Which is the right telco deal for you?

Finding the right telco deal depends on what your needs are.

In this tip sheet we look at some good value products on the market that may be suitable for voice only and light internet users.

Remember it is a good idea to review your telecommunication services every year or two - if you have been on the same plan for a while, there may be new and better deals available.

Here are some things to consider

  • Do you call national, mobile or international numbers? These may be included in some plans. If they are not included, they may cost extra.
  • Do international or mobile numbers call you? It is important to consider who calls you and if it will cost them extra if you change providers or services.
  • Do you use telecommunications all in one place or do you travel around? It is important to ensure that the service will work where you need it.
  • Do you have other services that need the telecommunications network to work, such as security alarms?
  • Do the available services differ in the level of quality that they offer (such as coverage, speed or reliability)?
  • Are there any other costs, such as for extra data, devices or international call charges?
  • Do you need to buy a phone or device, such as a tablet? It is often cheaper to buy devices upfront and not as part of the plan.

Case studies

These case studies will give you an idea of options available that may be right for you.

Note: the plans included in this tip sheet were correct as at 1 March, 2018.

Mobile only

Older lesbian couple looking at smartphoneJane and Rita enjoy living on the outskirts of town.

Rita likes listening to podcasts while doing the gardening and housework and checks her email daily. Once a week she also calls her sister who lives in the UK.

Jane does not use any data and uses limited calls.

After reviewing their usage they determine that Jane needs 200 calls a month and Rita needs about 7GB of data, a few hundred call minutes and SMS and a few hours of calls to the UK each month.

After they check the mobile coverage maps for their house, they decide on the following:

  • For Jane: Spintel, using the Optus network, $9.95/month for 200 call minutes which also includes 1.5GB of data..
  • For Rita: Jeenee Mobile, using the Optus network, $30/month on a six month contract which includes 7GB of data, unlimited calls and texts and $50 worth of international calls.


The total cost for both Jane and Rita is $39.95/month.

Security of a mobile for back up

Bill does not use a mobile phone.

However, his house is in a bush fire prone area. He has been told that his phone over NBN may not work in power outages. Bill wants the security of a second telecommunications service in case of emergencies.

He decides that a long expiry mobile plan would suit him; these plans allow you to use the phone credit over a long period. After checking the coverage maps for his house, he narrows his choices to:

  • amaysim, using the Optus network, $10 for use over one year.
  • ALDI Mobile, using the Telstra network, $15 for use over one year.
  • Vodafone, $30 for use over one year

Priority phone

Bob needs a fixed phone service as he has a life threatening heart condition.

His doctor has certified that due to his condition he has an increased risk of an emergency, therefore he qualifies for Priority Assistance. This means he will get a faster connection and repair service.

His daughter calls him from the US every week to check up on him. She has free calls to landlines in Australia, so if he keeps the landline he knows that she can call him whenever she wants.

Last Christmas his daughter bought him a tablet, which he uses for online banking and looking at pictures his daughter sends him.

He chooses to have:

  • Telstra Connect bundle with pay as you go calls, 100GB of data and Priority Assistance for $69/month. As Bob is a pensioner he is also eligible for Telstra’s Pensioner Discount.

 

Stay connected when moving

Young man sitting at desk looking at smartphoneJohn is a very busy community volunteer. He often travels to different towns and uses his phone frequently for calls to keep in touch with head office, neighbours and friends. While visiting different communities he often needs access to data to check up information or take notes of what is happening.

He estimates that he needs about 30GB of data each month, as well as unlimited calls and texts.

After checking the mobile coverage between the areas that he frequently travels to, he decides his best options are:


Download: docxTips for voice only and light internet users49.63 KB

Download: pdfTips for voice only and light internet users534.52 KB

Comments powered by CComment