These Smaller Mobile Providers Can Give You a Lot of Data for Cheap

While Telstra, Optus and Vodafone have firmly established themselves as the Big Three mobile networks in Australia, they aren’t the only game in town. There are plenty of smaller providers, which are known as Mobile Virtual Network Operators (or MVNOs) that are powered by the Big Three networks. Not only do these SIM-only plans have the same coverage as their respective parent networks, but they’re usually a lot cheaper with larger data allowances.

If you’re looking to cut down on your monthly mobile bill, here’s everything you need to know about MVNOs in Australia and how they compare with Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.

Comparing Telstra network MVNOs

When it comes to SIM-only plans, Telstra‘s cheapest option starts at $62 per month and will net you 50GB of data.

If you want something cheaper, there are a few MVNOs that are offering much cheaper plans. A few of these MVNOs also offer bigger monthly data allowances than Telstra and at a cheaper price. As far as the cheapest plans with at least 20GB of data go, Numobile has a 22GB plan for $25 per month, while Tangerine has a 25GB plan for $27 per month.

Tangerine is offering a plan that matches the 50GB data cap that Telstra is offering, but the key difference is that it’ll only set you back $38 per month. If you go with Tangerine’s most expensive plan, which is $58 per month, you’ll still be paying less than you would with Telstra while scoring triple the data with a 150GB allowance. Except for its 25GB plan, all of Tangerine’s plans have access to Telstra’s 5G network as well.

Meanwhile, Belong, which is Telstra’s budget brand, is offering a fair few plans with decent dollar-to-data value. Belong’s 25GB plan will set you back $29 per month, which is a bit more than what Tangerine or NuMobile are offering, but it’s also the cheapest way for you to access Telstra’s 5G network.

Belong’s biggest data plan is very similar to Tangerine’s, but with slightly more data – you’ll pay $55 per month for 160GB. You can score up to triple the data of what Telstra is offering for a lower monthly price.

As for NuMobile‘s plans, the provider has a few options that are cheaper than what Tangerine or Belong are offering, or equally priced with more monthly data. For example, you can pick up a 50GB plan for $38 per month, while you’d only get 40GB for roughly the same price with Belong. NuMobile’s plans, starting from 50GB and higher, have access to Telstra’s 5G network.

You can check Lifehacker Australia’s guide to the cheapest mobile plans on the Telstra network here.

Comparing Optus network MVNOs

Optus‘ SIM-only plans start at $49 per month and include a 30GB data allowance.

In terms of the cheapest MVNO in Australia that’s powered by Optus, Moose Mobile is running a discount offer where you’ll pay $11.80 per month for the first eight months of your plan. This plan has a data allowance of 25GB and 5G network access, and you’ll pay $24.80 per month once the discount period ends.

Other cheap options include Spintel, where you can pick up a 25GB plan for $14 per month for the first six months of your plan, before increasing to $22 per month thereafter. There’s also a plan from Circles.Life, which has a 30GB data cap at $19 per month for the first six months, and then $25 per month after that.

Moose Mobile is also running a deal where you’ll pay $24.80 per month for the 12 months of your plan, and then $29.80 per month thereafter. This plan includes 40GB of data, which isn’t too shabby when you compare it to what Optus is offering. Moose Mobile also has a 100GB plan that’s currently $28.80 per month for new customers. This discounted price will last for the first 12 months of your plan, before reverting to the standard price of $36.80 per month, which is still cheaper than the Optus plan.

If you want a lot of data, Circles.Life is running bonus offers across most of its plans, where you can get an extra 100GB to 490GB for the first six to 12 months of your connection. The largest of these is a 650GB plan, that is $55 per month. Once your first year on this plan ends, your allowance will drop back down to 160GB and the price will increase to $60 per month. There’s also a 300GB plan (usually 100GB) for $39 per month, and then $45 per month after the first 12 months.

If you’re after a plan that has a set price, then check out what Southern Phone has on offer. The MVNO has a 100GB plan that’ll set you back a flat rate of $35 per month – that’s over triple the data of Optus’ plan. If you think that’s too much data for your needs, Southern Phone also has a 50GB plan that’s $20 per month for the first three months, and then $25 per month after that. Southern Phone only has access to Optus’ 4G mobile network.

You can check Lifehacker Australia’s guide to the cheapest mobile plans on the Optus network here.

Comparing Vodafone network MVNOs

Vodafone‘s SIM-only plans start from $40 per month with 30GB of data. However, you can save $5 per month if you set up Automatic Recharge.

For Vodafone-powered MVNOs, TPG is currently running an offer where all of its mobile plans are half-price for the first six months of your connection. That means you can score a 25GB plan for $12.50 per month during the discount period, or a 60GB plan for $20 per month.

After that, iiNet is also running a similar half-price offer for new customers where you’ll pay $15 per month for the first six months you’re with the provider while scoring 40GB of data. Once this offer period ends your monthly bill will jump up to $29.99 per month, which is still less than Vodafone’s cheapest plan.

If you’re after a plan with a fixed price, Kogan Mobile has a 40GB plan that’s $25 per month, and an 80GB plan that’s $40 per month.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to mess around with a monthly data cap, Felix is offering an unlimited plan, with data speeds capped at 20Mbps. You’ll pay $20 per month for the first three months, before it increases to $40 per month after that.

If you want a plan with a lot of data, then Vodafone is your best option. The telco currently has a 360GB plan for $69 per month, and a 180GB plan for $59 per month. For comparison, the next largest monthly plan on Vodafone’s network is Lebara‘s 100GB plan, which comes with an extra 30GB for your first month. This plan is also discounted for your first month – you’ll pay $20 – before increasing to $34 per month after that.

You can check Lifehacker Australia’s guide to the cheapest mobile plans on the Vodafone network here.

What is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator?

In Australia, MVNOs work by purchasing wholesale access to the Telstra, Optus, or Vodafone networks, which they then resell to customers – usually at a much lower price as they have fewer overheads.

These smaller providers offer the same coverage as the parent provider, with Optus and Vodafone granting access to their respective 4G networks while Telstra MVNOs use the provider’s 4G Wholesale Network. However, some MVNOs have started to roll out 5G network support across Australia.

There are some catches when it comes to choosing an MVNO over a major provider in Australia. For one, most MVNOs don’t typically sell handsets so you’ll need to have a phone ready to go when signing up for one of these providers. Most MVNOs also don’t offer international roaming – and the ones that do are usually more expensive than the rates of the parent’s network.

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