So you want that premium telco coverage for a fraction of the price? We hear you. Telstra, Optus and Vodafone have the best coverage in Australia, but their plans often come with a heavy price tag. Though there is an alternative — enter MVNOs.
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) are smaller providers that piggyback off the Telstra, Optus and Vodafone networks. They offer the same great coverage as the telco giants without the premium price tag, and Australians are flocking to them.
MVNOs are especially valuable if you want Telstra’s incredible coverage but don’t want to pay Telstra prices. Lots of MVNOs use the Telstra network, including some you’ve probably already heard of like Boost Mobile and Tangerine. Telstra MVNOs reach about 98.8 per cent of the Australian population, so they’re a great choice if nationwide coverage is a top priority for your phone plan.
Best Telstra MVNOs in Australia
MVNO plans tend to have fewer inclusions compared to Telstra plans, but they often make up for that with additional benefits. Woolworths Mobile’s $20 Recharge plan, for instance, comes with 12GB of data but you also get 10 per cent off your grocery shop every month. Mate plans currently include a TIDAL music subscription and Exetel offers huge data rollover limits (up to 200GB) so you don’t waste any of the data you pay for.
Most MVNO plans are data-heavy, too, and end up being much cheaper than a Telstra plan with lots of data. The Boost Mobile $30 Prepaid plan, for instance, comes with 40GB of data, which rolls over if you recharge before the expiry date of your current plan.
Another benefit of MVNOs is that most plans are contract-free. If you sign up for a plan and realise it doesn’t have everything you need, you can simply move to another plan that suits your needs better (or has better additional benefits).
Despite the dry-sounding name, MVNOs are becoming increasingly common for budget-wise Australians, and for good reason. They offer premium coverage without the premium price tag, especially when it comes to the telco giant Telstra.
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