Telstra recently increased all its postpaid mobile plan prices and, soon after, Optus followed suit. While each telco did increase the data offered on its plans, the fact remains that many Australian customers will be hit with bigger bills during a cost-of-living crisis.
However, one of the silver linings of this price and data cap increase is that the smallest (and hence, cheapest) plans from Telstra, Optus and Vodafone have now become a much more suitable proposition for a vast majority of Aussies.
Let's get real
The most recent Communications Market Report from the consumer watchdog – the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) – found that Australians were using, on average, just 11.8GB of data per month on their mobile plans.
If we look at the cheapest plans on offer from the big three, Telstra and Vodafone now provide 40GB of data, while Optus provides 30GB – all well over double (or even triple) the average usage.
What's more, all three of them come with 5G connectivity, and many of the arbitrary limitations that used to be associated with the cheapest plan tiers have since been lifted.
While there will definitely be Aussies going well over that 11.8GB average, we think it's a good idea you take a look at your actual data usage and see what you use each month, because you may be paying much more than is needed. Most simply, this can be done via your telco's online account, app or bills, but you can also set up your Android or iOS phone to track this usage if the telco option isn't available.
There may still be that lingering fear for Aussies going over their data limit that they'll be charged through the nose for every megabyte, but one of the saving graces of most modern mobile plans (and indeed, all plans from the big three), is that you will simply have your download speed slowed down, rather than being charged extra for any excess usage – and even if you do find yourself regularly going over, you can always step up to the next plan up.
For students, Vodafone's AU$40p/m plan nets you a massive 80GB of data, while those seeking the extra coverage and bigger brand name can get Telstra's 40GB plan for AU$58p/m.
Friendlier alternatives
Of course, you don't need to go with Telstra, Optus or Vodafone – these days, the market is brimming with solid alternatives, and they almost always offer better bang-for-buck than the major telcos (albeit, often at the expense of losing 5G coverage).
If you're looking to save some dosh, we've hand-picked some of our favourite offers below:
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