Virgin ups data to 12GB a month on its $50 plan

Virgin Mobile

It wasn't that long ago that finding mobile plans that weren't ridiculously stingey with data allowances was nigh on impossible. Today though, data is becoming more and more available.

Virgin Mobile, for example, has just announced it's offering a whopping 12GB of data on its $50 a month plan. That's 8GB more than what was previously offered for the same amount.

The catch – and there's always a catch – is that the offer is only available to customers switching to the Optus network, or upgrading a Virgin Mobile contract.

That means Optus customers need not apply. The offer is also only available to customers signing up before March 31, so don't expect the humungous data allowances to stick around.

You'll also need to bring your own phone, though with the best phones in the world all set for an update in the not too distant future, finding an outright bargain at the moment wouldn't be too challenging.

Still, if you do manage to sign up, there are some pretty sweet incentives thrown in. Like other Virgin plans, you can rollover unused data, calls and text each month (although given there's unlimited talk and text included, that's not as useful).

There's also no lock-in contract, which is welcome news for those who like to live month-to-month.

Having spent the past decade editing some of Australia's leading technology publications, Nick's passion for the latest gadgetry is matched only by his love of watching Australia beat England in the rugby.