Save hundreds each year: Get big telco network coverage at cheaper prices

If you recently received notice that your phone bill is going up, now could be the right time to switch to a cheaper plan. But some Aussies might be worried about losing network coverage when making the switch. 

The good news? You can get almost the exact same network coverage when switching from one of the big three telcos to a smaller provider and you might not even notice a difference. 

Network coverage and MVNOs: How does it work?

Australia has three mobile networks, owned and operated by the big three telcos — Telstra, Optus and Vodafone/TPG. Smaller providers, known as Mobile Virtual Network Operators (or MVNOs), use one of these three networks to deliver mobile services to customers,. Because these small providers don’t own or operate the networks they use, these telcos can usually offer mobile plans much cheaper than the big three telcos.

However, there is usually a small catch with the coverage the smaller providers receive. 

What’s the catch with big telco and MVNO network coverage?

Most MVNOs offering Telstra coverage will only have access to the telco's wholesale network, which has a slightly smaller footprint than the main Telstra mobile network. While that might sound the alarm bells, the difference is minimal and for most Australians, it will be hardly noticeable. 

The Telstra retail network currently covers 99.7% of the population. In comparison, the Telstra wholesale network used by MVNOs covers 98.8% of the population — that’s less than 1% of the population missing out. If you’re concerned you might be in that small number, use the network coverage map available on the Telstra website and compare the map to one available from a Telstra network MVNO, such as ALDI Mobile or Everyday Mobile.

If you really can't compromise on coverage, you still have options if you're looking to save. Prepaid provider Boost Mobile is currently the only MVNO to have access to the full Telstra network — a privilege not even afforded to Telstra’s more budget-friendly postpaid provider offshoot, Belong. 

For Optus and Vodafone coverage, both telcos offer MVNOs full access to their networks. The catch is usually that MVNOs will impose limits on speeds or 5G access (this is also the case for Telstra MVNOs). For example, Optus offers uncapped 5G access on its range of postpaid plans and most of its prepaid plans, while MVNOs using the Optus network, such as Moose Mobile and Aussie Broadband, may only offer uncapped speeds on the more expensive plans. However, speed caps on mobile plans typically won’t be noticeable for most usage — you'll still be able to stream, download and upload with no issues.

So, no matter what network you’re on, or what you prefer, there are only small differences between what you’ll get on a plan from one of the big three versus an MVNO using the same network.

Prices compared: Big telcos vs smaller providers

If you’ve considered the pros and cons of switching from a big provider to a smaller one and you’re still not sure, comparing prices is where you might find the biggest difference. 

The following tables use providers from the Canstar database and examples of comparable plans using standard pricing (excluding discounts) and standard data (excluding bonus data), showing plans offering the same or as close to the same data allowance and billing/expiry period as possible. The below pricing and plans do not show additional features such as data speeds, network access (4G or 5G) or any other features or extras. Also note that 28 and 30-day prepaid plans may need to be recharged more than 12 times per year.

Telstra vs Telstra network MVNO prices

Optus vs Optus network MVNO prices

Vodafone vs Vodafone network MVNO prices

Should you make the switch to a cheaper plan?

If you’ve seen your phone bill increase in the last couple of years, but you don’t use anywhere near the amount of data included on your plan, it might be time to compare phone plans and make the switch.

The most important thing to consider is what you really need in a phone plan. Your data usage might be the best place to start: switching to a cheap plan won’t be any good if you’re constantly running out of data, and could cost you more if you need to recharge it early or pay for extra data/excess data charges. 

Check how much data you’re using on average and look for plans with a similar amount of data from different providers. If you’re not sure how much data you’re using, log in to your mobile plan account (either via your provider’s app or website) and you should find your usage listed. 

You can also consider other features, such as 5G network access (and speed caps), international calls or roaming, eSIM availability and more, which can further narrow down your search. If you’re not fussed about which mobile network you’re using, and you’ve checked that you’ll still have network coverage, you might even prefer to switch to a provider on a different network than you’re currently on if that plan offers you the right value for money. 

I want to switch, but can I keep my mobile number?

Yes! Porting a mobile number from one provider to another is a lot quicker and easier than it once was. Usually when you sign up to a new plan, you'll be given the option of choosing either a new mobile number or keeping your current number. 

Simply choose to keep your current number (and don’t cancel your old plan yet!) and your new provider should take care of the number porting process for you. It can take anywhere from under an hour, up to a couple of business days for your number to port across. Keep in mind that some providers may have set porting hours (such as business days only within a certain time), so you can always check your new provider’s website to find out more on the process. As a rule of thumb, it might be best to start this process during business hours on weekdays.

Once your service has switched across, you can cancel your old plan — unless your new provider has taken care of that for you. Check and cancel any auto recharges for prepaid plans or direct debits for postpaid plans and pay off any final bills or charges left. If you cancelled a phone-on-a-plan service, you may need to pay off any remaining device costs if you were still in your device payment period.