What are high-data mobile plans?
Mobile data, which is included on most phone plans, allows you to access the internet on the go, when you’re not connected to your home internet or a WiFi connection.
A high-data mobile plan is really determined by how much data an individual typically uses. For a light phone user who usually doesn’t get through much data at all, a phone plan with 40 gigabytes (GB) or more might be considered ‘high data’. However, someone who uses their phone frequently on data-heavy apps, such as social media, video streaming and gaming, might consider a 200GB allowance to be a high-data plan.
In this instance, we consider big data mobile plans to be around 100GB data plans and higher. Plans with this amount of data and up will typically suit those heavier phone users.
Phone plans with lots of data
Many telcos offer phone plans with big data inclusions, so you have plenty of options to choose from. Consider your budget needs and just how much data you really need, and then compare plans from a range of providers.
Postpaid
Perhaps the simplest plans to compare, postpaid plans (sometimes simply referred to as SIM-only plans or SIM plans) are billed monthly, so you’ll easily see how much data you get each month. You’ll find plans with 100GB widely available, and even up to 300GB in some cases. Postpaid providers offering high-data mobile plans include:
- AGL
- Aussie Broadband
- Belong
- Everyday Mobile
- Moose Mobile
- More
- Optus
- Tangerine
- Telstra
- Vodafone
Prepaid
Prepaid plans are a little harder to compare as they aren’t often billed monthly. Some providers offer plans on a 28-day expiry, others use a 30-day expiry period, and some offer prepaid monthly plans. These varying expiry periods might not seem too different, but your data allowance won’t go as far on a 28-day plan compared to a monthly plan.
Where prepaid plans get a little harder to compare is when long-expiry plans are involved. You might see a prepaid plan with 300GB of data, but that could be on a 365-day expiry period. This means that big data allowance needs to be rationed over a longer period, which works out to be a much smaller data allowance each month.Â
The best way to find a big data prepaid plan is to look at 28-day/30 day/monthly expiry periods, and then compare prices and features to narrow down your choices. Some prepaid providers offering big data inclusions on a monthly/28-day/30-day expiry period include:
- ALDI Mobile
- Amaysim
- EZEE Mobile
- LycaMobile
- Superloop
- TeleChoice
- Yomojo
Why do I need a phone plan with lots of data?
Having a phone plan with a lot of data can be necessary if you use your phone for activities like streaming video. It can also come in handy if you regularly use your phone as a mobile hotspot to access the internet on other devices. This can be a laptop or tablet if you’re on the go, or in moments of crisis when your home internet drops out or network congestion is especially bad.
The only problem is that if you rely on your phone plan’s data for home internet access (e.g. web browsing, sending emails and video streaming), you may chew through your data allowance quickly. If you plan to use your phone data more heavily, you might need to switch to a phone plan with plenty of gigabytes. Some providers might also have fair-use policies in place to limit customers from using their mobile phone services as a substitute for a home internet service.
Keep in mind that the more data you want, the more expensive the phone plan. If you’re on a really tight budget, a big-data phone plan might not be the best option for you.
Consider a high data phone plan if
- You use your phone a lot and for things like video streaming and social media.
- You regularly use your phone as a hotspot for your laptop or tablet while on the go.
Don’t consider a high data phone plan if
- You have lower data needs or tend to use a WiFi network when using data-intensive apps.
- You travel frequently and need lots of data on the go, but would benefit from a separate mobile broadband/data-only SIM plan instead.
What about unlimited data mobile plans?
Unlimited data plans aren’t that common in Australia, and the plans that are offered typically come with a catch. Felix offers an unlimited data prepaid phone plan on a monthly expiry period, however speeds are capped at 40 megabits per second (Mbps), which is considered fast enough for most usage needs.
A few telcos offer ‘unlimited’ data but it might be listed as ‘no excess data charges’. What this means is that once you’ve used up your included data allowance, you’ll be able to keep using data but at a capped speed (often 1Mbps, 1.5Mbps or 2Mbps). These plans might serve as a good security blanket if you’re really not sure how much data you need on your plan, or if your usage needs regularly change.
