“Cheap Telstra plan” might sound like an oxymoron, but the raging data wars mean there’s now plenty of ways to get Telstra coverage without breaking the bank.
Telstra-powered MVNOs – and Telstra itself, actually – have had a whole spate of good value SIM-only offers in the last couple of months, and prices keep dropping. So if you need or prefer Telstra network access, there’s plenty of plans around that won’t make you feel like you’re paying too much for the privilege of being on Australia’s priciest network.
Plans with 25GB of data or more
In terms of data for dollar, the best value SIM-only plan on the Telstra network currently comes from Woolworths Mobile. $50 per month gets you 25GB of data, and if you port in from a non-Telstra network, you’ll get one month free.
$59 per month will get you 25GB on Telstra itself, along with unlimited talk and text. As with most Telstra postpaid plans, you’ll get data-free access to Apple Music and live passes for AFL, AFLW, NRL, and Netball.
Both will require you to sign a 12-month contract.
Plans with 15GB of more
If you don’t need quite as much data, there’s plenty of awesome Telstra network deals around the $40 per month mark with at least 15GB of data. TeleChoice is the clear standout, offering 18GB per month rather than the more standardised 15GB.
If you don’t want to sign a year-long contract, Lycamobile, Boost, and Belong are all good options.
Lycamobile gets you unlimited international calls to 15 selected countries, while Boost includes 100 minutes of international talk and data-free Apple Music. Both Lycamobile and Boost’s plans are 28-day prepaid recharges, so it’s worth noting that you’ll need to top up 13 times per year. If you’re keen to try out Boost, you can save $25 on your first recharge if you sign up before July 2.
Belong will do 15GB for $40 per month on a no-contract postpaid basis and has bonuses like data rollover and data gifting.
Plans with at least 5GB
If you think you can get by with around 5GB, plans now start at $25 per month on Belong and TeleChoice. Belong is probably the better option out of the two, as it’s offered on a month-to-month basis while TeleChoice requires you to commit to a 12-month contract.
Is there a catch?
All Telstra-powered MVNOs now have 4G connectivity, but Telstra keeps the 4GX portion of its network to itself. This means Telstra MVNO customers don’t have access to the fastest speeds possible on Telstra’s network, but this shouldn’t make too much of a different in terms of day-to-day usage or coverage.
