Opt For The Phone Plan With The Best Mobile Coverage

In the recent times, mobile handsets have become the most important device for communicating with each other. When buying your mobile handset and mobile plan, you must do your proper research so that you get the best deal. Agreed, there are many offers available in the market, but you need to consider several factors when opting your mobile handset and mobile plan, and they are enumerated here below.

Mobile network coverage

When selecting a phone plan for your needs, the first thing to consider is how good is the network coverage of the service provider. You can ask your friends and relatives as to which service provider they use and how good is their network coverage or reach in urban as well as in rural areas. You can also go through customer reviews on the various online websites of the service providers/ mobile companies or separate web portals where customers share their experiences regarding products and services they had used. Here in Australia, the top mobile companies are Telstra, Optus and Tele Choice and they all provide excellent network coverage, however, Telstra’s mobile coverage and reach is truly remarkable, and Tele Choice uses part of Telstra’s 3G mobile network to serve its customers.

What are your phone usage requirements

The next thing to check is how you use your mobile. Are you a frequent phone user who wants to remain connected with your co-workers at office, family members and friends or your phone use is less. Based on your precise use, you need to opt for a phone plan so that you don’t end up paying for an expensive phone plan which you really don’t want. Contract plans are typically for 12 months or 24 months. If you are a regular phone user and don’t require travelling out of the country or in other words, you permanently stay in Australia, these contract plans will be cheaper for you. However, if you don’t use you phone regularly and you may also have to travel a lot, prepaid plans or pay as you go plans will be better for your needs so that you don’t receive monthly phone bill and just pay for the minutes that you use, and once you run out of your minutes, you top-up your mobile again.

Consider your mobile data requirements

While choosing the phone plan, you should take into consideration your mobile data usage requirements. How you plan to use your mobile data is imperative – say for example: would you be using it for checking and replying to your emails only, or you would also use other social media tools like Facebook, Whats App etc.

How is the customer support

Yes, it is absolutely important to find out how the service provider gives customer support to its customers – do they give fast and quick response! You can rely on the service provider who provides prompt response to their customers and solve issues promptly. Finally, don’t forget to check out special offers and discounted rates that are on offer time to time by the major mobile companies and service providers so that you can grab the best deal, however, don’t compromise on the mobile coverage.

What Type Of Mobile Phone Plan To Opt For

Are you looking to switch your existing service provider or want to get a new phone plan? Well, there are many options in front of you when it comes to selecting mobile phone plans in Australia. There are contract phone plans, prepaid phone plans and SIM only phone plans.

Here are some tips that will give you insight as to what type of phone plan will be right for your use. Opt for phone plans that are within your budget Certainly, it doesn’t make any sense to opt for an expensive phone plan when you can obtain affordable and cost-effective phone plans for your precise needs.

Ensure checking all the available options so that you find the ideal phone plan that you can easily afford which doesn’t make a hole in your pocket. In case, you want to avoid getting monthly phone bill, you can opt for prepaid phone plan so that you can top-up as and when required, and have full control over your spending. There are many options in prepaid plans and you can select from A$17.50, A$20, A$30 etc.

Finding the ideal phone plan

Agreed, you need to consider your budget while opting for the mobile phone plan, but at the same time you should not compromise on the services. Look closely at what all services you require and see to it that you get all of them in the phone plan that you decide to go with.

Check out closely the various contract lengths

There are advantages and disadvantages of short term and long term contracts. For example, you might get cheaper rates when you opt for long term phone plan contracts; however, if you remain unsatisfied with the opted services later on, you won’t be able to switch your existing service provider till the contract term ends. Henceforth, you should look through all the available phone plan options and select the one that suits to your need.

Compare different mobile phone plans

These days, there are various comparison websites online where you can compare phone plans offered by the different service providers and mobile companies. Read online customer reviews which will help you to decide which phone plan to choose that suits to your exact need and budget.

How many persons you need to include in your phone plan

You can increase your mobile plan subscription by adding your family members to the plan. If more people require the mobile handsets and services, you will certainly get good offer and discounts, and you can save considerably.

Finally, you will need to decide whether you just require mobile phone plan that you can use with your existing phone or do you want to get a new phone. Suppose, you want to get a new handset, there are contract phone plans that come with a free new mobile handset. However, be sure to check all the pros and cons of all the available phone plans in Australia so that you select the right phone plan for your need.

Who Should Opt For Contract SIM Plans

As per your usage needs for making calls, texting messages and using mobile data, you can select from a vast range of available contract SIM Plans that are on the offer in the market by the different companies and network service providers.

If you often use your mobile phone or are a regular user, it would be wise to opt for contract SIM plans, as it will prove to be very cost effective. These days, network service providers have introduced various types of offers and discounted rates in contract SIM plans. For example – if you opt for a 12-month contract SIM plan from an established service provider, it would cost you minimum A$150 for 12 months so it comes to A$12.50 per month.

With this contract SIM plan, you will get total value of $200 which you can use on a monthly basis that will include making calls and texting messages to any network, using specified amount of mobile data within Australia – say for example 200MB per month, unlimited calls if you make calls using the same network service etc.

This is an example of one of the SIM plans that you would get when you opt for a contract SIM plan that is on offer. SIM only plans are definitely cost effective when you compare SIM plans with other regular contract mobile phone plans.

Though you may get a free mobile phone with other, type of contract mobile phone plans, but their monthly fees is high and it covers the cost of the mobile phone that they are offering for free. So, you may feel that you are getting a free mobile handset, but actually it’s not free as the cost is hidden under the monthly fees.

However, if you do not want to spend for an expensive new mobile phone right away, this type of contract mobile phone plan may suit your need as you will be paying for it on a monthly basis. There is also other type of mobile phone plan available for the user that is known as pay as you go phone plans.

In this type of phone plans, the user don’t have to enter into any type of agreement or contract with the service provider instead the user will just have to buy certain quantity of minutes beforehand and start using it for his/ her calling, texting and data usage needs. And once the user runs out of the purchased minutes, he/ she can purchase the minutes again for use. In this manner, the user pays for the used minutes only.

It is also referred as prepaid phone plans or month-to-month basis plans. This type of mobile plans is also a good alternative for the users whose phone usage is less.

Established network service providers offer two types of SIM plans and they are: (1) contract SIM

plans and (2) month to month basis SIM plans. So, if you often use your phone, you can opt for contract SIM plans. On the other hand, if your phone use is minimal, you can opt for month-to-month basis phone plans.

Choose Mobile Plans That Match To Your Precise Needs

You should analyse your phone usage so that you can get the best mobile plan matching to your need and budget. You need to know precisely how you are going to use your mobile phone. Would you like to use your phone as your primary means of communication or you would just use it for emergencies? As per your phone usage requirements, you will come to know exactly what features and functions you will require in your mobile handset.

Is your mobile phone usage less?

If you would be using your mobile handset just for emergencies or rarely, you should go for a phone plan that costs less. Basically, mobile phone plans are all based on the number of minutes, so if your usage is less, you should opt for a mobile plan that has less number of minutes so that it will cost you less.

Is your mobile phone usage high?

In contrast, if your phone usage is going to remain high as you will be using it frequently to communicate with everyone which may include your co-workers in office, family members, relatives and friends. Then you should opt for a phone plan that provides you adequate minutes and talk time every month including special offers like unlimited night and weekend calling hours apart from having the facility to make long distance calls.

There are two types of widely used mobile plans and they are contract mobile plans and pay as you go mobile plans. Before you commit to any mobile plan, you need to go through all the benefits and drawbacks of both types of phone plans.

Contract mobile plans

In contract mobile plans, you have to pay a fixed amount of charges on a monthly basis. In return, you will get certain amount of talk time, SMS’s, and data usage. If you go beyond the provided limit, you will be charged extra for extra usage. And there are different contract mobile plans available and you can select the plan that matches to your usage requirements so that you don’t end up using beyond the provided limit of your phone plan and thus, won’t be paying extra. To be on the safer side, be sure to go through the terms and conditions associated with the contract mobile plans. Be sure to check if there are any hidden fees that may increase your monthly charges. Also, go through the section about terminating the service that would help you to exactly determine what next step you need to take in case you want to change the service provider.

Pay as you go mobile plans

In pay as you go plans, you will be paying only for the used minutes and there are no fixed monthly charges. For example, you purchase certain amount of minutes beforehand and start using it, and once you run out of your purchased minutes, you will have to purchase minutes again. So, it is referred as pay as you go plans. To make considerable savings, you should research well about different mobile phone companies and service providers. Take into account important things like – how is their coverage area; what types of mobile plans are offered by each one etc. Collect all details, and compare among different mobile plans offered by different companies to select the best deal that suits your need and fits to your pocket nicely.

Australia Leading Mobile Plan Comparison Websites

Looking for a New Mobile Plan? Australian Comparison Websites Are Here to Help written by: Alex Pierce Picking a cell phone carrier is tougher than ever, especially since most mobile operators are now offering a wide range of plans to choose from. There has been plenty of progress over the past few years, and many online resources are now offering consumers the chance to compare available plans provided by different carriers. Besides providing accurate price comparison, these websites also offer complete details about the services included with each plan, such as minutes, texts and mobile data. Let’s take a look at some of Australia’s most popular mobile plan comparison websites.

Whistleout.com.au, Australia’s Leading Mobile Plan Comparison Website

If you’re in search of a mobile plan, perhaps looking into WhistleOut’s efficient comparison database can help. The website allows you to filter available plans based on allowance for mobile data, minutes and texts, and then sort them based on tariff type: month-to-month or contract. For example, if you want to get the best 12-month SIM-only contract, you should select “SIM-only” as the desired type of plan, and choose “Contract” at the top of the page. Results will likely include plans offered by Vodafone, TeleChoice, Virgin Mobile, Telstra and Optus. TeleChoice’s SIM-only plans are the most popular due to providing convenient services without stellar recharge rates, and that’s why they’re also showing up among the first plans on the page.

WhistleOut is probably the most resourceful website of its kind, as it offers a very large number of details pertinent to decision-making: services included with each package, value, recharge value, and even a “How to Buy” option.

YouCompare.com.au: Less Intuitive, But Just As Great

Similar to WhistleOut, YouCompare allows consumers to quickly search for available mobile plans. One aspect that makes this particular website stand out is the fact that it also displays available phone deals with these plans. However, YouCompare doesn’t have an option for sorting results based on plan type, so you’ll need to search for your SIM-only deal among the rest packages. Details on the services included with each plan are also available, along with a phone number provided for each carrier if you’re interested in getting more info.

Whirlpool Forum: Plan Comparisons Made by Customers

Although not a comparison website like WhistleOut and YouCompare, the Whirlpool Forum is a resourceful online community that enables consumers to compare mobile plans by themselves. Customers can ask questions about different mobile carriers and their plans, and others will give more insight on what services are included with each package, and why one would be better than the other(s). Probably the best part about the Whirlpool Forum is that, by posting a new thread, consumers can get advice from real people in regard to the best SIM-only phone plan for their specific needs.

Final Word

SIM-only phone plans are becoming increasingly popular thanks to their price convenience, and using comparison websites for finding the best available deals is a great way to find the right one for you. Look for the plans offered by TeleChoice, as the company has very accessible prices and excellent allowances regardless of how much you’re paying for their plans. Plus, dropped calls are never a concern, and data networks are unusually fast given that TeleChoice is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO).

Going Mobile on a Budget

While it may not seem possible, the world of budget mobile plans is even more of a wilderness than mobile plans in general. Surprises abound in this category, both good and bad, so it’s important to be prepared going into your search.

There are great deals to be had, provided you’re ready to cut through the small mountain of false claims that tends to turn up. When doing your prep and research, make sure to define your budget, know what you want, define what’s most important, and stick to your plan.

To help out, we’ll try to help out here by giving you a brief glimpse into the world of $30-a-month-and-under mobile plans, focusing on how to analyse these plans and find the best features. We’ll also try to alert you to some of the traps and tricks you’ll run into that could sabotage that budget you’ve carefully put together.

Then we’ll give you several plans that offer good deals from trustworthy providers, minus the landmines that could blow up your plan.

Traps, Tricks and Land Mines

In general, there are two issues to be aware of when shopping for a budget mobile plan. One is hidden charges – these kinds of plans are full of caveats hidden in the presentation language to make the plan look cheaper than it actually is.

For example, many of these plans look like they include unlimited talk and text when you see the ads. But a closer look reveals a significant limitation of some sort, usually in the form of communication parameters (i.e., you only get it free with others who use the same plan, company or carrier) or some fine print that makes it clear that you only get one free, not both. The other issue is the data allowance, along with the number of minutes you get.

If you’re anything other than a minimal user looking for a failsafe option, a budget plan probably isn’t going to meet your budget if you’re getting less than 500 MB of data, which is quite common in this category. On to the winners that are worthy of consideration. Drum roll, please…

1. Vaya Power Plan 18. We like this plan because it’s a monthly, it’s a SIM plan, and it offers 1.5 GB of data, which is generous for this particular category. It also offers 4G service via Optus, although you should note that this is specified in “available areas” so you’re not getting a comprehensive 4G plan.

2. Amaysim Unlimited Text 2 GB. While it does straddle the line between cheap and mid-priced plans at $30 a month, this plan has a lot going for it if you’re willing to up your budget a bit. It works on the Optus 4G Plus network, there’s no contract, and then there’s that attractive 2GB data allowance. That’s a lot to offer for a very reasonable price, and Amaysim’s customer service has been highly rated, which isn’t always the case in the world of budget plans.

3. TeleChoice Budget Plans. One of the most diverse companies in this category is TeleChoice, which offers no less than five plans for $30 and under. The three Global Liberty plans offer 1-2 GB of data, depending on the exact price point, and the overall plan design is quite generous. In addition, the two plans that go for $15 and $12.50 offer straightforward terms that are easy to understand, which is rare in what we’ll call the ultra-budget plans.

4. Finally, we’re intrigued by the Boost Mobile $20 ULTRA SIM Recharge, which gives us Telstra reliability – the caveat being 3G only – a 1 GB data allowance and a no-contract deal that helps provide flexibility.

Choosing Between Prepaid And Contract Mobile Plans

Now a days, there are a lot of prepaid mobile phone plans available from different mobile companies in the Australian market. Many of these phone plans are cost-effective and provide all the required features such as calling and texting messages to remain in touch with your near and dear ones or co-workers.

When you have a prepaid mobile phone, you can make local, national as well as overseas calls. You can even receive incoming phone calls free of cost no matter from where it comes. To make calls, you require recharging your mobile account to use it, and once your purchased minutes gets completed, you need to recharge again. You can recharge your prepaid mobile plan with any of the authorised retail outlets or online from the websites of the service providers.

Prepaid phone plans versus contracts phone plans

If your job involves constant travelling from one country to another, prepaid phone plans  will suit you more. However, if you reside in Australia permanently for the period of 12 or 24 months, contract phone plans will be better for you. This kind of post paid contract plan can provide cheaper calling rates or total value that you can use on monthly basis and you also get a free mobile handset with the contract phone plan.

On the other hand, if you don’t want to get monthly phone bills or you are on a tight budget, prepaid phone plans will suit you. As in prepaid phone plan, you only pay for the used minutes and you have full control over what you spend.

The other advantage of prepaid phone plan is that you don’t have to inform the phone company each time you change your place of residence so that they can send a bill to you. What type of mobile phone is perfect for your use. You need to examine what type of phone you have. A prepaid SIM card will require to be inserted into an unlocked GSM compatible so that it works properly. Henceforth, you need to ask the representative who is working with you about the kind of prepaid phone plan that your SIM card will work with.

Alternatively, you can buy basic phone that is compatible with your new prepaid SIM plan in case your existing mobile phone is not compatible. Typically, you get a handset free along with a phone plan.Suppose, you don’t have an idea as to where to search for affordable prepaid mobile plans, you can go online and you will find websites of many reputed mobile companies offering different types of mobile plans in Australia. You can compare between the mobile plans and select the one that suits to your need and budget.

Know About Various Mobile Plans in Australia

It is a daunting task to know and understand each mobile plan that is on the offer by different mobile companies. When you are opting for a 12 months or 24 months contract phone plan, it is even more difficult to choose the right plan for your exact needs. Within the contract period, service providers will not let you to downgrade your mobile plan (opt for a lower plan), however, they will let you to upgrade to a higher plan. Telstra, Optus and Tele Choice are among the leading mobile companies in Australia. In this blog, we will discuss about the different phone plans offered by Tele Choice.

Rebel Starter SIM Plans

This Rebel Starter SIM Plans are available in both month-to-month basis and for a period of 24 months fixed contract, which is currently on offer so you get it for 12 months fixed contract period. This phone plan provides total value of A$200 which is your monthly allowance. This includes calling and texting to any network, 200MB of mobile data that you can use within Australia, unlimited calling within Tele Choice network. Also, included is voice-mail retrieval facility. As this is just the basic or starter plan, it doesn’t include International calls and texts and standard national MMS. This is the cheapest phone plan that you can grab – Just for A$12.50 per month, it comes to A$150 for the period of 12 months.

Global Rebel Texter SIM Plans

In Global Rebel Texter SIM Plans, all the services that are offered in Rebel Starter is included plus it come with International calling facility and unlimited standard national texts to any network. Compared to the Rebel Starter plan, the charges are slightly higher which comes to A$180 for 12 months.

Global Liberty Starter SIM Plans

In this Global Liberty Starter SIM Plan, you will get total value of A$500 that will be your monthly limit which includes all the services of Rebel Texter SIM plan plus you get 1GB of mobile data to use within Australia. The charges are A$240 for the period of 12 months.

Global Liberty Leader SIM Plans

In this Global Liberty Leader SIM Plan, you will get total value of A$650 that will be your monthly limit which includes all the services of Global Liberty Starter SIM Plan plus you get 1.5GB of mobile data to use within Australia. The charges are A$300 for the period of 12 months.

Global Liberty Fighter SIM Plans

In this Global Liberty Fighter SIM Plan, you will get total value of A$650 that will be your monthly limit which includes all the services of Global Liberty Leader SIM Plan plus you get 2GB of mobile data to use within Australia. The charges are A$360 for the period of 12 months.

LIVE Global SIM Plans

In this Live Global SIM Plan, you will get total value of A$2000 which will be your monthly limit. You will get 3GB of data to use within Australia. It includes all services available in Global Liberty Fighter SIM Plan plus it includes International texts as well as standard national MMS & video MMS. The charges are A$468 for the period of 12 months.

LIVE Global SIM Plans – Unlimited Calls to any Network

In this Live Global SIM Plan, you get unlimited value as your monthly allowance for calling to any network. It comes with 3GB of data to use within Australia. It includes International Calls – 30 minutes per month of value, however, it does not come with international texts. It also comes with unlimited standard national texts to any network, unlimited calls with Tele Choice network, unlimited voice-mail retrieval and unlimited standard national MMS & video MMS. The charges are A$588 for the period of 12 months. In all the above phone plans, you get unlimited calling facility within Tele Choice network. These are the various mobile plans in Australia offered by Tele Choice, and all the above-discussed phone plans are also offered on month-to-month basis without contract.

Different Mobile Plans In The Australian Market

Post paid mobile plans give you the convenience of a monthly bill, rather than using vouchers every time you run out of calls or data. Pre paid plans on the other hand free you from the restrictions of a contract with fixed monthly charges.

Disadvantages

Depending on your usage and requirements, sim only plans may disadvantage those who need a monthly payment plan in order to afford a higher end handset. Sim and mobile plans will restrict the choice of handset to those available on the network, while post paid plans may lock out those who cannot pass a credit check. Prepaid plans can also be inconvenient due to the constant use of recharge vouchers. You may also be stuck in an emergency with no credit once your current voucher runs out.

What is the best mobile plan for you?

If you already have a good phone, TeleChoice sim only plans are the best option for you. They are cheap mobile plans, and do not come with the extra charges of post paying for a handset.

Heavy users can opt for post paid plans, which give them flexibility to use services without worrying about regular recharging. Light users on a small budget will find prepaid plans convenient, since they can choose an affordable recharge voucher that matches their usage requirements.

However, if you are looking for more inclusions and no cut offs when you run out of credit, look out for plenty of low-end post paid plans on all networks.

The Current Australian Communications Market

The Australian mobile industry has grown rapidly since its inception a few decades ago. It has also become more competitive as the number of industry players increase. More and more services are being introduced into the market, giving consumers greater mobile functionality on the go. The cost of services has also become highly affordable, especially with the increasingly flexible plans offered by Mobile Virtual Network Operators. The market is made up of three major networks, with close to fifty other MVNOs.

Each of these operators offers consumers a wide range of mobile phone services  that include data, voice calls, and text messages. These are available on different wireless technologies such as GSM, LTE, UMTS, and HSPA among others. As new technology is introduced and competition grows, consumers should look forward to better services and exciting deals.

Australian Mobile Plans

There are so many handset and plan combinations from different networks to choose from. This makes it tough for anyone to select the right deal. However, your usage habits and affordability are the most important factors to consider. This will be determined by the type of handset you desire, call minutes, data and text messages in your plan. Most plans will have a combination of the three, although networks may exclude certain services from the plan.

Mobile Plan Types

Mobile plans from all networks are either pre-paid or post paid. These are further divided into sim only plans and handset plus sim plans. Consumers have a choice of contract, monthly, or prepaid plans. Sim only plans will usually offer the best deals on data, voice or texts.This is especially so if you select a top of the range handset for your phone and sim plan. For example, a Samsung galaxy 6 plan with 3GB data costs over $80 a month. This comes as a two year contract with little flexibility. The same applies to flagship phones such as the Iphone 6 plus or HTC One M9.  This is much more costly than getting a TeleChoice handset at a heavily  discounted price, and combining it with unlimited sim only plans with generous data plans.

Unlimited Plans

Mobile plans can also be limited, in which the number of voice minutes, data  bytes, and texts are defined. This restricts usage to the defined allocation, with  higher charges levied on out of plan usage. Unlimited plans are more popular, due to the usage flexibility they offer. These are perfect for the heavy user, including businesses. With an unlimited plan, it is easy to keep a lid on usage costs. This is by paying a fixed fee for an all-inclusive package.

The TeleChoice Option

TeleChoice plans are highly popular because they offer cheap mobile plans for every type of user. TeleChoice goes further by having many more inclusions in your plan. This includes texts to any network, national calls, data, SMS, MMS, and voice mail retrieval. The price of each plan ranges from the bargain $12.50 Rebel Starter plan, to the highly affordable $49 Global Live plan. Furthermore, unlike most networks, you can change your plan prematurely without any charges. This flexibility is fantastic when you want to upgrade or downgrade from your current plan. Whatever your usage requirements,  TeleChoice offers you the best mobile plans in Australia.