SMS (and 5c/MB data, but that won't matter in your case). Alternatively, if you require Telstra retail coverage, then your choice is the Telstra Long Life option, but the call rates are expensive. Apparently charging up on the Long Life offer and then switching to Simplicity lets you combine the Long Life expiry with the Simplicity call rates, but YMMV.
Optus: The Amaysim PAYG option is slightly more expensive than the Aldi option above. Credit lasts for 365 days. Alternatively Optus offer a long expiry plan with between 186-365 day expiry, but the call rates are slightly higher than Amaysim. Maybe also Truphone as suggested by I.P. Daley :)
Vodafone: Vodafone's PAYG Plus option is worth considering as it has a 365 day credit expiry (with recharges from $10). CMobile's Red PAYG plan has cheaper calls, and the Lebara Standard Plan may suit if you make a lot of international calls. TPG's PAYG plan is also worth considering, especially as it includes a small amount of data.
Q: I use my phone reasonably regularly, regularly calling and texting people, and I have a smartphone and use a small amount of data. I'm after something a bit cheaper.
A: As per the first scenario, this depends on your device and what network has best coverage in your area. I'll provide three scenarios, using the moderate scenario with a smartphone of a few hundred minutes of voice and text messages, and 1.5-3GB of data per month (sorry Daley). According to this (http://thenewdaily.com.au/life/2015/12/14/avoid-nasty-phone-bill-surprise-2/), the average Aussie now uses 2GB of data per month (as of 2015), so this level sounds appropriate. The typical price of most of these plans at this usage level is in the $20-30 per month range.
https://www.whistleout.com.au/MobilePhones/Guides/Mobile-broadband-usage-guide
Telstra: For those who are happy on the Wholesale network, Aldi might be worth considering. Their 'L' plan costs $25 and includes unlimited calls and text messages, and 3GB of data, or Woolworths' prepaid plan (4GB). For those who need the full network, check out Boost's $30 UNLTD+ prepaid or Telstra's Prepaid Extra (although both have 28 day expiry periods).
Optus: Options abound at the $30 (and less) price point. Amaysim have their unlimited plan which includes unlimited calls/unlimited SMS/2.5GB for $20 (28 day expiry), or 5GB ($30). There's also the Jeenee Unlimited and Pennywise plans. The iiNet/Internode $19.99 or $29.99 plans might also be worth considering, or Vaya's plans. Let's not forget Optus themselves who for $30 (28 day expiry) offer unlimited calls/unlimited SMS/3GB of data, or a SIM-only plan which has unlimited calls/SMS and 1.5GB for $35. Coles Mobile have a $20 unlimited calls/SMS plan with 3GB of data with a 35 day expiry.
Of those plans I'd probably suggest either Amaysim's unlimited offers, Coles Mobile, or Optus themselves.
Vodafone: Have a look at either TPG's 4GB plan or Kogan Mobile's Medium offer. Vodafone's $30 Prepaid Combo recharge unlimited Australian calls, unlimited text and 3GB of data for $30 with a 28 day expiry). Even Vodafone's unusual MyMix prepaid recharges are worth looking into.
Q: I've got a smartphone, and it's my only phone. I make a lot of calls, send lots of messages, and use a fair bit of data. What's the best 'all you can eat' phone plan with lots of data? (at least 5GB)
A: Many carriers on all three network offer plans with unlimited calls and SMS messages now. These include:
Telstra: For the Telstra network, Boost's UNLTD plan is a good option for $40 for 5GB (with an additional 1GB of data each weekend). Aldi has a similar plan for $35 with 6GB data, but the reduced coverage of the wholesale network. For unlimited calls through Telstra, Telstra's BYO plans start at $70. Also check Telstra's Prepaid Freedom Plus.
Optus: Optus have the My Prepaid Ultimate (or SIM-only plans) that offer varying data quotas at various pricepoints. Alternatives are the Amaysim UNLIMITED plans ($40 and up), Jeenee's plans (take note that their highest data plans are 3G only) or Vaya ($36 for 10GB), Yomojo or SpinTel's plans.
Vodafone: The choices would be either TPG (their $39.99 plan), Kogan, Lebara's monthly plans, or the Vodafone plans/prepaid Combo.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on September 16, 2014, 05:00:53 AM
I figured I may as well share some of my research with you all.
I should probably later go into KB vs MB session rounding, 3G and 4G frequencies, and explain why caps are generally a bad idea :)
Post by: Primm on September 16, 2014, 05:04:09 AM
Post by: deborah on September 16, 2014, 06:31:05 AM
As someone who travels, I have, since retirement, become more committed to Telstra, simply because of their coverage.
I recently had an experience where my phone had no bars, but suddenly (in the middle of the night) the phone rang! Eventually I was able to successfully have an SMS conversation (the phone dropped out each second or so).
Post by: Astatine on September 16, 2014, 06:44:19 AM
Post by: Primm on September 16, 2014, 07:00:42 AM
Post by: alsoknownasDean on September 16, 2014, 07:45:31 AM
I've been with Telstra about five years, and I started a new job a couple of months ago. Unfortunately the Telstra signal at my new workplace is extremely poor, despite being close to the Melbourne CBD. Likewise, their 3G network is borderline unusable in peak hour near the city (even though I have a 4G phone, it sometimes drops to 3G, like when emerging from the city loop on the train), I can't even send an iMessage at times. Shame, their customer service has been top-notch.
Since Optus signal at my house is poor, I'm mainly looking at Vodafone or Vodafone resellers. I've got a Vodafone SIM that was in my iPad that seems to work well enough. I figure with prepaid or month-to-month plans, if it's awful, I can easily switch back :)
I probably only make about 200-300min of calls a month (many of which could be shifted to VoIP), but it's the 1.5-2GB of data that's the issue (public transport commute and Spotify don't help there). Spintel would be perfect for me if I wanted the Optus network, but I'm torn between Lebara/Think for $30-33 or springing the little bit extra for the Vodafone $50 Red plan for 4G, visual voicemail, and a little more data headroom (especially since Vodafone do kilobyte sessions as opposed to megabyte sessions).
I've had the same number for 12 years, and changed carriers four times in that period, on all three networks.
Post by: Daley on September 16, 2014, 08:20:54 AM
The only MVNO I might add to your guide would be Truphone (http://www.truphone.com/au/consumer/sim/), partly due to the rates (9¢ AUD/min/text outbound & MB data billed by KB, free incoming minutes and texts, no minimum monthly charge and balance rollover), partly due to the roaming and multinational rate destinations (same rates in and calling to Australia, Hong Kong, the UK, the US, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, or Poland), and partly due to the ability to have up to three international phone numbers attached to the same SIM card.
I do not know which network(s) they specifically contract with down in Oz, but if they're set up similarly to the United States (which uses T-Mobile and AT&T), they probably have roaming deals with multiple carriers including the largest local GSM network down there as well. I'll put it this way, I'd be surprised if they didn't use Telstra. I'm a bit concerned about their corporate culture (http://www.glassdoor.com/Overview/Working-at-Truphone-EI_IE657408.11,19.htm), but as far as longer term business viability is concerned, they look solid and stable enough given the communications call records niche (http://www.truphone.com/us/business/mobile-recording/) they're scratching in the financial sector and some of the business clients they publicly claim.
Post by: givemesunshine on September 16, 2014, 04:12:15 PM
Could go cheaper but I need 4GB data (I also get my phone reimbursed from work so I'm not worried by the cost too much).
Cheers.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on September 18, 2014, 08:37:01 AM
The only MVNO I might add to your guide would be Truphone (http://www.truphone.com/au/consumer/sim/), partly due to the rates (9¢ AUD/min/text outbound & MB data billed by KB, free incoming minutes and texts, no minimum monthly charge and balance rollover), partly due to the roaming and multinational rate destinations (same rates in and calling to Australia, Hong Kong, the UK, the US, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, or Poland), and partly due to the ability to have up to three international phone numbers attached to the same SIM card.
I do not know which network(s) they specifically contract with down in Oz, but if they're set up similarly to the United States (which uses T-Mobile and AT&T), they probably have roaming deals with multiple carriers including the largest local GSM network down there as well. I'll put it this way, I'd be surprised if they didn't use Telstra. I'm a bit concerned about their corporate culture (http://www.glassdoor.com/Overview/Working-at-Truphone-EI_IE657408.11,19.htm), but as far as longer term business viability is concerned, they look solid and stable enough given the communications call records niche (http://www.truphone.com/us/business/mobile-recording/) they're scratching in the financial sector and some of the business clients they publicly claim.
Ah nice, thanks for that. I did a bit of searching around and they use the Optus network. :)
I actually just decided to order a SIM from SpinTel. I'll see how it goes. Optus signal here isn't brilliant (although I haven't tried their 4G network), but the plan is so much cheaper than what I'm paying now it's crazy! If I don't like it, nothing stopping me porting out to another carrier. My iPhone is unlocked and should have no trouble working on any of the networks (although it won't work on Optus' 4G Plus or their new 700MHz network).
I'll go from paying $107 a month to $22 a month. That's a pretty decent saving. :)
Post by: alsoknownasDean on October 06, 2014, 06:39:18 AM
Post by: cakie on October 06, 2014, 08:17:10 AM
I am going to swap to Exetel (http://www.exetel.com.au/mobilephone/plans (http://www.exetel.com.au/mobilephone/plans)) next year though, once we get ADSL set up with them. They use Optus 4G (not 3G-only like amaysim) and the $20/mth plan will be plenty for me, since I won't need a big data allowance anymore!
Post by: kaetana on December 09, 2014, 04:08:23 PM
Great guide, AKADean. Thanks!
Post by: This_Is_My_Username on December 17, 2014, 02:38:55 AM
i am with Live Connected (owned by Vaya), for $20pm for 1.5Gb and 650 pretend dollars of calls.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on January 30, 2015, 01:12:29 AM
I may need to go searching for some new ones to include. :)
For Americans looking to bring their phone to Australia and use it, it depends on who you're with in the States. If it's AT&T or an AT&T reseller, you're probably fine with a Telstra reseller (although you may not get LTE). If it's T-Mobile, it depends on the device, but you might be struggling with the older devices that don't support as many networks. If it's Verizon or Sprint, unless you can use overseas GSM networks with your device (I think the iPhone 4S could) no go, we haven't had CDMA networks here for years.
Post by: Gockie on January 30, 2015, 03:18:04 AM
It's a bargain....
Post by: pancakes on January 30, 2015, 04:04:39 AM
They discontinued my plan for new customers which is a shame because it was good. For $30/month
I get $220 fake telstra $$ for calls/texts/mms and 400MB data which has a 30 day expiry (the calls are a more than I need but the data is pretty average). The best part is $30 in roll over credit that can be used to purchase data, $20 = 700MB, $49 = 3GB which has a separate 30 day expiry. I buy $20 worth every second month and roll the other $10 over. Then when I travel within Aus or otherwise find myself without an internet connection I can use the roll over credit to buy 3GB and tether my computer.
I know with a bit of work others get better value by letting credit pile up and switching periodically to the long-life offer.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on February 13, 2015, 03:02:58 AM
Vaya uses the Optus network. $18 a month gives you lots of calls and 1.5GB of data a month.
It's a bargain....
Is it?
http://support.vaya.net.au/support/articles/4000044161-mobile-security-deposit
http://support.vaya.net.au/support/discussions/topics/4000310366
http://www.productreview.com.au/p/vaya.html
http://www.acma.gov.au/Industry/Telco/Carriers-and-service-providers/Obligations/acma-warns-live-connected-about-breaches-of-billing-and-credit-rules
http://support.liveconnected.com.au/support/discussions/topics/25684
(Live Connected now being owned by Vaya)
I might end up going through the list and do some pruning. :)
I've been with Telstra for a few years now and do think that their prepaid offers can be very good if you spend a bit of time working them out, especially if you "need" the telstra network.
They discontinued my plan for new customers which is a shame because it was good. For $30/month
I get $220 fake telstra $$ for calls/texts/mms and 400MB data which has a 30 day expiry (the calls are a more than I need but the data is pretty average). The best part is $30 in roll over credit that can be used to purchase data, $20 = 700MB, $49 = 3GB which has a separate 30 day expiry. I buy $20 worth every second month and roll the other $10 over. Then when I travel within Aus or otherwise find myself without an internet connection I can use the roll over credit to buy 3GB and tether my computer.
I know with a bit of work others get better value by letting credit pile up and switching periodically to the long-life offer.
Yeah, there's some interesting Telstra prepaid hacks if you want to go down that path. One I've heard of is people charging on long life and changing to the Simplicity so they get the Simplicity rates with the long life expiry, not sure if that's true though.
Post by: happy on February 13, 2015, 04:11:56 AM
I've been with Telstra for a few years now and do think that their prepaid offers can be very good if you spend a bit of time working them out, especially if you "need" the telstra network.
They discontinued my plan for new customers which is a shame because it was good. For $30/month
I get $220 fake telstra $$ for calls/texts/mms and 400MB data which has a 30 day expiry (the calls are a more than I need but the data is pretty average). The best part is $30 in roll over credit that can be used to purchase data, $20 = 700MB, $49 = 3GB which has a separate 30 day expiry. I buy $20 worth every second month and roll the other $10 over. Then when I travel within Aus or otherwise find myself without an internet connection I can use the roll over credit to buy 3GB and tether my computer.
I know with a bit of work others get better value by letting credit pile up and switching periodically to the long-life offer.
I use Telstra prepaid, for coverage reasons. Simplicity $30, using the night talk and text option, works well for me. Currently carrying around $230 of credit, which I use if I have to make calls in the day. Mostly though I find I can make long calls after 6pm.
I wondered about switching to a long life plan to use up the credit…might try it.
The only pitfall I found is that they advertise it as per months, but its actually 28 days….lost a batch of credit at one point, since I recharged on the same calendar day a month later.
Telstra service is poor though. I tried Vodafone and Optus, no better.
I have a dumb phone, so no data to worry about.
Post by: Gockie on February 14, 2015, 04:42:25 PM
Vaya are pretty good value wise but yes, it was a surprise to be told about the $20 security bond, and have that taken within about 10 days of being told, also I'm not a fan of the per mb billing of data. They are probably not the quickest to contact if you need to talk to them on the phone (I have been on hold for 10mins + on occasions when needing to speak with them).
I have to say though, Exetel takes the cake when it comes to poor phone service. Once again, prices are relatively good but It's closer to 30minutes on hold for a enquiry for my internet service and when I need to get a line checked out, they say that the technician will come between 7am-1pm or 1pm-5pm. Not good as a full time employee cause you potentially have to take more than half a day off waiting for the tech to come. Then they call updating they will be there in 15- 20mins. Not good enough, I work and live about 1 hour from where I need the Internet setup (it's for a rental property). I ask for them to give me at least an hour's notice and they wouldn't do that.
Still, the cost isn't bad with either of these companies. Just make sure that you aren't hit with a dishonour fee from Vaya (I did once because my wallet was lost/stolen and had to cancel all my cards) - it was $10.
And with Exetel. I ended up having to wait for the technicians twice as somehow it didn't work after the first visit. So many extra stresses. Anyway, I would like it if the technician would say they would come in a 1-2 hour window you agree to, so you minimise the time you need to take off work, but it doesn't work that way. Sigh.
Cheers.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on February 25, 2015, 07:35:39 AM
I'm actually thinking of doing a revamp and including the SIM-only plans of the big three (especially Optus and Vodafone), now that some of their plans are competitive with the MVNOs.
An example is the $45 Optus unlimited calls/SMS and 3GB data plan. Most of the unlimited calls/SMS plans with a similar amount of data via the MVNOs are actually similar in pricing to Optus themselves.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on March 24, 2015, 05:55:51 AM
Post by: okonomiyaki on March 24, 2015, 09:08:35 PM
Post by: alsoknownasDean on March 25, 2015, 03:59:10 AM
No Virgin Mobile?
They're worth looking into, but the plans didn't look that much better value than the others. The prepaid Simple plan looks pretty good for light users though.
Post by: steveo on March 25, 2015, 05:32:47 AM
Post by: kaetana on April 16, 2015, 06:48:07 PM
I'm currently with Boost, and they've recently bumped up the data on their $40 plan. It's now 3GB. Additionally, they are now offering extra data on Sundays on both their $20 and $40 plans so that you get an extra 500MB ($20) or 1GB ($40) every Sunday. With a potential 7-8GB on the $40 per month, I think this makes it more appealing for those looking to consolidate their home and mobile internet.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on April 24, 2015, 08:12:59 PM
TPG costs $17/month for a lot of calls ( I think about $600 ) and data (no idea but I don't use it that much). I think that beats all other options.
That's pretty decent, but sadly, no longer available. TPG's current crop of plans aren't really better value than anything else out there (especially as they're 3G only).
Good job with this, Dean! :)
I'm currently with Boost, and they've recently bumped up the data on their $40 plan. It's now 3GB. Additionally, they are now offering extra data on Sundays on both their $20 and $40 plans so that you get an extra 500MB ($20) or 1GB ($40) every Sunday. With a potential 7-8GB on the $40 per month, I think this makes it more appealing for those looking to consolidate their home and mobile internet.
Thanks :)
It seems the mobile data plans have increased rapidly in quota as of late, even through the big carriers. Some of the higher end plans have up to 10GB of data a month. It wasn't that long ago when 4GB was about as high as it went.
That's a pretty good deal (although Vodafone prepaid beats that currently with unlimited data on weekends until August). It's true that plans like that (or some of the higher end plans or the Optus $2 prepaid) could suffice as home internet as well for some people. I considered the same thing, but my data usage was still too high. Hence I'm giving iiNet money for ADSL.
I've updated some of the plan offerings a bit to reflect new plans available. I've also mentioned the Telstra prepaid hacking that can be quite useful for some people.
Post by: Bornfreelivefree on April 29, 2015, 03:30:58 AM
The aldi section could use an update.
They offer $20, $30, $35 and a $45 cap. Have found their coverage to be excellent.
The $45 cap provides 43200 minutes, 50000 text and 4 gb of internet. I pretty good plan with good coverage (only NSW but never had an issue when working in remote QLD either).
Post by: alsoknownasDean on April 30, 2015, 06:15:56 AM
Dean,
The aldi section could use an update.
They offer $20, $30, $35 and a $45 cap. Have found their coverage to be excellent.
The $45 cap provides 43200 minutes, 50000 text and 4 gb of internet. I pretty good plan with good coverage (only NSW but never had an issue when working in remote QLD either).
I already mentioned the value packs, but maybe I'll elaborate on them further.
Thanks :)
I've now added a new section to the guide, where possible plans for different usage scenarios are outlined. I've covered the 'occasional use feature phone' scenario already. Work in progress :)
Post by: alsoknownasDean on May 15, 2015, 06:35:38 AM
I may however still keep the 'best carrier for a particular scenario' option open.
By the way, even when considering the MVNOs, it's worth keeping an eye on what the big carriers offer, especially given the massive data allowance increases as of late. My parents are now on Optus plans with unlimited calls/SMS and 500MB of data for $30 each (if you buy online now you'll get 1GB). I've recently applied to port to Vodafone as I managed to get an excellent deal with them.
I'd actually say the bigger gains in the mobile space are made by avoiding the shiny new top-end smartphone every two years. I'm keeping my 2.5 year old iPhone 5, and have no intention of getting the 6 (for $1000+).
When the time comes to buy a new phone, I'll be looking in the cheap prepaid/outright market, as there's some excellent phones available for $200 or so nowadays. Maybe I'll make a new guide called 'Curing your high-end smartphone habit'. :)
Post by: Daley on May 15, 2015, 06:51:14 AM
I'm planning on revamping this guide down the track. As there's other sources of MVNOs for each carrier *cough*Whirlpool*cough*, I might be better off linking to it for more carrier info.
I may however still keep the 'best carrier for a particular scenario' option open.
Aah, Whirlpool. Technically, I could say similar about the guide and HoFo. The key is to bring something special to the table. You don't need to list everything, just choose the best options for each carrier that have the best prices and best customer support for paygo and plan bundles. :)
Post by: alsoknownasDean on May 17, 2015, 08:39:58 AM
I'm planning on revamping this guide down the track. As there's other sources of MVNOs for each carrier *cough*Whirlpool*cough*, I might be better off linking to it for more carrier info.
I may however still keep the 'best carrier for a particular scenario' option open.
Aah, Whirlpool. Technically, I could say similar about the guide and HoFo. The key is to bring something special to the table. You don't need to list everything, just choose the best options for each carrier that have the best prices and best customer support for paygo and plan bundles. :)
I'll give it a shot, but I can't really comment on the customer support with all of them as I haven't experienced it with many of the carriers.
The thing I've noticed lately is that the offerings with the big carriers here are often not much more expensive than is available from many MVNOs. I guess it gets to the point where whether one considers saving $5-10 by going with the MVNO as optimising their expenses.
Post by: Daley on May 17, 2015, 09:18:10 AM
I'll give it a shot, but I can't really comment on the customer support with all of them as I haven't experienced it with many of the carriers.
The thing I've noticed lately is that the offerings with the big carriers here are often not much more expensive than is available from many MVNOs. I guess it gets to the point where whether one considers saving $5-10 by going with the MVNO as optimising their expenses.
A little trick on vetting customer service, you don't always need to be a customer to talk with their phone reps and get a feel for overall organizational competence. Playing "stupid" as a potential customer and asking questions while knowing what the answers are in advance across a few random calls can illuminate. ;)
It's certainly encouraging that the Australian market's a bit healthier than the American one, from the sound and look of things - price-wise, that is. Still, never underestimate the value of $10/month saved... and don't negate the further savings available with a minimalistic usage approach on the PAYGO end like I advocate.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on June 11, 2015, 05:40:59 AM
I'll give it a shot, but I can't really comment on the customer support with all of them as I haven't experienced it with many of the carriers.
The thing I've noticed lately is that the offerings with the big carriers here are often not much more expensive than is available from many MVNOs. I guess it gets to the point where whether one considers saving $5-10 by going with the MVNO as optimising their expenses.
A little trick on vetting customer service, you don't always need to be a customer to talk with their phone reps and get a feel for overall organizational competence. Playing "stupid" as a potential customer and asking questions while knowing what the answers are in advance across a few random calls can illuminate. ;)
It's certainly encouraging that the Australian market's a bit healthier than the American one, from the sound and look of things - price-wise, that is. Still, never underestimate the value of $10/month saved... and don't negate the further savings available with a minimalistic usage approach on the PAYGO end like I advocate.
It's probably worthwhile, but I have to admit I'm a bit lazy to go calling carriers I have no intention of joining.
Amaysim are currently running an offer where the first month on any of their plans is $19.90 a month (even the top-end $54.90 7GB plan).
The big carriers are starting to sharpen up their offers too (especially on the SIM-only postpaid end). Optus currently have a plan for $30 a month with unlimited calls/SMS and 1GB data if you buy online (and 8GB data for $50 a month). Vodafone have extra data deals as well (especially in the higher end plans). Telstra have also recently released new plans.
Most of the new plans seem to be targetted at the smartphone crowd. Seems like there's not much reduction in PAYG pricing anywhere (it seems carriers are trying to upsell to unlimited plans).
Gotta love a price war though. I'm getting more calls/SMS/data included for $35 a month now than I was on my old plan paying (gulp) $107 a month just last year.
Post by: deborah on June 11, 2015, 07:26:59 AM
Post by: alsoknownasDean on June 11, 2015, 08:04:22 AM
From the Telstra map, it looks like 4g is pretty useless in outback Australia, and I am better off with 3G (for instance, I will be going across the Nullabor in a few weeks, which seems only to be 3G). Is this right or am I reading the map wrong? Does that mean that any wholesale Telstra deal will give me the coverage I want?
That's correct, the 4G network isn't in most of the more remote areas yet. That'll probably change in the next year or two, but for now, those areas are 3G only.
The wholesale 3G network (used by all Telstra resellers except for Boost) has a much smaller coverage footprint than Telstra itself. You may notice on the site of some of the Telstra resellers is that they mention that they use 'part of the Telstra 3G network'. The Telstra wholesale coverage map is as below:
https://www.mobilemaps.net.au/3G/
Looking at that map (compared to Telstra retail's map), I'd suggest that the best carrier for going across the Nullarbor would be Telstra itself (or Boost). :)
Hope that helps :)
Post by: deborah on June 11, 2015, 10:08:13 AM
Post by: alsoknownasDean on July 03, 2015, 08:54:03 AM
Thanks very much for that Dean! I can see that it is probably worth Telstra or Boost for the types of trips I do, although I probably need to look into some other communications device since I go on at least one tour a year, and every time I seem to go through 2wd areas with no mobile coverage. A couple of years ago I broke down 80km from Wanaaring on the White Cliffs - Wanaaring road which still has minimal coverage. Even though it is marked on the Telstra map (and on many others) the road has minimal traffic, so people have been stranded there for days before anyone passed them.
Yikes, that sounds like a (very expensive) satellite phone might be the go for those sorts of trips. I believe one can be rented if said trips are irregular.
I've made a couple of minor tweaks to the page. The big three are really giving the smaller carriers a squeeze on pricing at the moment, especially at the higher-end usage levels.
Post by: dungoofed on July 19, 2015, 07:25:20 AM
For what it's worth I got Ulefone Be Touch 2 phones for about $200 from an aspirational Chinese manufacturer, and hooked myself up with Amaysim prepaid. The phone only supports one of the two Australian 4G frequencies but fortunately it's the one that is most common and the only one available in my current area.
Post by: stripey on July 20, 2015, 04:20:07 AM
Thanks very much for that Dean! I can see that it is probably worth Telstra or Boost for the types of trips I do, although I probably need to look into some other communications device since I go on at least one tour a year, and every time I seem to go through 2wd areas with no mobile coverage. A couple of years ago I broke down 80km from Wanaaring on the White Cliffs - Wanaaring road which still has minimal coverage. Even though it is marked on the Telstra map (and on many others) the road has minimal traffic, so people have been stranded there for days before anyone passed them.
Yikes, that sounds like a (very expensive) satellite phone might be the go for those sorts of trips. I believe one can be rented if said trips are irregular.
I've made a couple of minor tweaks to the page. The big three are really giving the smaller carriers a squeeze on pricing at the moment, especially at the higher-end usage levels.
Renting can be quite expensive though. And it's not the sort of thing an EPIRB is meant to be used for. The compromise may be having a second pre-paid Telstra SIM (depending on what the minimum spend is!) dedicated to such trips... it's what I used to do
Post by: deborah on July 20, 2015, 04:23:31 AM
An EPIRB is definitely not the way to go for this - and even Telstra doesn't cover most of these areas.Thanks very much for that Dean! I can see that it is probably worth Telstra or Boost for the types of trips I do, although I probably need to look into some other communications device since I go on at least one tour a year, and every time I seem to go through 2wd areas with no mobile coverage. A couple of years ago I broke down 80km from Wanaaring on the White Cliffs - Wanaaring road which still has minimal coverage. Even though it is marked on the Telstra map (and on many others) the road has minimal traffic, so people have been stranded there for days before anyone passed them.
Yikes, that sounds like a (very expensive) satellite phone might be the go for those sorts of trips. I believe one can be rented if said trips are irregular.
I've made a couple of minor tweaks to the page. The big three are really giving the smaller carriers a squeeze on pricing at the moment, especially at the higher-end usage levels.
Renting can be quite expensive though. And it's not the sort of thing an EPIRB is meant to be used for. The compromise may be having a second pre-paid Telstra SIM (depending on what the minimum spend is!) dedicated to such trips... it's what I used to do
Post by: settlement on July 27, 2015, 07:08:29 PM
Post by: alsoknownasDean on July 28, 2015, 10:16:50 AM
OP, how did you, or anyone else, get on with spintel?? They seem the best value. Also wondering what coverage would be like in Richmond
SpinTel were OK, their plans are pretty good because of the bumping.
There' were a few quirks with the service (payments are only via direct debit, if you get bumped up a tier you've got to manually reset it before the end of the month to avoid the higher tier applying for the next month, phone support isn't 24:7, there's no mobile app to track usage, etc), but if you're happy to work around the quirks, the phone service works fine.
I ended up changing to Vodafone a couple of months ago. I managed to get a pretty good deal (I managed to get their $50 SIM-only plan for $35 a month) and my phone works well on their network. I guess I just liked the idea of being with a big three telco with retail stores (easy to change a SIM over if need be) and fewer of the above quirks.
The coverage should be the same as with Optus, so you could give it a try with a $2 Optus prepaid SIM to see what the coverage is like in your area. I must admit I don't go to Richmond all that much :)
Post by: alsoknownasDean on September 01, 2015, 06:34:36 AM
Phone service is so cheap nowadays.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on September 19, 2015, 07:07:45 PM
$50 gets you 8-10GB of data (and even 5GB on the big T, but not unlimited calls).
I'm actually considering giving my ADSL the flick and using just mobile data. 4G's probably faster too :)
Post by: alsoknownasDean on September 19, 2015, 08:14:35 PM
An update on Boost - they are going 4G from the end of September.
Not important out here in the boondocks, but may impress some of you city folk who want to rip through your data allowance that much faster!
Good pickup, it makes Boost pretty compelling for folks who need to stick with the big T. I guess they had to with the recent updates to the Telstra prepaid offerings.
It'll probably make it out your way within the next year or two, although Optus has been rapidly expanding their 4G network, and arguably they have more 4G coverage than Telstra now.
Post by: dungoofed on September 19, 2015, 08:27:13 PM
So $30 a month gets you unlimited calls/SMS and at least 1GB a month with the major carriers (currently 1.5GB with Vodafone and 1GB with Optus on SIM-only plans). 2GB with Amaysim, and 2.5GB with Lebara.
$50 gets you 8-10GB of data (and even 5GB on the big T, but not unlimited calls).
Thanks for the updates. For what it's worth, Amaysim have had deals recently whereby you can get 5GB/unlimited on prepaid for $20/month. They've run the deal three times in the last five months that I'm aware of, and you can buy the vouchers in advance and stack them for up to 11 months. Hard to say whether this kind of promotion is going to be a regular thing (OzBargain is your friend) but it's a great deal if you have your own handset.
Quote
I'm actually considering giving my ADSL the flick and using just mobile data. 4G's probably faster too :)
I'm shocked at how expensive ADSL is in this country. Most expensive FTTB/H I saw in Japan was $50/month unlimited.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on September 19, 2015, 08:42:59 PM
So $30 a month gets you unlimited calls/SMS and at least 1GB a month with the major carriers (currently 1.5GB with Vodafone and 1GB with Optus on SIM-only plans). 2GB with Amaysim, and 2.5GB with Lebara.
$50 gets you 8-10GB of data (and even 5GB on the big T, but not unlimited calls).
Thanks for the updates. For what it's worth, Amaysim have had deals recently whereby you can get 5GB/unlimited on prepaid for $20/month. They've run the deal three times in the last five months that I'm aware of, and you can buy the vouchers in advance and stack them for up to 11 months. Hard to say whether this kind of promotion is going to be a regular thing (OzBargain is your friend) but it's a great deal if you have your own handset.QuoteI'm actually considering giving my ADSL the flick and using just mobile data. 4G's probably faster too :)
I'm shocked at how expensive ADSL is in this country. Most expensive FTTB/H I saw in Japan was $50/month unlimited.
Nice on the Amaysim front, although I thought the offer was only for new services :)
Haha, blame ULL for that mess. Dodo offer unlimited ADSL for $29.90, but of course you need a phone line on top of that. Naked ADSL is often no cheaper than ADSL and a phone line. In fact, when I was looking, it cost the same for a 100GB ADSL bundle as it did for 100GB of Naked ADSL with iiNet.
Speaking of Dodo, their lower-end mobile plan with $500 of calls and 1GB of data is pretty cheap at $17.90. They have a cheap PAYG service too.
No wonder mobile broadband is so popular in this country :)
Post by: Astatine on September 21, 2015, 04:22:26 PM
Post by: alsoknownasDean on October 01, 2015, 11:23:26 PM
After my last move about 5 years ago, I did some research on reliability of different ISPs. Dodo seemed to have one of the worst reputations for reliability and customer service. I wouldn't jump ship to them without doing serious due diligence (eg Whirlpool forums). Ditto Vodafone but maybe they've got their shit together now? I have suffered through many a friend and colleague complain about Vodafone's coverage and customer service to have developed a bit of a twitch whenever that name is mentioned... Price isn't everything.
I used Dodo back in the dialup days, and it worked OK. Never tried ADSL with them.
Vodafone worked fine for me when I used them on my old iPhone recently. I do live in a capital city though, YMMV in the regional areas. :)
I'll have to update the guide to reflect that TPG is changing to be a Vodafone MVNO. Presumably the subsidiaries (iiNet, etc), will move over as well in due time.
Post by: dungoofed on October 02, 2015, 02:04:37 AM
Nice on the Amaysim front, although I thought the offer was only for new services :)
OzBargains is your friend ;)
Post by: alsoknownasDean on October 07, 2015, 07:46:32 AM
Post by: Astatine on October 07, 2015, 03:58:33 PM
I know I can go to the Telstra shop and ask but have limited stamina/want to avoid crowds while going through chemo.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on October 08, 2015, 06:23:40 AM
I'm about to do a spendypants thing of upgrading to an iPhone 6 but want to stay on the Telstra network (their coverage and reliability is an essential for me due to various medical issues). Does the Aussie hive mind know if one can BYO iPhone 6 on the 4G network to Telstra? I want a plan, not prepaid SIM. I was thinking of buying a phone outright from JB Hi Fi and then signing up with a data/call plan with Telstra.
I know I can go to the Telstra shop and ask but have limited stamina/want to avoid crowds while going through chemo.
You certainly can!
You should be able to buy an iPhone 6 outright from many major retailers (JB, Officeworks, Dick Smith, Apple Store, etc), even online. A 6S you may struggle with though due to demand.
Once you get that, you can switch to a SIM-only plan through Telstra (it might also be able to be done over the phone or online). They offer a range of 'Casual SIM-only' plans without a contract, as per below:
https://www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/plans-and-rates (https://www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/plans-and-rates)
Currently they have a double data deal on their $50 plan, although the site says it's only for new customers.
Best of luck!
Post by: Astatine on October 08, 2015, 06:30:40 AM
I'm about to do a spendypants thing of upgrading to an iPhone 6 but want to stay on the Telstra network (their coverage and reliability is an essential for me due to various medical issues). Does the Aussie hive mind know if one can BYO iPhone 6 on the 4G network to Telstra? I want a plan, not prepaid SIM. I was thinking of buying a phone outright from JB Hi Fi and then signing up with a data/call plan with Telstra.
I know I can go to the Telstra shop and ask but have limited stamina/want to avoid crowds while going through chemo.
You certainly can!
You should be able to buy an iPhone 6 outright from many major retailers (JB, Officeworks, Dick Smith, Apple Store, etc), even online. A 6S you may struggle with though due to demand.
Once you get that, you can switch to a SIM-only plan through Telstra (it might also be able to be done over the phone or online). They offer a range of 'Casual SIM-only' plans without a contract, as per below:
https://www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/plans-and-rates (https://www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/plans-and-rates)
Currently they have a double data deal on their $50 plan, although the site says it's only for new customers.
Best of luck!
Fantastic! Thanks so much. I'm not a new customer unfortunately but good to know I can BYO iPhone
Post by: alsoknownasDean on October 08, 2015, 06:56:14 AM
I'm about to do a spendypants thing of upgrading to an iPhone 6 but want to stay on the Telstra network (their coverage and reliability is an essential for me due to various medical issues). Does the Aussie hive mind know if one can BYO iPhone 6 on the 4G network to Telstra? I want a plan, not prepaid SIM. I was thinking of buying a phone outright from JB Hi Fi and then signing up with a data/call plan with Telstra.
I know I can go to the Telstra shop and ask but have limited stamina/want to avoid crowds while going through chemo.
You certainly can!
You should be able to buy an iPhone 6 outright from many major retailers (JB, Officeworks, Dick Smith, Apple Store, etc), even online. A 6S you may struggle with though due to demand.
Once you get that, you can switch to a SIM-only plan through Telstra (it might also be able to be done over the phone or online). They offer a range of 'Casual SIM-only' plans without a contract, as per below:
https://www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/plans-and-rates (https://www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/plans-and-rates)
Currently they have a double data deal on their $50 plan, although the site says it's only for new customers.
Best of luck!
Fantastic! Thanks so much. I'm not a new customer unfortunately but good to know I can BYO iPhone
You're welcome.
Still worth a try, maybe chat to the Telstra people. Worst case, you might be able to port to Optus prepaid and then port back to Telstra as a 'new' customer :)
Post by: alsoknownasDean on November 11, 2015, 05:09:24 AM
Coles have introduced their own prepaid service on the Optus network, and Kogan Mobile has returned, this time on the Vodafone network (and this time Kogan aren't using a third-party wholesaler).
There's an awful lot of new plans and changes too. I'll update the guide when I can be bothered :)
Post by: dungoofed on November 11, 2015, 05:20:50 AM
And there was something in the news about TPG/Vodafone yesterday, just waiting for the dust to settle.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on November 11, 2015, 07:14:58 PM
Two new cheap Amaysim "unlimited" plans too, and their 5Gb unlimited plan now includes 300 min international.Yeah that's a pretty good deal, as are their lower plans for those who don't use much data. Amaysim's excess data rates are high at 7.2c/MB, but I'm sure with prepaid it matters less (or with an Android phone where you can set a limit on the data).
And there was something in the news about TPG/Vodafone yesterday, just waiting for the dust to settle.
Also if one can have a mobile plan with unlimited calls and text messages (and 1GB data) for $24.90 a month, it seems silly to pay $30 just in line rental for a landline :)
I'm just waiting for carriers here to shape excess data rather than charge per MB or GB, like many of the American ones do and ADSL/cable plans tend to do.
Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk
Post by: Trouble on November 11, 2015, 07:50:32 PM
I've realised I should be able to spend $20 instead of $40 per month for my Boost sim, I didn't realise the $20 included unlimited SMS, which is what I mainly send.
Also, I'll be checking with hubby when his plan ends to get him in a much cheaper prepaid Optus subsidiary sim.
Cheers!
Post by: alsoknownasDean on November 18, 2015, 05:51:25 AM
Thanks alsoknownasDean for your fantastic guide!
I've realised I should be able to spend $20 instead of $40 per month for my Boost sim, I didn't realise the $20 included unlimited SMS, which is what I mainly send.
Also, I'll be checking with hubby when his plan ends to get him in a much cheaper prepaid Optus subsidiary sim.
Cheers!
You're welcome :)
Oh, if anyone's keen on giving Amaysim a try, they've got a deal where one of the UNLIMITED plans (up to the 5GB one) is $5 for the first month. They have another offer where it's $10 for three months, if you use the promo code '3MONTHS', and it applies to the 1GB, 2GB and 5GB unlimited plans.
1GB https://www.amaysim.com.au/mobile-plans/unlimited-1gb?cid=disp-rocket-rm-ul2-3mth&utm_source=rocket&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=phd-bau
2GB https://www.amaysim.com.au/mobile-plans/unlimited-2gb?cid=disp-rocket-rm-ul2-3mth&utm_source=rocket&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=phd-bau
5GB https://www.amaysim.com.au/mobile-plans/unlimited-5gb?cid=disp-rocket-rm-ul2-3mth&utm_source=rocket&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=phd-bau
Post by: alsoknownasDean on November 24, 2015, 07:01:44 AM
MeU Mobile (https://www.meu.mobi) (Telstra): A few plans available, most don't include unlimited calls but have plenty of data.
Dodo (http://new.dodo.com) (Optus 4G): They have a reasonable looking low-use PAYG and some plans, including a $17.90 per month plan.
Exetel (http://www.exetel.com.au) (Optus 4G): They have three plans that seem to offer a fair bit for the money.
Vaya (http://www.vaya.net.au) (Optus 4G): They've got several different plans starting at $18 per month.
Post by: JLR on December 01, 2015, 07:41:55 PM
Post by: dungoofed on December 01, 2015, 07:55:32 PM
Optus have changed the conditions of my 'plan' (non-contract, after promising in September they wouldn't), so we are switching to amaysim. Will let you know how we go.
Interesting thread here on Ozbargain:
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/221470
TL;DR: Amaysim are offering a ridonkadonk deal if you port from TPG.... BUT... they may honour it if you're porting from somewhere else (though their official stance is that they wont).
Post by: alsoknownasDean on December 03, 2015, 07:03:46 AM
Each of the big three carriers has introduced new SIM-only plan offers for the Christmas period. Mostly catered towards heavier users though, and many as part of contracts.
Prepaid starter kits are coming with bonus data too.
Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk
Post by: alsoknownasDean on December 18, 2015, 05:56:11 PM
If you're able to get $30 starter kits for $5-10, one could stock up with ones for multiple carriers and switch between different prepaid carriers with a collection of cheap starter kits (porting over the number) when the credit runs out.
I'm on Optus postpaid at present, but I have to admit I'm considering going back to prepaid (maybe Telstra if I get signal at work).
That said, is that Mustachian or just introducing a lot of extra complication to save a few dollars?
Post by: Astatine on December 18, 2015, 07:01:16 PM
That said, is that Mustachian or just introducing a lot of extra complication to save a few dollars?
It depends on how much work it is and how much spare time and energy you have to do it. It wouldn't be worth it for me because I HATE paperwork and dealing with telcos and the amount saved wouldn't be worth it for the hit to my quality of life. But, if you have a lot of free time and energy and don't hate dealing with bureaucracy, then it would be Mustachian IMO.
Post by: JLR on December 20, 2015, 12:06:18 AM
That said, is that Mustachian or just introducing a lot of extra complication to save a few dollars?
I like your thinking. It would be ok if you were happy to change your number each month, but I know how much of a pain I found it when our number was changed over from Optus to Amaysim. They said it would happen in the next few days from when we contacted them with our request, but no specific time frame. It happened to go through on a day when we were both out of town. I had just received a message from my husband to say he was finished at his meeting. I replied that I would come to pick him up. Then both our phones stopped working. Luckily, when he didn't hear from me again he came looking for me where I had dropped him of that morning. Our phones started working again 10 hours later.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on December 20, 2015, 12:33:50 AM
Apparently switching between MVNOs on the same network is more complicated than switching between different networks. Going to Vodafone or Telstra might have been easier.That said, is that Mustachian or just introducing a lot of extra complication to save a few dollars?
I like your thinking. It would be ok if you were happy to change your number each month, but I know how much of a pain I found it when our number was changed over from Optus to Amaysim. They said it would happen in the next few days from when we contacted them with our request, but no specific time frame. It happened to go through on a day when we were both out of town. I had just received a message from my husband to say he was finished at his meeting. I replied that I would come to pick him up. Then both our phones stopped working. Luckily, when he didn't hear from me again he came looking for me where I had dropped him of that morning. Our phones started working again 10 hours later.
Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk
Post by: Daley on December 20, 2015, 07:46:50 AM
That said, is that Mustachian or just introducing a lot of extra complication to save a few dollars?
Dean, you probably already know my answer to this question, but I'm going to give it anyway.
No.
Every time you port your number, you risk losing that number and you risk brief outages. As minute as the physical waste may be on a greater scale, each SIM switch still consumes resources and generates trash. If enough people abuse the promo offers and drive high enough churn, corporations will eventually do away with the offers entirely. You are ultimately jumping through hoops playing games just to save a few bucks on plans where you could already be saving that money and more simply through self discipline and using smaller plans while staying with the best carrier that provides coverage for your needs and being willing to pay what it is worth.
This constant network jockeying is not being frugal and wise with your time and resources, it is behaving like a cheap, stingy tightwad. There is a difference.
Anyone who feels as though they have to perpetually game the system just to save a few bucks hasn't actually learned the true meaning of financial freedom and independence.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on December 22, 2015, 05:54:07 AM
That said, is that Mustachian or just introducing a lot of extra complication to save a few dollars?
Dean, you probably already know my answer to this question, but I'm going to give it anyway.
No.
Every time you port your number, you risk losing that number and you risk brief outages. As minute as the physical waste may be on a greater scale, each SIM switch still consumes resources and generates trash. If enough people abuse the promo offers and drive high enough churn, corporations will eventually do away with the offers entirely. You are ultimately jumping through hoops playing games just to save a few bucks on plans where you could already be saving that money and more simply through self discipline and using smaller plans while staying with the best carrier that provides coverage for your needs and being willing to pay what it is worth.
This constant network jockeying is not being frugal and wise with your time and resources, it is behaving like a cheap, stingy tightwad. There is a difference.
Anyone who feels as though they have to perpetually game the system just to save a few bucks hasn't actually learned the true meaning of financial freedom and independence.
Thanks Daley :)
I could knock another ten bucks off my service by changing carriers (they're doing some insane deals at the moment, but they're for new customers only), but I could knock that same ten bucks off by reducing my usage slightly and downgrading the plan one notch.
I'm surprised that the big three telcos would make any money at all from some of their SIM-only deals. Unlimited calls/text messages, some international minutes included and 10GB of data for $40AUD ($29USD) a month, anyone?
Oh I might include a new section in the guide :)
Post by: alsoknownasDean on December 22, 2015, 06:20:30 AM
A: It depends on how much data you use. If you use a gigabyte or two a month, sure, if it's more than maybe 3-4GB a month, then keep an eye on the unlimited calls plans anyway, they're basically thrown in for free at that price point.
I'll assume in this case that calls and text messages are still able to be made at pay as you go rates (so I won't be suggesting pure mobile broadband plans).
Telstra: If you're happy with the wholesale network, you've got the CMobile Blue plans or the Aldi data packs (Aldi offers 4G). If you need full Telstra coverage, your choices are prepaid Simplicity or Long Life with data packs, or just going for prepaid Freedom Plus.
Optus: Check out Amaysim's pay as you go service and add a data pack. Call rates are fairly cheap, and you can buy a 10GB data pack that lasts 365 days (among others).
Vodafone: CMobile have a couple of data-only plans that charge calls as you go, and you can add data to a Lebara PAYG plan. Alternatively, you can use Vodafone prepaid, and add data plans as needed. Vodafone data packs with a 28 day expiry range from $5 for 500MB to $15 for 2GB, and they have other 2GB data packs with a shorter expiry ($7 for 2GB with a 7 day expiry and $3 for 2GB with a 1 day expiry). Although, if you're a light user, Vodafone charges 2c/MB for their PAYG data (although not on their 365 day offer, that's $2/MB).
The other option if you have a dual-SIM phone is to have a mobile broadband SIM in one slot and a cheap PAYG phone SIM in the other. This may or may not be allowed by your carrier (they may restrict the SIMs to modems/tablets), and as most dual-SIM phones have one slot operating on 3G/4G and the other in 2G, it won't work anymore when the 2G networks are all turned off. Extra complication and all of that.
Post by: dungoofed on December 22, 2015, 03:07:50 PM
Post by: alsoknownasDean on February 05, 2016, 05:11:59 PM
Vodafone also now has free roaming to New Zealand.
I'm now on Amaysim, I wanted to go cheaper than the $50 I was paying Optus, and decided to give Telstra another shot (their prepaid offers are pretty good). Turns out Telstra service at my workplace is just as shitty as it was 18 months ago, so back to the Optus network I went. Naturally just after I left Optus came to the table with the $40 for 7GB deal, but I'm happy with staying on prepaid.
I'm on the $39.90 5GB unlimited offer, but my data use has dropped after ditching Facebook for the month. I might look into going to the $29.90 2GB plan for next month if I keep off Facebook. Currently I'm at 180MB after five days, so I should comfortably fit within the 2GB plan :)
Post by: alsoknownasDean on April 01, 2016, 07:37:33 PM
Given the public issues with Telstra as of late, I'd suggest that anyone who really needs to be constantly in contact via a mobile service consider carrying two phones on different networks. I'm not sure if even 000 was working properly when the Telstra network shat itself the other week.
Post by: dungoofed on April 01, 2016, 11:59:45 PM
$24.90 (with 1.5GB data)
I wanted to switch to this Amaysim plan, which looks nice and low-cost, but what I didn't like is that there are no $24.95 vouchers from Coles.
For the other plans when your 28 days (grrr) is up then you don't have to charge immediately. You can wait until it suits you or you know you'll need data or to make phone calls and then apply one of your charge credit vouchers.
Because there are no $24.95 vouchers you have to buy a voucher that is worth more than $24.95. Then when the 28 days is up and you get moved to the the Pay As You Go plan you start to eat through the remainder of the credit, no choice in the matter. There might be a way to do it but the Amaysim rep tried to explain it to me and it was so convoluted and I had no hope of pulling it off every month.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on April 02, 2016, 01:49:00 AM
$24.90 (with 1.5GB data)
I wanted to switch to this Amaysim plan, which looks nice and low-cost, but what I didn't like is that there are no $24.95 vouchers from Coles.
For the other plans when your 28 days (grrr) is up then you don't have to charge immediately. You can wait until it suits you or you know you'll need data or to make phone calls and then apply one of your charge credit vouchers.
Because there are no $24.95 vouchers you have to buy a voucher that is worth more than $24.95. Then when the 28 days is up and you get moved to the the Pay As You Go plan you start to eat through the remainder of the credit, no choice in the matter. There might be a way to do it but the Amaysim rep tried to explain it to me and it was so convoluted and I had no hope of pulling it off every month.
It'll be difficult if you're buying all of your recharges from Coles (although you may be able to buy a $10 and a $15 voucher). I have to admit I have mine set to automatically recharge/purchase the new plan using the credit card.
https://www.amaysim.com.au/recharge.html
If you're open to recharging online using a credit card, presumably you could buy a $10 recharge and a $15 recharge, and then buy the Unlimited plan using that credit. Although I'm not sure if you can buy an Unlimited plan with As You Go credit.
Here's some more info on recharging the unlimited plan:
https://www.amaysim.com.au/help-support/plans-pricing/how-do-i-recharge-unlimited-small.html
Alternatively if you're only using your phone every other day, maybe something like the Optus My Prepaid Daily (if it hasn't been canned) could suffice.
Post by: dungoofed on April 02, 2016, 02:47:18 AM
Post by: alsoknownasDean on April 02, 2016, 03:28:19 AM
Thanks alsoknownasDean, yeah I'll have a bit of a think about what I'm going to do. Seriously a confusopoly that they're all running here, changing the plans all the time so that it's harder to compare. Your mobile phone guide is a godsend for sorting through the crap.
Thanks a lot for that. :)
Yeah they're changing the offers all the time, especially for prepaid. Signing up to postpaid at least means that the plan is unlikely to change for a while.
I've added Kogan Mobile (using Vodafone) to the list. I've not used their service, but given they're purchasing their services directly from Vodafone instead of via a reseller (like their first attempt a few years ago), you'd assume they're less likely to go belly-up than before. They have a $16.95 plan that's suited to light data users.
I'm now on the Amaysim UNLIMITED 3GB plan for $29.90. It works out well for my usage levels, and the Optus network works best for my needs. I could get it down to $20 a month or less if I restricted my data usage and was happy to switch to a carrier on another network, but I'm happy with the 'set and forget' nature of my current plan.
Now I'd better get off this bloody computer, my study's not going to do itself. :)
Post by: Daley on April 02, 2016, 09:37:11 PM
Updated including new prices and the shift to 28 day expiry by the major carriers (and Amaysim).
I'm curious about the new prices (as I don't remember the old), especially on the new 28 day billing cycle. I suspect your carriers just pulled a fast one enabling a stealth price increase while making the plans look "cheaper" by effectively adding a thirteenth month into the annual billing cycle.
365/30=12.17
365/28=13.04
What a difference two days make. Here's hoping this isn't a trend that catches on elsewhere.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on April 02, 2016, 10:16:05 PM
Updated including new prices and the shift to 28 day expiry by the major carriers (and Amaysim).
I'm curious about the new prices (as I don't remember the old), especially on the new 28 day billing cycle. I suspect your carriers just pulled a fast one enabling a stealth price increase while making the plans look "cheaper" by effectively adding a thirteenth month into the annual billing cycle.
365/30=12.17
365/28=13.04
What a difference two days make. Here's hoping this isn't a trend that catches on elsewhere.
It's pretty much a price increase by stealth, although some carriers have upgraded the inclusions as well (especially data).
In the case of Amaysim, the data allocations have been increased for each plan by up to 50% (and they've added international calls as well). I personally benefit from the changes as the next plan down is now plenty for my usage.
It doesn't seem to happen on the postpaid end (most postpaid plans still seem to be by the calendar month), but in the prepaid market, the data allowances seem to be increasing and the expiry dates shortening.
I guess all we can do is do the maths and go with the most suitable plan for one's usage patterns.
Post by: Astatine on April 02, 2016, 10:26:21 PM
Post by: Primm on April 02, 2016, 10:28:25 PM
Thanks for the updates. Do you have any hard info on 000 availability when Telstra went down? That's very alarming if true.
I didn't try and call obviously, but when my Boost mobile on the Telstra network was down I still had the "emergency use only" notation on the top of my screen. I don't know if that indicates for sure that 000/112 was in fact available on my phone, but I certainly hope so.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on April 02, 2016, 10:39:07 PM
Thanks for the updates. Do you have any hard info on 000 availability when Telstra went down? That's very alarming if true.
I didn't try and call obviously, but when my Boost mobile on the Telstra network was down I still had the "emergency use only" notation on the top of my screen. I don't know if that indicates for sure that 000/112 was in fact available on my phone, but I certainly hope so.
According to this article (for the first outage), calls to emergency services were still available:
http://www.news.com.au/technology/telstra-suffers-network-outage/news-story/7b0c2c35b180f237e231bc88c90c2fb4
I guess it might depend on what happens with the outage. If it shows no Telstra service at all and 'emergency use only', then emergency calls should theoretically go through one of the other two networks. If it shows that there is Telstra service but calls aren't going through due to congestion, I'm not sure (although I suspect there is something built into the network to give emergency service calls priority in these situations).
That's probably something that Telstra would need to clarify. :)
Post by: alsoknownasDean on April 22, 2016, 07:36:56 PM
https://aldimobile.com.au/newplans
They look to be very good value. 750mins, unlimited texts and 1.5GB data for $20 (for 30 days) sounds like excellent value.
This is on Telstra's (wholesale) 4G network, not 4GX (which IIRC is their fancy term for 4G LTE with carrier aggregation).
Pretty good deals, but I'm sticking with Amaysim as Optus coverage works best for me. I might point out the Aldi plans to my parents though.
Post by: JLR on April 23, 2016, 08:58:09 PM
Post by: pancakes on April 25, 2016, 12:22:36 AM
I recharge $30/month on my phone and creditme2u that over to the iPad's simplicity sim in $10 Telstra money chunks. $20 of Telstra money gets a 700MB data pack for 30 days and each transfer of credit extends the expiry meaning if I time it correctly, I'll never need to spend money recharging the iPad.
I don't use a whole lot of data on the iPad so 700MB is perfect. Over time, the credit should start to build up as well which means I'll be able to grab $49 3GB packs now and a again, e.g. for travelling.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on April 29, 2016, 05:09:41 AM
Just wanted pipe up and thank you for all of your work, alsoknownasDean. I check this thread about once a month to see if we can get a better deal, and really appreciate you putting it together for us.
You're welcome. Glad someone's making use of it :)
My latest trick with Telstra Prepaid has been to put a simplicity sim in my iPad.
I recharge $30/month on my phone and creditme2u that over to the iPad's simplicity sim in $10 Telstra money chunks. $20 of Telstra money gets a 700MB data pack for 30 days and each transfer of credit extends the expiry meaning if I time it correctly, I'll never need to spend money recharging the iPad.
I don't use a whole lot of data on the iPad so 700MB is perfect. Over time, the credit should start to build up as well which means I'll be able to grab $49 3GB packs now and a again, e.g. for travelling.
Nice idea! I've still got a SIM in my old iPad that Optus keeps slugging me ten bucks a month for. Maybe I should look at other options. Maybe one of the $50 annual recharges.
The biggest changes to the prepaid scene lately are that many Telstra resellers (Aldi, Telechoice, Woolworths) now have 4G service. I've also noticed that Optus is about to offer data-free music streaming on prepaid. As a reforming Spotify addict, this is very tempting, even if I get less data for my dollar compared to Amaysim.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on May 26, 2016, 06:35:11 AM
Now many Telstra and Vodafone MVNOs have 4G access.
I'll have to add a section relating to international calls/roaming and maybe add a few more carriers (are Dodo and Vaya worth adding to the list?). When I can be bothered.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on July 02, 2016, 12:38:23 AM
Post by: alsoknownasDean on August 26, 2016, 07:09:31 PM
Main changes are:
The big three are getting pretty aggressive with their data offerings in the SIM-only market (especially if one wants a year's contract). Optus is offering 10GB for $40pm (including unlimited music streaming), and Vodafone and Telstra each offer plenty of data too. Telstra have updated their prepaid plan a bit too.
Amaysim's as you go credit now has a 365 day expiry, but they've given the Flexi plan the flick. Vaya offers some cheap deals (unlimited calls and messages with 1GB of data for $16 a month has to be among the cheapest on the market). Aldi have tweaked their higher end plans a bit, Boost and Coles Mobile have changed their plans, as have TPG.
Of course part of me thinks 'well maybe I should go for the Optus plan, I get so much more data for only another five-ten bucks a month'. That's tempered by my realisation that I don't use all of the data I have as it is.
The way things are going with data inclusions, I might not bother signing up to ADSL at my next place. I don't use a heap of data anyway.
Also, I noticed that this thread has had 13000 views. How the hell did that happen?
Post by: alsoknownasDean on October 14, 2016, 07:21:32 PM
Main update is that Vodafone have announced that they're killing their 2G network by 30 September next year.
Jeenee have a couple of plans with massive data quotas (20-30GB) that are 3G only for $45-50.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on October 31, 2016, 07:41:16 PM
One new kid on the block is Ovo (https://www.ovo.com.au). They use the Optus 4G network and offer a lot of data for the money. It'll be interesting to see if the large data offerings are sustainable :)
15000 views. I wonder if someone is linking to this? :)
Post by: nnls on October 31, 2016, 08:01:16 PM
I am unfortunately stuck with telstra due to where I work, but more competition is always a good thing
Post by: alsoknownasDean on November 05, 2016, 06:00:44 PM
thanks for the update!
I am unfortunately stuck with telstra due to where I work, but more competition is always a good thing
There's a good chance that Boost should work, but Telstra's prepaid offers aren't that bad really (considering the coverage).
Post by: htg123 on November 05, 2016, 06:05:14 PM
What I personally do, is switch networks from offer to offer. It's not as time consuming as some want to think it is and saves me a packet
Post by: alsoknownasDean on February 06, 2017, 02:05:03 AM
Aldi are offering a 1 year pack for $249 (apparently only in store), Jeenee (and Spintel) have some crazy high data 3G only plans now, TPG have reintroduced their $1 50MB plan, I've added OVO to the guide (although some of their large data offers didn't appear to be sustainable) and aside from that, there's not been much change.
The funny thing is that I'm 'maintaining' a list of MVNOs, but I'm actually currently using a major carrier (I bought a new prepaid phone locked to Vodafone, and thought I might as well use it for a while on VF as they've probably subsidised the handset, it's only fair).
There's heaps of interesting decent phones in the prepaid market. Maybe it's not worth going for the $1000 superphone if a $200 smartphone (or even a <$100 prepaid burner) will do the trick.
Post by: HappierAtHome on February 06, 2017, 02:15:36 AM
There's heaps of interesting decent phones in the prepaid market. Maybe it's not worth going for the $1000 superphone if a $200 smartphone (or even a <$100 prepaid burner) will do the trick.
Fancy sharing links / model details for decent smartphones sub $500?
Post by: marty998 on February 06, 2017, 02:17:46 AM
(On topic, I am on the amaysim $24.90 plan... auto recharge on credit card every 28 days. 1.5GB data).
Post by: marty998 on February 06, 2017, 02:20:36 AM
There's heaps of interesting decent phones in the prepaid market. Maybe it's not worth going for the $1000 superphone if a $200 smartphone (or even a <$100 prepaid burner) will do the trick.
Fancy sharing links / model details for decent smartphones sub $500?
You may not like the phone I have... it's a white Samsung J1. They say it's a good smartphone for kids. I think that's crap. Kids would love a souped up phone with all the bells and whistles. It's the luddites like me that need the starter phones.
This one was $179 at Officeworks online store last year. I was umming and ahhing whether to get it for $139 from Kogan, but I didn't really trust the big fella who runs that site :)
Post by: alsoknownasDean on February 06, 2017, 04:04:24 AM
There's heaps of interesting decent phones in the prepaid market. Maybe it's not worth going for the $1000 superphone if a $200 smartphone (or even a <$100 prepaid burner) will do the trick.
Fancy sharing links / model details for decent smartphones sub $500?
The Moto G4 Plus (http://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/motorola-moto-g4-plus-16gb-black-momotg416b) seems like really good value for about $350. It's available at many of the major B&M retailers too.
Sometimes previous-generation Android flagships are heavily discounted as well.
Devices like the Motorola G4 Pla (https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/motorola-moto-g4-play-1031000212)y, Sony Xperia XA (http://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/sony-xperia-xa-5-unlocked-smartphone-black-brsonyxabk#!specifications), and some of the Huawei and Oppo handsets seem pretty good value too.
If you're happy to go with locked handsets (with major carriers), the abovementioned Sony is available on Vodafone prepaid (http://shop.vodafone.com.au/mobile-details/sony-xperia-xa-black-prepaid?serviceType=prepay) (locked to Vodafone obvs) for $199, which is a hell of a deal. Optus sell a phone under their own brand called the Optus X Sleek (http://www.optus.com.au/shop/prepaidmobile/optus/x-sleek) (a rebranded Alcatel Shine Lite) for $179 (although it used to be $149). They also sell an Oppo F1S (http://www.optus.com.au/shop/prepaidmobile/oppo/f1s) for $259.
Telstra sell a few devices at that price point (such as a Samsung Galaxy J3 (https://www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/prepaid-mobiles/samsung-galaxy-J3) or the HTC Desire 530 (https://www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/prepaid-mobiles/htc-desire-530). I don't think those devices are quite as good value for money as the Optus/Vodafone offerings, but might work OK for someone on the big T.
It's probably worth googling the model name and reviews (or problems) to see what others think of the devices first :)
Post by: alsoknownasDean on February 06, 2017, 04:19:42 AM
There's heaps of interesting decent phones in the prepaid market. Maybe it's not worth going for the $1000 superphone if a $200 smartphone (or even a <$100 prepaid burner) will do the trick.
Fancy sharing links / model details for decent smartphones sub $500?
You may not like the phone I have... it's a white Samsung J1. They say it's a good smartphone for kids. I think that's crap. Kids would love a souped up phone with all the bells and whistles. It's the luddites like me that need the starter phones.
This one was $179 at Officeworks online store last year. I was umming and ahhing whether to get it for $139 from Kogan, but I didn't really trust the big fella who runs that site :)
I bought a Huawei Y6 Elite from Coles for $99 a few months back. It's not a bad phone (in fact I'm surprised what you get for the money), but in hindsight, I probably would have been better suited by going up to the $150-200 pricepoint at least (8GB of internal storage is a bit limiting, but manageable, and the camera is passable rather than good). It's still incredible value (with very good battery life), and there's heaps of $100 or less prepaid phones at the supermarket which would be fine for basic uses. If the Optus X Sleek had been available then, I'd have bought one of those instead.
I can't comment on Kogan, have never bought anything from them :)
Still, it's amazing the value available in cheap smartphones. A top end Samsung or iPhone is $1000+, the Moto G4 Plus is $350. Sure, the S7 or iPhone 7/7+ would be a better phone, but three times as good? Honestly a 1440p display is a waste on a smartphone, my cheap Huawei has a 5" 720p screen and that's perfectly ample (I find that to be a comfortable phone size, but I have large hands).
I don't know if it makes a difference, but the Allphones retailer has gone into administration.
(On topic, I am on the amaysim $24.90 plan... auto recharge on credit card every 28 days. 1.5GB data).
I didn't hear about that one actually.
I found Amaysim to be really good. Credit card auto-recharge is fantastic. Vodafone no longer offer it on prepaid (obviously they want to nudge people onto the post-paid plans).
Prepaid is freedom! :)
Post by: HappierAtHome on February 06, 2017, 07:49:40 PM
Marty, I too am on the $24.90 amaysim plan and I love them! I can't believe how easy it is to log on and change details when I need to, and I get more than I need for that price.
You may not like the phone I have... it's a white Samsung J1. They say it's a good smartphone for kids. I think that's crap. Kids would love a souped up phone with all the bells and whistles. It's the luddites like me that need the starter phones.
This one was $179 at Officeworks online store last year. I was umming and ahhing whether to get it for $139 from Kogan, but I didn't really trust the big fella who runs that site :)
I was looking at the J3 online last night, presumably that's similar to the J1 but upgraded. What do you use your phone for - do you browse the forum? Check FB? That kind of thing? I use my phone a LOT, but only for fairly basic functions - internet, basic apps, happy snaps, calls and texts.
I'm tempted to stick with a Samsung as I'm using a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (I think I've got that right...) now and it's easy to just stick with the same kind of phone.
The Moto G4 Plus (http://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/motorola-moto-g4-plus-16gb-black-momotg416b) seems like really good value for about $350. It's available at many of the major B&M retailers too.
Sometimes previous-generation Android flagships are heavily discounted as well.
Devices like the Motorola G4 Pla (https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/motorola-moto-g4-play-1031000212)y, Sony Xperia XA (http://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/sony-xperia-xa-5-unlocked-smartphone-black-brsonyxabk#!specifications), and some of the Huawei and Oppo handsets seem pretty good value too.
If you're happy to go with locked handsets (with major carriers), the abovementioned Sony is available on Vodafone prepaid (http://shop.vodafone.com.au/mobile-details/sony-xperia-xa-black-prepaid?serviceType=prepay) (locked to Vodafone obvs) for $199, which is a hell of a deal. Optus sell a phone under their own brand called the Optus X Sleek (http://www.optus.com.au/shop/prepaidmobile/optus/x-sleek) (a rebranded Alcatel Shine Lite) for $179 (although it used to be $149). They also sell an Oppo F1S (http://www.optus.com.au/shop/prepaidmobile/oppo/f1s) for $259.
Telstra sell a few devices at that price point (such as a Samsung Galaxy J3 (https://www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/prepaid-mobiles/samsung-galaxy-J3) or the HTC Desire 530 (https://www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/prepaid-mobiles/htc-desire-530). I don't think those devices are quite as good value for money as the Optus/Vodafone offerings, but might work OK for someone on the big T.
It's probably worth googling the model name and reviews (or problems) to see what others think of the devices first :)
Thanks! I'll look into the Moto G4 Plus, and into Telstra's price (and prepaid offers) for the Samsung Galaxy J3.
Post by: nnls on February 06, 2017, 10:11:11 PM
I dont currently have a contract on my phone and pay about $50 a month for 5GB of data and unlimited calls/sms within Australia, and no international calls so I would love to be able to move over to aldi to save some money
Post by: marty998 on February 06, 2017, 11:33:19 PM
FWIW, we've had a bad experience with a refurbed iphone bought from Kogan, and I know a few others who've had similar crap experiences. I wouldn't buy from them again, let me put it like that.
Marty, I too am on the $24.90 amaysim plan and I love them! I can't believe how easy it is to log on and change details when I need to, and I get more than I need for that price.You may not like the phone I have... it's a white Samsung J1. They say it's a good smartphone for kids. I think that's crap. Kids would love a souped up phone with all the bells and whistles. It's the luddites like me that need the starter phones.
This one was $179 at Officeworks online store last year. I was umming and ahhing whether to get it for $139 from Kogan, but I didn't really trust the big fella who runs that site :)
I was looking at the J3 online last night, presumably that's similar to the J1 but upgraded. What do you use your phone for - do you browse the forum? Check FB? That kind of thing? I use my phone a LOT, but only for fairly basic functions - internet, basic apps, happy snaps, calls and texts.
I'm tempted to stick with a Samsung as I'm using a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (I think I've got that right...) now and it's easy to just stick with the same kind of phone.
Forum I use a laptop for, except for uploading pics which the phone is easier - I am useless at transferring things between devices, phone laptop, gmail whatever. Forum looks really weird on my phone, some lines really big, some text really small. Quite difficult to read and use.
Not a big consumer of music or videos. Otherwise I use it for the same reasons as you - lots of calls, text, messenger, FB, basic internet (mostly OKC, POF and tinder, not that any of it has worked!)
Actually if you take out the dating nonsense apps I'd probably be at about 400MB for the month or less.
The J1 only has 4GB of memory, and half of that is taken up by the Operating System. I am grateful (as always) to mustachepungoeshere who gave me a gigantic in space yet tiny in size SD card (and then explained to me patiently what it does).
It boggles the mind that if 64GB of memory can fit on something as tiny as an SD card, that it can't be built into the phone to begin with.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on February 07, 2017, 04:13:12 AM
I will have to look into aldi coverage to see if it would cover me at work or if they don't get the full telstra coverage. I have been told in the past that only telstra works, and when I look on their map it appears we are not covered. But if they use the telstra network then logically we should be.
I dont currently have a contract on my phone and pay about $50 a month for 5GB of data and unlimited calls/sms within Australia, and no international calls so I would love to be able to move over to aldi to save some money
If Aldi doesn't cover your workplace, maybe have a look at Boost. Even Telstra's own prepaid isn't bad (but a bit light on data compared to the others). Telstra offer an Mx plan from time to time for $40 with online-only support.
FWIW, we've had a bad experience with a refurbed iphone bought from Kogan, and I know a few others who've had similar crap experiences. I wouldn't buy from them again, let me put it like that.
Marty, I too am on the $24.90 amaysim plan and I love them! I can't believe how easy it is to log on and change details when I need to, and I get more than I need for that price.You may not like the phone I have... it's a white Samsung J1. They say it's a good smartphone for kids. I think that's crap. Kids would love a souped up phone with all the bells and whistles. It's the luddites like me that need the starter phones.
This one was $179 at Officeworks online store last year. I was umming and ahhing whether to get it for $139 from Kogan, but I didn't really trust the big fella who runs that site :)
I was looking at the J3 online last night, presumably that's similar to the J1 but upgraded. What do you use your phone for - do you browse the forum? Check FB? That kind of thing? I use my phone a LOT, but only for fairly basic functions - internet, basic apps, happy snaps, calls and texts.
I'm tempted to stick with a Samsung as I'm using a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (I think I've got that right...) now and it's easy to just stick with the same kind of phone.
Forum I use a laptop for, except for uploading pics which the phone is easier - I am useless at transferring things between devices, phone laptop, gmail whatever. Forum looks really weird on my phone, some lines really big, some text really small. Quite difficult to read and use.
Not a big consumer of music or videos. Otherwise I use it for the same reasons as you - lots of calls, text, messenger, FB, basic internet (mostly OKC, POF and tinder, not that any of it has worked!)
Actually if you take out the dating nonsense apps I'd probably be at about 400MB for the month or less.
The J1 only has 4GB of memory, and half of that is taken up by the Operating System. I am grateful (as always) to mustachepungoeshere who gave me a gigantic in space yet tiny in size SD card (and then explained to me patiently what it does).
It boggles the mind that if 64GB of memory can fit on something as tiny as an SD card, that it can't be built into the phone to begin with.
Yeah the forum formats weirdly on a phone (unless you go full minimalist and use the WAP forum). Easiest way around that is to install Tapatalk and use that to access the forum :)
How do you go running those apps with so little storage? Are you able to put most apps onto the SD card?
Facebook was using so much space on the phone I recently deleted it and use an app called Friendly to access it (although really I should look into giving Facebook the flick).
With the SD card storage space, I suspect that SD card chips are smaller and slower than those built into the phones, but I could be wrong there. Of course the carriers want to give you a reason to go for a higher end device as well. :)
Yeah the Samsung J3 is a little light on RAM for the money (only 1.5GB), but if that doesn't bother you, it might be OK. Hedonic adaptation works both ways, after all.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on February 07, 2017, 04:33:18 AM
Back (sort of) on topic. Amaysim has consistently rated well in this regard, although I wonder how much of that is due to simply not offering services that the big telcos offer (landlines, fixed internet, contract devices, etc).
Post by: stashgrower on February 09, 2017, 07:00:49 AM
[I use phone, text, data. I live in a metro area, country coverage is nice but not essential.]
Post by: alsoknownasDean on February 20, 2017, 04:16:48 AM
No contracts, just freedom :)
I've not tried it, but Aldi metro coverage should be similar to Telstra proper (except limited to 100mbps). Obviously you're not going to get in-store support with an MVNO.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on April 13, 2017, 08:21:21 PM
https://www.crn.com.au/news/tpg-takes-on-telstra-optus-vodafone-as-australias-fourth-mobile-network-operator-with-126b-spectrum-acquisition-458101
TPG itself is currently a Vodafone MVNO, and they own iiNet and Internode and a number of other ISPs with their own MVNO offerings. They'll all likely get switched to the new TPG network once completed.
Although if they're planning on only 80% pop coverage, they'll need some roaming arrangements (likely with VHA) to have a competitive level of coverage. Otherwise, why go with TPG?
I guess the other thing is, is there room in the Aussie market for a fourth MNO? We used to have Three and it didn't survive long-term (merging with Vodafone).
Post by: krustyburger on April 25, 2017, 01:33:10 AM
Looking at alternatives. Does anyone use Aldi? How is your experience? - signal reliability, customer service (if relevant), anything else.
[I use phone, text, data. I live in a metro area, country coverage is nice but not essential.]
I've been with Aldi for a couple of years now, I'm a light phone user so I only need the $15/month plan. I've found them to be excellent, no dropouts, coverage everywhere I've been so far. As for customer service I'm not sure - never had to use it. I have found sometimes that trying to do stuff on the website, like set up auto recharge, was difficult to figure out, but otherwise no complaints, just awesome cheap coverage.
Post by: nnls on April 25, 2017, 01:52:16 AM
With prepaid, you can simply buy a cheap SIM and give it a go, or just port in and try it out for a month. If it doesn't work for you, port to another carrier.
No contracts, just freedom :)
I've not tried it, but Aldi metro coverage should be similar to Telstra proper (except limited to 100mbps). Obviously you're not going to get in-store support with an MVNO.
I will try an Aldi sim once my contract with telstra runs out at the end of the year, if it works in regional areas I will make the switch. I have a feeling it wont work though
Post by: alsoknownasDean on April 25, 2017, 06:00:27 AM
With prepaid, you can simply buy a cheap SIM and give it a go, or just port in and try it out for a month. If it doesn't work for you, port to another carrier.
No contracts, just freedom :)
I've not tried it, but Aldi metro coverage should be similar to Telstra proper (except limited to 100mbps). Obviously you're not going to get in-store support with an MVNO.
I will try an Aldi sim once my contract with telstra runs out at the end of the year, if it works in regional areas I will make the switch. I have a feeling it wont work though
The coverage map for Telstra's wholesale service (ie: Aldi) is here:
http://mobilemaps.net.au/maps/mcm/4G.html (http://mobilemaps.net.au/maps/mcm/4G.html)
Have a look to see if it works for you :)
Post by: nnls on April 25, 2017, 04:01:58 PM
With prepaid, you can simply buy a cheap SIM and give it a go, or just port in and try it out for a month. If it doesn't work for you, port to another carrier.
No contracts, just freedom :)
I've not tried it, but Aldi metro coverage should be similar to Telstra proper (except limited to 100mbps). Obviously you're not going to get in-store support with an MVNO.
I will try an Aldi sim once my contract with telstra runs out at the end of the year, if it works in regional areas I will make the switch. I have a feeling it wont work though
The coverage map for Telstra's wholesale service (ie: Aldi) is here:
http://mobilemaps.net.au/maps/mcm/4G.html (http://mobilemaps.net.au/maps/mcm/4G.html)
Have a look to see if it works for you :)
thanks for that map, I am still kinda unsure though as I work across a few mine sites that arent marked on the map but it kinda looks like there is coverage. So will have to give it a try
Post by: Fresh Bread on May 20, 2017, 11:43:12 PM
I know this is not a mobile plan question, but I'm too scared to start a new thread in case some of the heavyweights come in and facepunch me for even mentioning an iPhone... ;)
I'd like to purchase a new phone due to problems with battery and processor speeds on both my personal and business phones. I'm using an iPhone 4S for personal use and a very old Samsung GT-I9100 (Galaxy S II? Don't know how old) for business. The processor speed is the big thing.
They are both struggling but at the moment I will just upgrade the business phone. Things I will use it for - texting, calling, Google Maps and photos, and I'll put the work email on it once I upgrade. It would be great if the phone could open maps quickly and if the camera was a great deal better than the my iPhone (8MP, terrible in low light). At the moment I use my personal iPhone to take and send pics, for maps and email because... er... I don't really know my way around an Android phone and never learnt.
I very much like the iPhone (was looking at an SE) but I'm not loyal, I just never learnt 'Android'. I don't really care about size of screen and pixels anything is better than the 4S. Likewise storage is not an issue as I take maybe 10-20 pictures a day and can download them almost daily. I can go as low as 16GB. My budget is $500 max but the lower the better, because.. mustache. Both previous phones were free hand-me-downs :)
Some questions:
- What should I be looking for when comparing processor speed?
I'm looking at specs but I don't know what they mean in real life. My iPhone 4s apparently has 800mHz and 0.5GB RAM. What kind of speed would I want to open the current versions of Google maps without waiting waiting waiting? Is it better to just get the fastest processor I can afford for longevity?
- Has anyone ever compared camera function between the iPhone SE, Motorola (G5?), Huawei and some reasonably priced Samsung?
Megapixels are not the only factor but I don't know what to look for (if there is anything) within the specs to help me compare. I did find something online saying the Google Pixel is a great camera phone but the ones I found online were $900+. Don't want a fancy camera function THAT much.
- Might be a dumb question but - is it as easy to set up email and stuff on an Android as it is an iPhone?
Once I've learnt, I'm no longer stuck with upgrading to exxy iPhones for eternity.
Cheers people.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on May 31, 2017, 07:05:30 AM
Hi Dean and everyone -
I know this is not a mobile plan question, but I'm too scared to start a new thread in case some of the heavyweights come in and facepunch me for even mentioning an iPhone... ;)
I'd like to purchase a new phone due to problems with battery and processor speeds on both my personal and business phones. I'm using an iPhone 4S for personal use and a very old Samsung GT-I9100 (Galaxy S II? Don't know how old) for business. The processor speed is the big thing.
They are both struggling but at the moment I will just upgrade the business phone. Things I will use it for - texting, calling, Google Maps and photos, and I'll put the work email on it once I upgrade. It would be great if the phone could open maps quickly and if the camera was a great deal better than the my iPhone (8MP, terrible in low light). At the moment I use my personal iPhone to take and send pics, for maps and email because... er... I don't really know my way around an Android phone and never learnt.
I very much like the iPhone (was looking at an SE) but I'm not loyal, I just never learnt 'Android'. I don't really care about size of screen and pixels anything is better than the 4S. Likewise storage is not an issue as I take maybe 10-20 pictures a day and can download them almost daily. I can go as low as 16GB. My budget is $500 max but the lower the better, because.. mustache. Both previous phones were free hand-me-downs :)
Some questions:
- What should I be looking for when comparing processor speed?
I'm looking at specs but I don't know what they mean in real life. My iPhone 4s apparently has 800mHz and 0.5GB RAM. What kind of speed would I want to open the current versions of Google maps without waiting waiting waiting? Is it better to just get the fastest processor I can afford for longevity?
- Has anyone ever compared camera function between the iPhone SE, Motorola (G5?), Huawei and some reasonably priced Samsung?
Megapixels are not the only factor but I don't know what to look for (if there is anything) within the specs to help me compare. I did find something online saying the Google Pixel is a great camera phone but the ones I found online were $900+. Don't want a fancy camera function THAT much.
- Might be a dumb question but - is it as easy to set up email and stuff on an Android as it is an iPhone?
Once I've learnt, I'm no longer stuck with upgrading to exxy iPhones for eternity.
Cheers people.
Sorry about the late reply.
Firstly, if you want to stick with iPhones and are happy with Telstra, Telstra are selling a prepaid iPhone SE (presumably locked) for $449 on their website. I believe they often do a 10% off sale on Tuesdays?
In many cases it depends on what screen size you are after. I'm lusting after a Moto G5 Plus, but they're about $400 ($450 for the 32GB version from Motorola directly), which uses a 5.2" screen.
As far as horsepower goes, RAM probably matters than processor speed (don't bother with less than 2GB of RAM unless you're after a sub-$100 device). I'm also going to suggest that the super high resolution screens (1440p and the like) aren't worth it for most of us. Better to get 1080p or even 720p, battery life will be better and it should be a bit more responsive if the GPU doesn't have to work as hard.
With the cameras, maybe google the model you're after and review (like 'Moto G5 Plus review') and see what others say. It's one of those subjective things I guess. The list I put in February is probably a good start (although it'll be the G5 instead of the G4), and some of the outright handsets at JB Hifi/TGG/HN/OW/etc are worth a second look. Ultimately, the cameras are one of the things that the manufacturers try and save a bit of coin on with their lower-end handsets, but most should be OK. Maybe have a look at some reviews.
Of course, I'm guilty of a bit of TDES (http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/12/26/cure-yourself-of-tiny-details-exaggeration-syndrome/) just like everyone else :)
But yeah, if it's just texting, calling, Google Maps and photos, almost any smartphone should do OK, but the higher end ones will have a nicer camera and display.
The Gmail app seems easy enough (and you can add multiple email accounts). Maybe not quite as straightforward as mail on iOS, but I'm used to it now :)
EDIT: Found this link that might be worth a peek:
https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/02/the-best-smartphones-under-500/
:)
Post by: alsoknownasDean on May 31, 2017, 08:44:33 AM
It's almost at the point where I'd bump my phone plan up and ditch my ADSL. Almost.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on August 05, 2017, 05:47:36 AM
After all, Jeenee now offers a plan with unlimited calls and text messages, along with 500MB of data (and more if signing up for a long period of time) for $9.90 a month. I wonder how they'd make any money on it? Several carriers have SIM-only plans with 10GB or more of data for $35-40 a month. The big carriers too are offering plans with big data quotas.
https://www.jeenee.org.au/products/sim-packs/
https://moosemobile.com.au
I guess I'm wondering if this is sustainable. If the big three carriers are offering SIM-only plans with 10GB+ of data for $40-50 a month (and 3GB or so for $30 in the case or Optus/VF), then even if wholesale prices to MVNOs are reasonable, the MVNOs invariably have to match or beat this to get any business. They can (and do) offer compelling plans for lower prices, but obviously ARPU is lower and scale matters much more to be competitive. Chances are we'll see some consolidation to build that scale (Amaysim bought Vaya about 18 months ago, for example).
We can see the consolidation with fixed line how iiNet bought a lot of carriers, TPG then bought iiNet and the vast majority of fixed-line internet connections effectively go through providers owned by one of four big companies.
Another factor is the purchase of mobile spectrum by TPG and their plans to build a fourth network. How will that impact on margins when TPG try aggressively to poach customers (and as they're currently owning a few MVNO outfits themselves, whether they're transitioned over)?
I'm wondering about my own usage as well. I use about 2-3GB per month on average, and I feel that $30 or so per month is a fair price for that service. For that, I can get Vodafone with their international roaming offer (although that's mostly for postpaid), Optus and Virgin with their unmetered music streaming (net neutrality concerns aside), Amaysim for unlimited calls to a number of countries (and Lebara/Lyca for cheap international calls in general), or Boost for the coverage of the full Telstra network (or another ten bucks for Telstra itself). It's a pretty good choice really. FWIW, I'm on Vodafone prepaid still because I bought a phone that was locked to Voda (since unlocked), and their $40/35 day deal is pretty good (as is the 90 day MyMix), although I wish Vodafone had automatic recharge.
I could even go lower if I went with Vaya or Aldi, or purchased an annual pack with Kogan or Lebara, but at ~$30 a month (or even 28 days), going to $20-25 per month is starting to get in the realm of diminishing returns.
The big wins are by not signing up to $100+ a month contracts every year/two for the latest iPhone/Galaxy/etc (or worse, leasing a phone). The midrange handsets are pretty good nowadays and iPhones in particular should last for much longer than a two year contract.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on August 06, 2017, 06:53:55 AM
Come on, who's linking to it? :p
Post by: Luckyvik on August 06, 2017, 07:16:13 PM
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Post by: alsoknownasDean on August 07, 2017, 06:24:54 AM
I can't believe they're now leasing phones, ridiculous!
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It's pretty ridiculous isn't it? For the $10 a month extra to buy vs leave, I'd rather just buy the phone (or buy outright and have the freedom to chop and change carriers as suits). It's not like an iPhone dies after two years, provided it's not abused.
Post by: Luckyvik on August 12, 2017, 08:32:27 PM
Yes, I've had my current iphone for 4 years and same for the one before. I prefer to buy them outright.I can't believe they're now leasing phones, ridiculous!
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It's pretty ridiculous isn't it? For the $10 a month extra to buy vs leave, I'd rather just buy the phone (or buy outright and have the freedom to chop and change carriers as suits). It's not like an iPhone dies after two years, provided it's not abused.
My current one is on its last legs I'm thinking of getting a cheaper mustachian phone next time around.
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Post by: Notch on August 12, 2017, 08:45:28 PM
https://www.bendigobanktelco.com.au/sim-only-plans
And those looking for a cheap but decent phone- Try grabbing an iPhone SE from Harvey Norman or Officeworks for $399. They're locked to Telstra but can be easily unlocked with a simple webchat on Telstra's website.
Post by: JLR on September 09, 2017, 11:17:18 PM
We've been with Amaysim for a while now (a year?? Two??), but have ordered some Beyond SIMs after looking at their offer.
Post by: marty998 on September 10, 2017, 03:07:16 PM
Back at the beginning of March I bought shares in AYS :)
They've gone up and down since, pretty much break even on capital (slightly up by 2%) but by the end of September will have picked up a 5% in dividend yield as well, so 7% return in 7 months is ok enough.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on September 13, 2017, 08:42:49 PM
We consumers have it pretty good.
Most of the money saving gains are by not buying the latest and greatest handset as soon as it's released (I'm looking at you, $1500+ iPhone X and Galaxy Note 8), and moderating data use.
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Post by: JLR on September 14, 2017, 05:25:00 PM
Most of the money saving gains are by not buying the latest and greatest handset as soon as it's released (I'm looking at you, $1500+ iPhone X and Galaxy Note 8), and moderating data use.
I'm feeling much shame that my husband recently bought me a OnePlus5. I'm hoping we get many years of use out of them to make the yearly cost lower. And every time I express my shame to him he reminds me how much time I spend on my phone....!
Post by: JLR on September 14, 2017, 08:50:07 PM
Amaysim made is quite difficult as they couldn't provide our customer numbers to give to Bendigo for the switch. At first they said they don't have customer numbers for their customers. Then they said that the numbers they use for customer numbers are generated by Optus. When Optus was contacted they knew nothing about this. Back to Amaysim they pondered it for a while and said "perhaps a customer's date of birth is their account number. Try that", so Bendigo did and it worked.
Hope that info helps others making the switch.
Post by: Luckyvik on September 25, 2017, 04:20:24 PM
http://offer.optus.com.au/sept-flash-sale?dclid=COaKrcytwdYCFV0hKgodlJENwA
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Post by: alsoknownasDean on October 09, 2017, 04:30:32 AM
Most of the money saving gains are by not buying the latest and greatest handset as soon as it's released (I'm looking at you, $1500+ iPhone X and Galaxy Note 8), and moderating data use.
I'm feeling much shame that my husband recently bought me a OnePlus5. I'm hoping we get many years of use out of them to make the yearly cost lower. And every time I express my shame to him he reminds me how much time I spend on my phone....!
Haha, that's not so bad, they're what, $600? Still expensive, but nowhere near the level of the $1500 phones.
My poor, long-suffering husband has spent the morning trying to get our phones switched from Amaysim to Bendigo Bank Telco.
Amaysim made is quite difficult as they couldn't provide our customer numbers to give to Bendigo for the switch. At first they said they don't have customer numbers for their customers. Then they said that the numbers they use for customer numbers are generated by Optus. When Optus was contacted they knew nothing about this. Back to Amaysim they pondered it for a while and said "perhaps a customer's date of birth is their account number. Try that", so Bendigo did and it worked.
Hope that info helps others making the switch.
Thanks for sharing your experience there. Using the DOB for verification of the prepaid service before porting is common, and honestly it's a security issue.
Optus has a $18.75/month deal including 3G data at the moment:
http://offer.optus.com.au/sept-flash-sale?dclid=COaKrcytwdYCFV0hKgodlJENwA
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Wow, that's dirt cheap. I haven't updated the plans and guide much lately, mostly because I can't be bothered.
Picked up a new (refurb) phone last week and ported to Optus prepaid a couple of days later. Prepaid is a bit more expensive than the 12 month postpaid contracts, but I prefer the flexibility and freedom to change plans or leave anytime.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on October 27, 2017, 06:30:31 PM
What does everyone think of offshore call centres? Personally I don't mind if the call centre is based offshore, but I don't call said call centres often (most admin stuff can be done online anyway). Others insist on being able to call an Australian-based call centre.
Post by: Fresh Bread on October 27, 2017, 06:37:24 PM
Amaysim have recently updated their plans (starting from $10), and I'll eventually add Southern Phone to the MVNO list (both for Telstra and Optus as they have plans on both networks).
What does everyone think of offshore call centres? Personally I don't mind if the call centre is based offshore, but I don't call said call centres often (most admin stuff can be done online anyway). Others insist on being able to call an Australian-based call centre.
I don't mind off-shore call centres, I haven't found the quality of service to be any worse than speaking to an Australian who is also going through a set list of procedures. When there has been a difficult issue I've been transferred back to a specialist in Australia. And - handy bonus - when you get an incoming marketing call from overseas, the gap to connect after you answer is huge and I put the phone down before anyone speaks and add it to my 'junk' contact list.
Some people have issues with jobs going overseas or are just a bit racist.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on November 18, 2017, 04:07:27 PM
Belong has been launched recently, and they have shaped data (like ADSL plans before everyone and their dog went to unlimited data). One point though is that the $25 and $40 plans don't include the ability to make calls, and unlimited calls is another $5 per month. Kinda strange.
I picked up a new phone (HTC 10) a month or so ago, refurbished from eBay (I was sick of the 8GB storage on the Huawei I had). It's in pretty good nick and if it doesn't end up having any issues, I might stick with refurbished handsets.
Slightly unfortunate is that Amaysim have hiked their PAYG rates (to 15c/min, 15c/SMS, 15.4c/MB). Obviously they're trying to nudge people into going up to their $10 plan, but 15.4c/MB is a bit tough to swallow.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on December 01, 2017, 03:08:25 AM
Two of these are as follows:
1) I'm considering either removing or separating carriers that only offer postpaid services from the guide, or who include all sorts of additional fees. One example is the $10 setup fee for one of the carriers, when other carriers are mailing out new SIMs for free or a $2 charge. I've even heard of port-out fees being charged by other carriers, and quite expensive late payment fees. Hefty late payment fees are predatory to users on low incomes.
Especially given that many of the MVNOs are likely to be popular with price-conscious consumers (including those on low incomes), I'm wondering whether it's more appropriate to stick with the prepaid carriers who don't charge all sorts of extra fees on top. What you see is what you get pricing :)
2) Maybe I need to include more information about international calls/roaming. Some of the MVNOs (Kogan is one example) do not offer roaming at all.
What do you think?
Fortunately, unlike America, we're able to take (most) phones quite easily between carriers (since there's no CDMA here). Vendor lock in is antimustachian.
Post by: Luckyvik on December 02, 2017, 04:57:00 PM
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Post by: alsoknownasDean on December 22, 2017, 02:54:15 AM
I think it’s a good idea to include info about roaming. I travel overseas once or twice a year and like to be able to be with a carrier that allows roaming.
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Yeah eventually I'll add something about that. It seems to be that many MVNOs (Belong, Jeenee and Kogan are three examples) don't allow roaming.
It's crazy how much data plans offer now, especially if one wants to sign up to a 12 month contract. 15-20GB mobile plans are common and not expensive. The big three carriers offer mobile plans with even more (especially when bundled with a handset). Some of the higher end mobile plans or mobile broadband plans (especially the 140GB Optus MBB plan available now) offer larger data quotas than I use on my ADSL.
Here I am using 2.5-3GB on my Optus prepaid and thinking I use plenty of data.
Although I'll confess, if I hadn't bought my HTC a few months back, some of the contract handset offers around would be VERY tempting. $59 a month for an S8 or iPhone 8 (or a few other handsets) with 20GB of data on Optus is cheap considering the price of the handsets.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on March 23, 2018, 10:30:24 PM
I'm just thinking, how can one use 30-50GB a month on their phone without tethering or using streaming video regularly?
I've considered on/off tethering a phone or getting a big mobile plan and an extra MBB sim card, and prices are now at the point where it's cheaper than to keep my ADSL and my phone. Data speeds are a bit shitty where I live though. It's not like work where I can get over 200mbps on speedtests in some areas nearby. Usually it's single figures or low teens.
It also means that if one can get x amount of data from the big three telcos, the MVNOs need to be able to either match/beat that, or focus mainly on lower value customers. Longer term we'll see more MVNOs struggle if they're mainly focusing on the sub-$30 (or even sub-$20) market. Hence why some are now expanding into other things (like Amaysim getting into energy retailing and reselling NBN fixed-line internet).
Longer term I think we'll end up with fewer MVNOs, and very few will be businesses operating solely as MVNOs.
Post by: stashgrower on March 26, 2018, 06:20:23 PM
Post by: Fresh Bread on March 27, 2018, 03:41:27 PM
Post by: alsoknownasDean on March 28, 2018, 05:00:59 AM
Just anecdotally, does anyone know anyone that's successfully watching Netflix on their tv via mobile phone data? I also can't imagine it being a good enough signal, however, my 4G might actually be a little bit more consistent than my ADSL. If it's possible I might not bother installing a separate internet connection to our upcoming granny flat (which we will be moving into). I currently use less than 1GB on my phone!
That'll ultimately depend on what your mobile data speeds are. Here's some info on how much data Netflix uses and what data speeds are recommended:
https://www.whistleout.com.au/Broadband/Guides/Netflix-data-usage-and-speed-requirements
https://help.netflix.com/en/node/306
I'd say that if you can get 10mbps or better consistently (which is about what a typical ADSL connection gets), you'd probably manage just fine, even with HD. Switching it to SD would save a fair bit of data though. I'd be a bit concerned about watching a lot of Netflix (assuming metered) on a postpaid mobile data connection with $10/GB excess usage, it could end up very expensive. :)
For an easy way to find your internet speed, check out speedtest.net
Post by: marty998 on March 28, 2018, 05:16:47 AM
I wrote earlier in the Australian Investing thread that I had sold Amaysim, and part of that was due to these ever shrinking margins making it uneconomic for the providers. Got out at a good time lol.
I have now dropped down to their $10 per month plan (1GB & unlimited talk/text), thus further contributing to their profit malaise.
Remember the days of 45c connection fee and $1.29 / minute calls? My first mobile phone 17 years ago... used to buzz my mum to pick me up from soccer... would hang up prior to her picking up the phone so I wouldn't get charged (She'd know it was me). That little system worked great in the days before phones displayed who the incoming caller was...
Post by: marty998 on March 28, 2018, 05:18:49 AM
Just anecdotally, does anyone know anyone that's successfully watching Netflix on their tv via mobile phone data? I also can't imagine it being a good enough signal, however, my 4G might actually be a little bit more consistent than my ADSL. If it's possible I might not bother installing a separate internet connection to our upcoming granny flat (which we will be moving into). I currently use less than 1GB on my phone!
I know someone who does this.. .she downloads TV shows overnight to her iPad via her phone.
I have no idea how it works, so I won't even bother trying to explain it.
Post by: JLR on March 28, 2018, 08:52:07 PM
Most of the money saving gains are by not buying the latest and greatest handset as soon as it's released (I'm looking at you, $1500+ iPhone X and Galaxy Note 8), and moderating data use.
I'm feeling much shame that my husband recently bought me a OnePlus5. I'm hoping we get many years of use out of them to make the yearly cost lower. And every time I express my shame to him he reminds me how much time I spend on my phone....!
Haha, that's not so bad, they're what, $600? Still expensive, but nowhere near the level of the $1500 phones.
Yeah, $600. Seven months later I'm still really happy with it. It is going well. When we were looking at getting new phones I said to my husband that the single most important thing for me in a phone was that it took good photos. Our kids are still growing (10, 13, 15) and my phone camera is pretty much the only thing I use to take photos of them. He said the OnePlus had a good camera, and I've gotten some nice photos that I wouldn't have taken if I only had a regular camera - I wouldn't have carried a regular camera around with me.
Someone was talking earlier in the thread about Kogan phones. We bought what I think was a reconditioned phone from Kogan about three years ago. I believe it was a Samsung S4 mini. It stopped working within the warranty period, so we sent it back. They said it couldn't be repaired, so offered a Samsung J5 mini. That replacement didn't last the warranty period, either, and was sent back for a screen replacement. The screen was uncracked and appeared undamaged, but within a few weeks of having it the screen started to glitch when the phone was on low battery. This worsened to happen at all battery levels. So, overall, we didn't have much luck with the actual phones (though they were a reputable brand). Kogan were quite good about repairs/replacement, but it depends on whether you can be without your phone for a month each year.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on March 30, 2018, 12:41:18 AM
@alsoknownasDean you wrote mid last year about the cost of plans coming down heaps and they're still falling now!
I wrote earlier in the Australian Investing thread that I had sold Amaysim, and part of that was due to these ever shrinking margins making it uneconomic for the providers. Got out at a good time lol.
I have now dropped down to their $10 per month plan (1GB & unlimited talk/text), thus further contributing to their profit malaise.
Remember the days of 45c connection fee and $1.29 / minute calls? My first mobile phone 17 years ago... used to buzz my mum to pick me up from soccer... would hang up prior to her picking up the phone so I wouldn't get charged (She'd know it was me). That little system worked great in the days before phones displayed who the incoming caller was...
Yeah I guess that's why some smaller providers are starting to branch out into fixed-line services, energy retailing, etc. Not enough money in mobile MVNO services after the price war that has occurred.
Haha, I remember still using a payphone to call home. We had some 1800 number arrangement to call home using it rather than carrying coins. And yeah, I was paying almost that much back in the day. Cheap Optus prepaid SIM, a hand-me-down Ericsson GA628, and I was on my way. Still using the same number 16 years later.
I know someone who does this.. .she downloads TV shows overnight to her iPad via her phone.
I have no idea how it works, so I won't even bother trying to explain it.
Actually it's pretty straightforward. The phone can be set to create a small Wi-Fi network (like the mobile broadband modems), and the iPad connects to said Wi-Fi network. Usually it's in the phone's settings under Hotspot or Personal Hotspot or similar. Almost all smartphones can do it, but it would have a fairly significant impact on battery life if it's not plugged in :)
Yeah, $600. Seven months later I'm still really happy with it. It is going well. When we were looking at getting new phones I said to my husband that the single most important thing for me in a phone was that it took good photos. Our kids are still growing (10, 13, 15) and my phone camera is pretty much the only thing I use to take photos of them. He said the OnePlus had a good camera, and I've gotten some nice photos that I wouldn't have taken if I only had a regular camera - I wouldn't have carried a regular camera around with me.
Someone was talking earlier in the thread about Kogan phones. We bought what I think was a reconditioned phone from Kogan about three years ago. I believe it was a Samsung S4 mini. It stopped working within the warranty period, so we sent it back. They said it couldn't be repaired, so offered a Samsung J5 mini. That replacement didn't last the warranty period, either, and was sent back for a screen replacement. The screen was uncracked and appeared undamaged, but within a few weeks of having it the screen started to glitch when the phone was on low battery. This worsened to happen at all battery levels. So, overall, we didn't have much luck with the actual phones (though they were a reputable brand). Kogan were quite good about repairs/replacement, but it depends on whether you can be without your phone for a month each year.
Good to hear that the OnePlus is doing well for you. If having a great camera is sufficiently worth it to you, then great :)
Comparing a $600 phone to a $1200 phone, the differences are often fairly minor in the whole scheme of things. Comparing a $300 phone to a $600 phone will show some differences (performance, camera, screen, etc), and there'll be additional differences further down the price range.
I tried using a $100 handset for a while and found the small on-board storage space (8GB, with 4GB available for apps, often 1GB or less free after updates, etc) was frustrating, and the camera was OK but not fantastic. I'll stick with spending $300 or so from now on (currently using a refurbished/used ~$600 handset I picked up for $300). Maybe a little less if I decide to go down the path of buying Chinese Android phones imported from overseas (the Xiaomi range is bloody good value). Not likely to have any warranty on those, but at $200 or less maybe it doesn't matter. Although with the trend of modern smartphones being ever more difficult to repair, it complicates things further.
I've not bought a device from Kogan, but good to hear they're decent at honouring repairs/replacements. I'm actually using Kogan Mobile now, and it's been fine.
Post by: marty998 on April 02, 2018, 01:33:41 AM
Another 2 people leaving Telstra...
Post by: alsoknownasDean on April 02, 2018, 05:16:33 AM
Parents just joined Kogan mobile... there was some half price deal for paying for 365 days upfront.
Another 2 people leaving Telstra...
Nice, yeah Kogan Mobile is pretty cheap. I've found it works alright (although Vodafone coverage is lacking in some areas, I can deal with that as where it works just fine where I spend most of my time). No international calls or mobile roaming, but that won't be a huge deal for some, especially due to apps like Skype, FaceTime and WhatsApp being common nowadays.
https://www.catch.com.au/catch-connect has recently appeared running on Optus as well. Plans seem alright.
Actually trying to suggest what plans my parents should go for, they're on some older Optus plans currently. My mum's insistent on Australian based support and wants to go back to Internode for their internet once their Optus contract ends, so I'll probably show her the new Internode plans and bundle at least her phone with it.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on June 28, 2018, 04:08:17 AM
We've had the 'unlimited' plans from Telstra and Vodafone (now without reference to 'unlimited'), and Optus increasing their prices along with fucking up the World Cup coverage. A few price drops (especially from Belong) from the MVNOs. Optus have overhauled their prepaid and it's quite compelling now (5GB for $30 with rollover is pretty decent for a big three carrier). Reports are that Telstra are about to overhaul their plan lineup.
Eventually I'm going to end this guide. Maybe I'll just leave it to Whistleout, Finder, etc :)
Post by: alsoknownasDean on August 10, 2018, 07:17:59 PM
Reasons are mostly that I can’t be bothered updating it anymore, and I suspect we’re going to see a ‘thinning of the herd’ with the mobile market. Whistleout and Finder and the like also have ‘mobile plan comparison’ services, and there’s no point competing with the professionals :)
A few golden rules and lessons I’ve learnt are:
- If you’re planning on switching networks, try before you buy. Prepaid starter packs for each network (and even many MVNOs) are cheap enough that it’s worth spending $10-30 (even activated with a different number) to test coverage/data speeds before committing.
- Consider prepaid. Even though many big carriers continue to treat prepaid and/or MVNO customers as a second-class citizen (no auto-recharge on Vodafone prepaid, no VoLTE for Optus prepaid customers, and limited coverage for almost all Telstra MVNOs), the freedom to change providers if you need is worthwhile. Auto-recharge (where available) makes the service fairly seamless. I say this as someone who changed jobs with three months left on a Telstra contract… and the Telstra reception at my new workplace was very poor. Not that I’ve always followed this, I’m mid-way through a 365 day Kogan Mobile recharge :)
- Be aware of any fees, and be prepared to pay a fair price for your service. Some of the MVNOs have fees that other providers don’t, so take these into calculation if you’re comparing services. Read the fine print/the CIS.
- How much data/calls do you actually need? Most people don’t need some of the data quotas on offer unless they’re tethering and using it as their home internet as well.
- Do the maths. If you’re considering a contract phone including a new handset, do the maths and break down the plan and phone separately to work out if it’s a good deal (especially compared to buying outright and buying a service separately). Be aware that prices change and situations change (see my earlier point about freedom to change) before locking in.
- If access to mobile phone service is critical (eg: if it's a life or death matter), consider carrying two phones, ideally on different networks (or a satellite phone if you are going to a remote area). Murphy's law suggests that the moment you smash your phone or the network shits itself is when you'll need it most.
With phones, some tips are the following:
- A phone should be able to last for longer than the two year contract they’re originally sold under. Although this is of course dependent on software updates (especially security updates for Androids, or iOS updates for iPhones), which in part is due to the age of the phone. If you originally bought a fancy device on contract, if it still works, maybe keep it when your contract finished and switch to SIM-only rather than buying a new device. It should be easy to get another year or two from the device (or more). This is especially applicable to iPhone users due to how long Apple provides iOS updates. My brother's using an old iPhone 5S and even it's getting the next iOS version later this year.
- You probably don’t need the latest and greatest. Especially in Android land, the budget-mid range phones ($250-400) offer spectacular value for money nowadays, as do the older model flagships (especially used). Is a Galaxy Note 9 or iPhone X really worth spending $1500+ when a phone of a quarter or fifth of the price is generally fine? Tiny Details Exaggeration Syndrome applies here.
- Consider used/refurbished. There’s a number of sellers on eBay that sell refurbished devices or on-sell devices sold to companies like Mobile Monster, and there’s some decent deals (first-gen Google Pixels are currently available in good condition for around $250-300). There’s definitely environmental benefits from reusing a device rather than buying new. However, be prepared to have little/no warranty through the OEM (the seller itself may have a short warranty), and budget for a battery replacement sooner or later. I don’t know if you can take iPhones purchased this way to the Genius Bar for service/repair, especially if the previous owner had repaired the phone using third-party parts. Again, there’s a small element of risk there. Obviously an older or lower end device may not get the same amount of software support (especially with regard to OS updates, and in particular non-Pixel Androids (or non-Android One devices)).
- The easier a device is to repair, the better. Too many phone companies are making it more and more difficult to repair their phones. User replaceable batteries seem to have gone the way of the dodo, but unfortunately they’re now making it hard to even get inside the phones by gluing down the screens to the chassis rather than securing it with screws, and requiring the screen be removed to access the battery. My HTC 10 is particularly bad there, to the point where I outsourced the battery replacement. Maybe have a look at iFixit guides or YouTube to get a sense of what’s required to replace a screen or a battery.
- Get an unlocked device that supports all networks. We don’t have the CDMA and GSM clusterfuck that the US carriers have (as ours are all GSM based), or the same amount of network-proprietary stuff, so fortunately most phones can be used on all three carriers. This is where being knowledgeable of what 3G and 4G bands your phone supports can be beneficial. Many prepaid phones are locked, and some are designed to only support the host carrier’s network bands. The former can usually be unlocked for a fee (either through the carrier or separately), but the latter means you’re generally stuck with that carrier or MVNOs using that carrier. The carrier does usually subsidise a prepaid device, so using it on that carrier for a while before unlocking is only fair. However, vendor lock-in is not Mustachian. :)
- Please don’t lease a phone. That’s just going to put one on the expensive upgrade treadmill.
- We managed just fine before fancy smartphones arrived. It’s all optional luxuries, and remember what MMM said about luxury? :)
Peace *drops microphone*
Post by: oysters on August 10, 2018, 08:56:21 PM
Anyway I got a new phone, a Redmi 4X 32gb...Superb! Bought it outright. The battery capacity is large...I've set it up so that it alarms when it hits 40% and 80%...idea is that I always keep it in that range, except for once a month I'll charge it up to 100%. In this range it lasts about 24 hours, and I use my phone a lot. The camera is also excellent, much better than the Sony's I've been on which is saying something for a cheap phone. Its a fast phone.
I moved to a 365 Kogan plan. 7GB for ~$17/month. Excellent. Vodaphone, but like most people I spend most of my time in metro and its never skipped a beat. At my parents which is 50km north of Adelaide, Mobile reception has always been poor out here with anything bar telstra, historically. But this thing has full reception. Vodaphone maps seem to be much better now than a few years ago. I don't really care if I go rural and lose reception, its a rare thing (and I probably want to be no-contact when I do). 000 will always work in emergencies.
I switched over from Apple music to Google Play music and its far better. Apple music was slow, pathetic. Same price. I don't get free music data now but that's no big deal.
Post by: Ozstache on August 10, 2018, 11:10:05 PM
Post by: Fresh Bread on August 10, 2018, 11:20:29 PM
I am currently sticking with ALDI and take the $15 a month prepaid pack. It now includes 1.5GB of data and the data will rollover each month to a cap of 30GB.
Post by: Daley on August 12, 2018, 09:44:04 AM
Right, I think it’s probably time to bring this guide in to land.
[snip]
Peace *drops microphone*
Wise closing words have been snipped. Heed them, gentle readers.
Dean, it's been a pleasure all these years, and I appreciate your own efforts and our personal back and forth on this stuff. We had a good run.
(https://media1.tenor.com/images/e8eb4a450495ce4b7cf4a2e88403117a/tenor.gif?itemid=5645509)
Post by: alsoknownasDean on August 20, 2018, 10:02:18 PM
Right, I think it’s probably time to bring this guide in to land.
[snip]
Peace *drops microphone*
Wise closing words have been snipped. Heed them, gentle readers.
Dean, it's been a pleasure all these years, and I appreciate your own efforts and our personal back and forth on this stuff. We had a good run.
Thanks Daley, I've also much appreciated our discussions and your advice/input.
After a bit of thought, whilst the guide with list of carriers/plans is more effort to maintain than I can be bothered sparing, I wonder if there's still some value in a discussion thread (this or a new one) here about these topics (from an Australian perspective/situation). Potentially the scope could change as a result, especially with the ongoing NBN rollout and with 5G on the horizon.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on August 20, 2018, 10:51:33 PM
I tried Google Play Music and Apple Music, and ended up going back to Spotify. The $11.99 for premium is a price I'm more than happy to pay.
What about home internet? How many of you have switched providers upon connecting to the NBN? The NBN hasn't yet arrived in my area, but I'll have probably moved before it arrives. For now I'll stick with my reliable iiNet ADSL.
Post by: Notch on August 21, 2018, 05:06:57 AM
What about home internet? How many of you have switched providers upon connecting to the NBN? The NBN hasn't yet arrived in my area, but I'll have probably moved before it arrives. For now I'll stick with my reliable iiNet ADSL.
I switched from paying Telstra $75pm for 100GB of 12/1 ADSL2+, to paying Belong (Telstra) $50pm for 100GB of 12/1 NBN :)
Post by: alsoknownasDean on September 19, 2018, 08:13:44 AM
Crazy how expensive the things are nowadays.
Post by: middo on October 31, 2018, 05:15:55 PM
We bought my daughter a phone on a plan 2 years ago, a Samsung S7 on a $65 a month Optus plan. The plan has just recently expired and the payments are due to go up to $85 per month. The phone is in good condition and she has no need or desire to upgrade it any time soon.
Her plan has unlimited calls, texts and 7 GB of data, which she has only once gone over when the uni wifi was down for a couple of weeks. (She is at uni interstate hence we pay for her phone so we can contact her and feel she is safer).
Looking at whistle-out, it appears we can get similar plans for $486 for 24 months - about $20 per month, also on the Optus network through Southern Phone. We are happy to use Optus or Telstra, but not Vodaphone as she will do some country driving over the next couple of years.
My question is really this - should we be looking at a 24 month contract? Will we be missing out on hugely better contracts in 12 months time? Or should we just bite the bullet and make the change? Ideas anyone?
Post by: Notch on October 31, 2018, 06:53:39 PM
My question is really this - should we be looking at a 24 month contract? Will we be missing out on hugely better contracts in 12 months time? Or should we just bite the bullet and make the change? Ideas anyone?
You shouldn't have to lock yourself into a contract.
I'm very happy with Belong, which is a cheap subsidiary of Telstra. They have a $25pm plan with 5GB of data and unlimited calls/texts. Best part is there is no auto data charges if you go over, it just limits the speed and then you can buy more data if you need. And any unused data automatically rolls over and accumulates each month.
Oh and here's my referral code for a $20 credit ;)
IAFB8K15C
Post by: middo on October 31, 2018, 07:15:16 PM
I'm on a pre-pay Aldi plan (which uses the Telstra network): $15 per month with unlimited calls and texts and 2GB data that rolls over if you don't use it. I haven't researched in a while, but there are slightly more expensive plans with Boost and lots of others. $20 per month doesn't seem too bad, except for the lock in. We're getting to the point of diminishing returns at these prices.
You shouldn't have to lock yourself into a contract.
I'm very happy with Belong, which is a cheap subsidiary of Telstra. They have a $25pm plan with 5GB of data and unlimited calls/texts. Best part is there is no auto data charges if you go over, it just limits the speed and then you can buy more data if you need. And any unused data automatically rolls over and accumulates each month.
Oh and here's my referral code for a $20 credit ;)
IAFB8K15C
Thanks. My thoughts were that I should be looking at a shorter contract, so this focussed the mind to see what else is available. I appreciate the feedback.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on October 31, 2018, 07:34:10 PM
Telstra have just updated their prepaid offerings. The new Prepaid Max is great value.
Consider the prepaid offerings of Telstra and Optus themselves. $30 per 28 days gets 10GB (Optus) or 8GB (Telstra), with the ability to continue to roll-over unused data (Telstra call it a Data Bank, and Optus offer the same), and some bonus data for the first few recharges. The flexibility of prepaid beats a contract any day :)
Otherwise you'll be able to get a similar amount of data for a little bit less (5GB for $20 and 10GB for about $25 is doable for Optus MVNOs, less if you buy in bulk from MVNOs like Catch Connect).
I bought a 12 month Kogan Mobile recharge back in March. The service has been fine, but I'd rather be able to change carriers where needed. I'm planning a short trip to Tassie this month and I doubt Vodafone reception will be great.
Is the flexibility worth another ten or so dollars a month? Up to you :)
Post by: Gremlin on November 01, 2018, 06:22:42 PM
I bought a 12 month Kogan Mobile recharge back in March. The service has been fine, but I'd rather be able to change carriers where needed. I'm planning a short trip to Tassie this month and I doubt Vodafone reception will be great.
I'm on the Kogan pre-paid deal. We just got back from a bit of time in Tassie. Coverage was perfectly fine most of where we went. The north-east corner (Scamander, St Helens) was a blackout zone, as was the unpopulated west coast. But pretty much everywhere else was fine. Having said that, we weren't doing the Overland Track.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on November 24, 2018, 05:10:44 AM
I bought a 12 month Kogan Mobile recharge back in March. The service has been fine, but I'd rather be able to change carriers where needed. I'm planning a short trip to Tassie this month and I doubt Vodafone reception will be great.
I'm on the Kogan pre-paid deal. We just got back from a bit of time in Tassie. Coverage was perfectly fine most of where we went. The north-east corner (Scamander, St Helens) was a blackout zone, as was the unpopulated west coast. But pretty much everywhere else was fine. Having said that, we weren't doing the Overland Track.
Thanks for that, yeah I actually just got back from there (lovely place and will be back). In and around the Hobart-Launceston-Devonport-Burnie corridor Vodafone was generally fine, but outside of that things were a bit patchy, although it seems that there was still a bit of service (a relic of the old roaming agreement with Optus, voice and very limited data speeds) in a number of towns on the west coast. Wasn't a big deal. Surprisingly no coverage at all at Cradle Mountain or Port Arthur, given the number of tourists who may be more likely to use Vodafone than locals.
The new Kogan offers are brilliant value. I'm having a tough time of deciding whether to sign up for another year with them, go for month to month or quarter to quarter, or take up one of the SIM-only deals with Optus or Vodafone directly (poor Telstra reception at my workplace, and my phone is ex-Optus so I'd get VoLTE if I went with them). It may depend on if I decide to set up fixed internet after I move next year or just use mobile data.
The last six months on my ADSL I've used (going backwards from October) 58.7GB, 50.1GB, 52.6GB, 46.4GB, 54GB and 35.8GB. If mobile data speeds weren't arse here (usually about 5mbps even on 4G) I'd probably give ADSL the flick now.
Does anyone tether as their primary internet connection?
Post by: Ozstache on November 28, 2018, 03:51:14 AM
Post by: middo on January 15, 2019, 01:21:51 AM
Also about to cancel an internet service we will no longer be using, at anothe $55 per month. Over $1800 per year savings coming up this year.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on February 01, 2019, 04:54:41 PM
Last couple of weeks I have changed one daughters optus $85 per month plan to a prepaid one at $40 per month. More than twice the data she had for half the price. I wish I had found MMM before I signed up for two year contracts on three phones. Mine expures in February, and the wifes expirse about March. We should be saving over $100 per month.
Also about to cancel an internet service we will no longer be using, at anothe $55 per month. Over $1800 per year savings coming up this year.
Nice stuff! That’s not all that long until the contracts expire so it’s not a big deal, a two year old phone should still be good for a little while longer. :)
Are you going to just use your phones for your internet?
Recent news is that TPG are no longer rolling out a mobile network, so that’ll be interesting to see what happens to pricing, especially in the context of the potential TPG/Vodafone merger and the impending rollout of 5G.
There seems to be a bit of a trend of ‘12 month prepaid’ offers. Vodafone are offering their 350-day ‘bulk buys’ on prepaid, and Optus now have a $180/60GB 12 month prepaid offer, in addition to the Kogans and Catch Connects of the market (and Aldi).
Post by: middo on February 01, 2019, 06:31:25 PM
Last couple of weeks I have changed one daughters optus $85 per month plan to a prepaid one at $40 per month. More than twice the data she had for half the price. I wish I had found MMM before I signed up for two year contracts on three phones. Mine expures in February, and the wifes expirse about March. We should be saving over $100 per month.
Also about to cancel an internet service we will no longer be using, at anothe $55 per month. Over $1800 per year savings coming up this year.
Nice stuff! That’s not all that long until the contracts expire so it’s not a big deal, a two year old phone should still be good for a little while longer. :)
Are you going to just use your phones for your internet?
Recent news is that TPG are no longer rolling out a mobile network, so that’ll be interesting to see what happens to pricing, especially in the context of the potential TPG/Vodafone merger and the impending rollout of 5G.
There seems to be a bit of a trend of ‘12 month prepaid’ offers. Vodafone are offering their 350-day ‘bulk buys’ on prepaid, and Optus now have a $180/60GB 12 month prepaid offer, in addition to the Kogans and Catch Connects of the market (and Aldi).
We are currently using our phones for most internet, with occasional hotspot for computer use as necessary. We have a dongle with telstra somewhere (it got lost in our bags somewhere a couple of weeks ago). From memory, $150 for 12 months, 50 gig. We don't stream movies or use the internet a lot compared to others.
Post by: oysters on February 01, 2019, 08:21:34 PM
Lately I've tethered a few times in inner metro adelaide for work. No problems at all. Youtube fine. Haven't tried netflix but I don't need to.
I've convinced after 12 months my gf to switch over to Android, a Redmi 6 (newer version than what I've got), and the same Kogan plan. Massive savings over having an iphone and plan with optus. Just crazy people sign up for that stuff.
Post by: middo on February 16, 2019, 02:21:33 PM
Yesterday my "clown phone" contract expired. What a circus.
It turns out that my wife has the contract, and I am not an authorised person on her account. Therefore I cannot change the terms of the contract. This is in spite of me signing the paperwork without her being in the shop.
The phone is a lease phone. I took out the lease when they were new, just before I found MMM. The terms of the contract were not made clear to me at the time, and I was misled on some terms.
I was told that to keep my phone, I would pay a nominal fee, "probably $1". Well, no. I was quoted $183 yesterday.
I was also told yesterday that my phone is permanently locked to the lease contract and can never be put on prepaid. This was news to me, as I am sure it will be to many others as these leases expire. There will be some pain over these I believe for the telco in question.
We have used this telco for over 25 years. I told them I would take our business, and our families elsewhere. In 10 minutes I received a call. It could all be sorted out for a one off fee of $110. No more lease contract and I keep my phone.
Incidentally, along the way they tried to call their franchise branch that I bought the phone from, in rural WA. The number was not connected. I thought it summed up their business.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on February 26, 2019, 12:24:28 AM
I'd even port to Boost if Telstra reception wasn't trash at my workplace. $150 for unlimited calls/messages and 80GB data with a 365 day expiry would probably be plenty.
It's probably fair to say that many 'discount' MVNOs may struggle to compete. A whole bunch of $10-20 per month customers can't be very profitable. If you want to pay $30 or more for service, then the big three carriers are very competitive.
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Post by: middo on February 26, 2019, 02:03:18 AM
So much better than our postpaid plans.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on February 26, 2019, 02:30:04 AM
Yep. We went Telstra for coverage reasons. $30 per month, unlimited calls and texts, 8 gb data (with bonus 22 gb per month first three months), excess data rolls over.10GB now :)
So much better than our postpaid plans.
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Post by: alsoknownasDean on March 27, 2019, 11:27:10 PM
Kogan service is fine, but I don't want to lock in for another year when I plan on moving in the next six months (in case Vodafone signal is rubbish at the new place). 45GB from the starter kit.
Data roll-over is nice too, but Telstra's offer there is brilliant. Unfortunately for Telstra, their network doesn't work at my workplace, otherwise I'd use their excellent prepaid offer.
Post by: chasingthegoodlife on April 16, 2019, 03:05:16 PM
I last looked around about a year and a half ago when Virgin canned my beloved $19 per month post-paid plan.
At that time I couldn't find anything to compete with that so signed up for a $40pm 2 year contract as my old phone was on it's way out and that seemed to be the cheapest way to get another iphone (what can I say, love them).
Contract will be up in October and after a quick look at the Boost website the $150 365day option is probably where I'll be heading. Thanks for the info.
Husband is on the $25 per month ALDI pre-paid (Telstra network) and very happy with that - one interesting feature is that they will suggest a lower top up based on your previous month's use.
Edited to add: Holey moley - just checked how long was left on my contract and saw that I can break free of charge now if I sign up to an Optus contract (Virgin is merging). The cost of some of the handset plans is insane! $100 per month via $12.50 with Boost if I keep my current phone. An easy choice.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on April 23, 2019, 06:08:36 AM
Contract will be up in October and after a quick look at the Boost website the $150 365day option is probably where I'll be heading. Thanks for the info.
Husband is on the $25 per month ALDI pre-paid (Telstra network) and very happy with that - one interesting feature is that they will suggest a lower top up based on your previous month's use.
Edited to add: Holey moley - just checked how long was left on my contract and saw that I can break free of charge now if I sign up to an Optus contract (Virgin is merging). The cost of some of the handset plans is insane! $100 per month via $12.50 with Boost if I keep my current phone. An easy choice.
Glad to be of assistance :)
And yeah, much of that is due to the prices of handsets going through the roof. Seems that a top-end phone went from $1000 to $1500-$2000 rather quickly.
Although I'll confess that I've considered signing up to one of those $105 Optus plans, if only because with that amount of data I'd be able to cancel my home internet so it's not so bad.
I've actually recently signed up to an Optus postpaid SIM-only plan for a year, $40 a month, but with 80GB of data and some roaming data. I don't use anything like that much on my phone, but I'm thinking about seeing if I can use the phone's data as my home internet and cancel my ADSL. I've got a couple of Chromecast devices so maybe it's not ideal.
Post by: middo on April 23, 2019, 06:48:30 PM
Post by: dystopic on May 23, 2019, 04:57:32 PM
I'll be in Europe for about a year and I need to keep my Australian number mostly for all sort of verification purposes, receiving texts etc. Can you recommend the cheapest plan that will allow me to do that? I don't need any calls or data as I'll get a new plan while overseas.
Thanks!
Post by: alsoknownasDean on May 30, 2019, 02:12:06 AM
Hi there, hope someone could help me here.
I'll be in Europe for about a year and I need to keep my Australian number mostly for all sort of verification purposes, receiving texts etc. Can you recommend the cheapest plan that will allow me to do that? I don't need any calls or data as I'll get a new plan while overseas.
Thanks!
The big three carriers each offer long-expiry prepaid plans that have a year's expiry for a certain recharge amount. Aldimobile and Amaysim are cheaper still and have long-expiry prepaid. TPG have a $1 per month plan that's kinda similar.
I'd check the T's and C's of whichever you plan to go with, just in case the carrier requires a call to be made on the service every so often to keep it active.
Post by: dystopic on May 30, 2019, 11:22:24 PM
Hi there, hope someone could help me here.
I'll be in Europe for about a year and I need to keep my Australian number mostly for all sort of verification purposes, receiving texts etc. Can you recommend the cheapest plan that will allow me to do that? I don't need any calls or data as I'll get a new plan while overseas.
Thanks!
The big three carriers each offer long-expiry prepaid plans that have a year's expiry for a certain recharge amount. Aldimobile and Amaysim are cheaper still and have long-expiry prepaid. TPG have a $1 per month plan that's kinda similar.
I'd check the T's and C's of whichever you plan to go with, just in case the carrier requires a call to be made on the service every so often to keep it active.
Thanks! Ended up going with Amaysim, $10 credit 1 year expiry. Works perfectly thus far.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on August 10, 2019, 07:47:12 AM
I guess that 5G capex needs to be funded somehow. TPG no longer being a threat has probably contributed to that too.
I'm kinda glad I signed up to a 12 month contract with Optus in April, the same plan now is $19 more, and has half the roaming data and no unmetered Spotify.
Post by: Bloop Bloop on August 10, 2019, 06:42:06 PM
This plus a phone bought outright, deduct at 47c in the dollar as a business expense = the way to go if you can say that you use your phone principally for work.
Post by: Fresh Bread on August 29, 2019, 04:36:26 AM
Vaya 4G $16 a month = unlimited calls and 4GB data, each extra GB charged at $10
This plus a phone bought outright, deduct at 47c in the dollar as a business expense = the way to go if you can say that you use your phone principally for work.
Oh maybe this is why the ALDI $15 a month has just increased data to 3GB. It was 1, then 1.5, and recently jumped up to 3.
Post by: Bloop Bloop on August 29, 2019, 08:59:21 PM
Post by: alsoknownasDean on September 02, 2019, 05:03:32 AM
I tend to average about 6GB per month, so a plan that offers 80GB is a bit excessive, no?
Ovo's $19.95 10GB plan is looking mighty tempting, or going back to Kogan.
Then again, I've got the included international roaming if I want to travel...
I thought about cancelling my ADSL and going mobile-only, but for a number of reasons, I won't be doing that here. One of those being that the NBN is just about to arrive here (HFC but whatever, beats ADSL).
Post by: alsoknownasDean on September 24, 2019, 08:51:43 PM
https://www.whistleout.com.au/MobilePhones/Guides/Should-you-buy-a-refurbished-smartphone/
From my experience, you can get some good value (and reusing hardware is an environmentally sustainable choice), but budget for a battery replacement.
A phone that's a year old already has a battery with potentially a few hundred cycles on it.
I bought my current phone refurbished from an eBay seller and would probably do so again, but I'd choose a phone based on the ease of battery replacement :)
Most phone repair stores seem to specialise in iPhones and higher end Samsung devices, getting a battery replacement on my HTC 10 required a bit of asking around.
There are carriers now selling phones that are ex-lease. A bit more expensive than buying off eBay, but still worth considering.
Post by: Fresh Bread on September 25, 2019, 06:25:48 PM
I pay $15 for 3GB that I never use up so have stuck with that for now.
Post by: middo on September 25, 2019, 07:23:21 PM
Will they work in NZ? Do I need to do anything? I just want to be contactable in an emergency. I can use wifi for anything else.
Post by: AdamK80 on September 25, 2019, 11:05:18 PM
Post by: alsoknownasDean on September 26, 2019, 05:03:57 AM
I know I should be able to sort this out myself, but anyway, has anyone had experience with Telstra prepaid and travellung overseas? We are going to NZ for a week. Last time we went OS we were on a post paid plan and just didnt use our phones much.
Will they work in NZ? Do I need to do anything? I just want to be contactable in an emergency. I can use wifi for anything else.
Roaming should be already activated on your service (check in Telstra 24x7?). As for prepaid roaming rates, have a look here (and yes, it's expensive):
https://www.telstra.com.au/international-roaming/pre-paid-mobile
Keep in mind that you're charged to receive calls while roaming.
Post by: middo on September 26, 2019, 06:00:43 AM
I know I should be able to sort this out myself, but anyway, has anyone had experience with Telstra prepaid and travellung overseas? We are going to NZ for a week. Last time we went OS we were on a post paid plan and just didnt use our phones much.
Will they work in NZ? Do I need to do anything? I just want to be contactable in an emergency. I can use wifi for anything else.
Roaming should be already activated on your service (check in Telstra 24x7?). As for prepaid roaming rates, have a look here (and yes, it's expensive):
https://www.telstra.com.au/international-roaming/pre-paid-mobile
Keep in mind that you're charged to receive calls while roaming.
Thanks. I sort of thought that was the case.
Post by: happy on October 03, 2019, 11:52:32 PM
If you are going to be in one place for a while better to buy a sim overseas.
Post by: Alchemisst on October 04, 2019, 11:23:28 PM
Post by: alsoknownasDean on November 13, 2019, 03:11:57 AM
Plenty of good reasons to not spend $1500+ on the latest and greatest.
Of course the carriers are more than happy to sell you a $1500 flagship to pay off over 36 months.
I recently bought a new laptop refurbished. I'm happy enough with it. There's some good environmental benefits from buying used, although my Macbook was just about done after over ten years
Haven't seen much movement in the MVNO market or new plans. The price war seems to be over as the carriers are desperate to make more money to fund 5G rollouts.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on December 12, 2019, 05:45:01 PM
More consolidation in the MVNO market. I wonder if there's much of a future for smaller MVNOs. IIRC the Amaysim group has around a million customers.
Although maybe there'll be more competition as the big three raise prices to fund their 5G rollout.
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Post by: alsoknownasDean on June 03, 2020, 02:09:57 AM
More still. There can't be many MVNOs left that aren't either part of a major retailer, or part of a fixed line ISP.
It's a scale game.
BTW I have no intention of being the Australian equivalent of the Coverage Critic any more. Can't be bothered :)
I've updated the first post of the guide showing that the guide at the top is now abandoned. Check out finder.com.au (https://www.finder.com.au/mobile-plans) or WhistleOut (https://www.whistleout.com.au/MobilePhones) for more up to date and comprehensive comparisons of mobile service. Buy what you need and what works for you, and don't spend stupid amounts on high end phones.
Post by: JLR on June 03, 2020, 11:47:48 PM