Mobile Plans

Whether there are charges for cancelling your mobile phone plan depends on your provider and the type of plan. If you’ve signed up for a set period (usually 12 or 24 months), most providers will charge you an Early Termination Fee for breaking the contract. In some circumstances, such as recontracting to a new plan with the same provider, these charges may be waived

If your plan includes repayments for a mobile phone handset, you’ll need to repay the remaining cost of your handset, which is generally a separate charge to the Early Termination Fee. To find out more, review your plan’s Critical Information Summary, which can be found on your provider’s website.

A SIM only plan provides you with a SIM card with a set amount of mobile data, talk time and text. Some providers may offer other inclusions, such as free access to different apps and services depending on their agreements. The SIM can then be used in your own ‘BYO’ mobile handset, provided it’s unlocked for use on any network.

SIM only plans are often cheaper than mobile phone plans, as your monthly charge doesn’t include the cost of a new handset. Depending on your individual provider, there may be the option of signing up for a month-to-month (casual), 12-month or 24-month plan.

Mobile coverage can be affected by a number of factors, including technology, radio frequency, and geography. Some frequencies provide better regional coverage, while others are designed to penetrate through obstacles, such as tall buildings.

Before you sign up with a provider, you should consider whether your usage will mainly be in regional or metropolitan areas, and review their network details accordingly.

If you’re experiencing coverage problems with your existing service, you should contact your provider. There are steps they will need to take to determine the issue, including assessing whether there’s a fault with your handset, before determining how the matter can be resolved.

Mobile technology has advanced significantly over the years, with different levels of speed and capability progressively being released. At present, 4G is the standard within Australia for mobile data.

The term “4G” stands for fourth-generation, and refers to speed in which your mobile accesses the internet. Faster than its 3G predecessor, it can clock data speeds up to 100mbps, with a minimum latency (delay) of 10 milliseconds.

5G is the next step beyond 4G. Already being tested by some providers in different regions throughout Australia, it’s anticipated to be commercially available by 2020. When using 5G, users can expect near-zero latency, and data rates of up to 10gbps.

The main difference between postpaid and prepaid are reflected in their names. When you choose a postpaid plan, you pay for the service each month after you’ve used it.

When you choose prepaid, you pay in advance. Both options offer voice, data, and SMS inclusions for a single fee, however they may vary widely depending on which provider you choose.

Other key differences include:

Postpaid plans	Prepaid plans
Often must sign for a 12 or 24-month contract	Don’t need to sign up for a contract
Excess charges if you exceed your included allowance	When you run out of credit you have to buy more to use the service again
Often have early termination fees	Credit will expire if not used within a certain timeframe

 

Lease plans are a relatively new type of postpaid mobile phone plan. While you still receive a handset as part of your contract, the monthly handset repayments are smaller as you’re only leasing the handset, not paying to own it.

Not all mobile providers offer leasing plans at this stage. Depending on which provider you choose, you may be eligible to upgrade your handset after a set period of time, provided you return the leased handset in good condition, and enter into a new agreement. There may be fees to do so, which will be outlined in your Critical Information Summary.

Finding the right mobile phone plan for overseas travel depends on a variety of factors. Firstly you need to consider what country you’ll be visiting. Does your network provider have an agreement with any of the providers in that country?

This information may also determine the expense of your plan; if the agreement is expensive for your provider, some of those costs may be passed down in the plans.

Secondly, will you be using the service for business or personal use? If it’s for business, your company may offer to cover all or part of the charges. If it’s for personal, it may be worth looking into the available Wi-Fi services at your destination to see how you can keep your roaming fees to a minimum.

A bad credit rating can make it difficult to sign up for a mobile phone plan, but there are options available depending on your needs. What the ‘best’ one is ultimately comes down to how you intend to use the service.

Many providers offer prepaid plans. As you don’t need to commit to a contract, and there’s no risk of excess data charges, getting a prepaid service is a good choice for most people with a bad credit rating.

If you were looking for a handset as part of your plan, however, you may need to make a payment in advance. This isn’t an additional fee, but rather a security blanket for the provider should they choose to supply you a service. Not all providers offer this service, and credit checks will still need to be performed before it can be offered.

The best way to get started comparing mobile phone plan deals is to first understand what you’re looking for in a plan.

Do you need unlimited phone calls, or lots of data? Do lots of perks (such as included streaming services) sound appealing to you, or would you prefer a cheaper monthly fee? Do you need a new handset, or do you like the flexibility of a casual plan?

Once you know the answers to these questions, you can start comparing different options. One way to do this is online with iSelect. You can review different providers, compare them based on your individual needs, and select the plan that’s right for you.

There are approximately 300 mobile phone providers currently servicing Australia, however only a handful of them own network infrastructure. The main network providers include Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, each covering varying levels of the population. TPG have also started rolling out a mobile network within Australia.