We all know Australia’s Big Three telcos in Australia — Telstra, Optus and Vodafone — each own one of the three networks that provide us with mobile coverage. But here’s the trick, they each lease it out to smaller telcos.
Think Boost Mobile, Tangerine, ALDI Mobile, MATE… we bet you’ve heard of these. These are just a few examples of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (or MVNOs if you will), which are smaller telcos that are all powered by the Telstra network but at a lower cost.
So how cheap can these plans get? Keep reading to find out.
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Best Telstra network plan $20 and under
Don’t use much data at all or end up using WiFi most of the time? It may be worth opting for a low-data plan to save some serious cash.
For just $19.90 per month, you can get 10GB of data on a no-contract plan with Tangerine Telecom. Plus if you don’t use all your data and have leftovers at the end of the month, you can bank up to 500GB of it.
There are plenty of other Telstra telcos with cheap plans from $20 and under. Check them out below:
Best Telstra network plan $30 and under
Once again, Tangerine is our top pick if you’re after a cheap Telstra MVNO plan priced at $30 and under. This one offers a little more data for your dollar, thanks to its limited-time offer.
Until July 31, Tangerine customers will get double the data for the first six months — that’s a whopping 64GB!
On this plan, you’re still eligible to bank up to 500GB of data plus it includes a handy perk of unlimited international calls to 15 select destinations.
For other provider options, here’s a selection of some more Telstra-powered plans priced $30 and under:
Best Telstra network plan $40 and under
Tangerine is just too good, offering plenty of value with its ‘double the data’ deal.
On this plan, customers receive a massive 84GB of data for the first six months for a very wallet-friendly $34.90 per month.
Tangerine also currently has a 5G trial running until August 31. After this date, you will need to upgrade to a 5G plan or your service will simply revert to 4G. Just be aware, 5G access requires a compatible 5G phone and customers will need to be in an area with 5G coverage area.
Explore what else is on offer for $40 and under from a range of other Telstra-powered providers:
Best Telstra network plan $50 and under
If you need a lot of data but still want value for money, MATE is the way to go.
For just $45 per month, you’ll get double the data for the first six months under its current promo running until July 31. That’s a standard 120GB plus a bonus 120GB of data.
Plus when you sign up with the code TRYMATE you’ll pay just $1 for the first month.
Check out what other providers on the Telstra network are offering below:
Best plan from Telstra
For comparison, the best plan from Telstra is its $35 prepaid mobile plan. It comes with 35GB of data per month for the first three recharges then 15GB every month thereafter and full access to the Telstra network, including 5G access.
Just be aware this plan has a 28-day expiry. This means, compared to Woolworths Mobile, ALDI Mobile, Exetel and Superloop, you will need to recharge once more per year because it’s just shy of a 30-day expiry.
Christie Graham is Digital Content Editor at WhistleOut, Australia’s mobile and internet comparison site.