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Belong mobile review
Our verdict: Belong offers affordable and flexible plans on Telstra's 4G and 5G network. It is also 1 of just 6 carbon neutral mobile providers in Australia.
Belong was the first telco in Australia to offer certified carbon-neutral plans. In the few years since, a spate of other providers are now also offering this service.
Its mobile plans represent solid value, offering big data at affordable prices. The $45 for 100GB option is sure to please those with high data needs.
Belong also has some other features you might enjoy:
Unlimited data banking, so you can save up any unused data for the future and even gift it to other Belong users.
No excess data charges for going over your monthly limit. Instead, your mobile internet speed gets slowed down to 1Mbps.
Access to parts of the Telstra 3G, 4G and 5G network which covers 98.8% of Australians.
International calls and texts to 30 countries available to add on for an extra $5 per month.
You have the option to buy in-store if it's easier for you. You can pick up a Belong SIM at many major outlets such as Woolworths, Coles, Australia Post and more.
While Belong has several perks, it suffers when it comes to:
Its 4G and 5G download speeds are capped at 100Mbps on most plans, though this isn't uncommon for smaller providers running on the Telstra network. Most people shouldn't notice the speed cap as 100Mbps is fast enough for most online activities.
Belong has 4 mobile plans, with each offering pretty good value for money. Every plan is also carbon-neutral at no additional cost.
Good to know: Belong's plans have an average value of $0.73 per GB, which is great compared to our benchmark of $1 per GB.
Things to watch out for
Despite being postpaid, Belong charges plan fees at the start of the month.
Its 4G and 5G download speeds are capped at 100Mbps on most plans, though this isn't slow or anything and shouldn't be a problem. For example you will be able to download a standard length HD movie in 5 minutes. Its 160GB plan comes with a download speed cap of 250Mbps which fares better for heavy data users.
While you won't get charged extra for going over your monthly data limit, the slowed down speed of 1Mbps won't get much done for you.
Coverage
Belong uses parts of the Telstra 3G, 4G and 5G network.
Belong is on the wholesale 3G, 4G, 5G Telstra network which reaches 98.8% of the population.
This is slightly less than the full Telstra network coverage of 99.5%, but still more than both the Optus or Vodafone network
You shouldn't have issues in metro areas, but may experience a slight drop in reception in rural or regional areas.
Does Belong Mobile have 5G?
Belong Mobile will also give you access to to Telstra's 5G network across its all its plans at no extra cost. The downlaod speeds for its lower data plans are capped at 100Mbps and 250Mbps on higher data plans.
Telstra's wholesale 5G footprint currently covers 75% of Australians.
Customer service
There are a couple of options if you need to get something sorted with Belong.
Call between 8am and 8pm (AEDT) 7 days a week.
Leave a message on the Belong Facebook or Twitter account.
Lodge a support ticket on the Belong mobile app.
Keep in mind that while you can buy a Belong SIM in selected retailers, it doesn't have a physical storefront. Those looking for in-store help, might want to try a different provider.
Bonus features
Although Belong is relatively straightforward with its plans, the phone proivder has a few additional features.
🌏 International add-on
For $5 per month, you can add on unlimited calls and texts to 30 countries with any plan.
🎁 Data banking and gifting
All the data you have left over each month will be put into a data bank with unlimited capacity.
This can be handy for flexible data use, and you can even gift your banked data to other Belong users in 1GB chunks.
➕ Data add-on
If you need an extra boost of data, you can buy them in 5GB lots for $10 each.
If you do run out of your monthly data, Belong won't charge you for going over your limit. Though don't expect to do much with its slowed down Internet speed of 1Mbps.
✈️ International roaming
If you're overseas and want to make a few phone calls back home, you'll be able to do so with belong's international roaming packs. It is available in up to 30 destinations and offers
3GB for 30 days
Unlimited standard SMS
Make and receive 150 minutes of calls
Which rivals are giving Belong a run for its money?
Although Belong is a strong pick for carbon-neutral mobile plans, there are other providers with great options, too.
For another eco-friendly option:
felix is another carbon-neutral mobile provider in Australia. It also plants a tree each month for every active subscription.
For wider coverage:
Boost Mobile is the only small provider that uses the full Telstra 4G and 5G mobile network with 99.5% coverage. It has a range of affordable prepaid plans too.
For even more data:
If Belong's 80GB plan isn't quite large enough for you, you can pick up 100GB from Circles.Life for around the same price every month.
Ready to sign up to Belong?
Keen on grabbing a Belong mobile plan? Just click the green "Go to site button" and you can easily sign up to your chosen plan.
What if I want to keep my current phone number? You can opt to transfer your existing mobile number to Belong during the activation process. Belong advises that transfers normally take 4 hours or less but could take up to a couple of days to complete.
We've researched and reviewed hundreds of phone plans to make our guides as helpful as possible. Our experts can be seen across TV, print and digital media.
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Sam Baran is a writer for Finder, covering topics across the tech, telco and utilities sectors. They enjoy decrypting technical jargon and helping people compare complex products easily. When they aren't writing, you'll find Sam's head buried in a book or working on their latest short story. Sam has a Bachelor of Advanced Science from the University of Sydney.
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