Business phone plans

What are the benefits of a small business phone plan?

Business phone plans (also known as business mobile plans) are designed to keep your staff connected to clients and colleagues while on the go.

They allow you to manage multiple plans under a single business account, with options to share data across employees.

If you employ 3+ staff who all need their own phone, these plans are a great option. They provide better value, simpler billing and can be useful for tax purposes.

Some plans also come with business-friendly perks, like priority customer support and device credits.

Business phone plans aren't suitable for everyone, though. If you're a sole trader or your employees rarely travel for work, a business mobile plan might be overkill.

Here are the main pros and cons to consider.

How do I compare business phone plans?

There are stacks of options in the business mobile space, and your needs will be different from other businesses. Here are some things to consider besides the cost of your plan.

Network coverage

Telstra has the largest network in Australia, covering 99.7% of Australians, followed by Optus and Vodafone at 98.5%. If your business operates in rural or regional areas, a Telstra plan could be worth the extra cost.

Data sharing

Consider whether a large data pool shared amongst employees is a good option, or if you'd rather each employee have their own set amount of data each month. Remember: if one employee churns through a shared data pool, the whole team can be affected. You also need to work out how much data they need. If your staff mainly use their phones for calls, you can save money by choosing a smaller cap.

Postpaid vs prepaid

Prepaid business phone plans come with a set expiry period, ranging from a week up to a year. You will need to recharge these plans manually before they expire. Postpaid plans charge you an ongoing monthly rate. Despite the name, they usually charge you at the start of a billing cycle. If you're paying off a phone on each plan, postpaid is the way to go.

Extra support

Support options include 24/7 network surveillance, dedicated account managers and queue skipping for fast issue resolution.

Flexibility

What you need this quarter might not be the same as what you need next quarter. While all providers let you add more plans or upgrade existing ones, make sure it also lets you scale down to match your current business requirements.

Devices

Major providers allow you to bundle phones and plans, with different models to suit your budget. While this can be convenient, you might be able to buy cheaper phones in bulk elsewhere.

International calls

Some small business plans offer unlimited international calls to selected countries while others require paid add-ons. Consider how often your team makes international calls and choose accordingly.

International roaming

International roaming add-ons are important if your employees are frequently overseas for business. It allows them to keep the same phone number while abroad. Some plans even allow you to use the existing data inclusions at no extra cost.

Which providers offer business phone plans?

The following providers in our database sell business phone plans.

Business phone plans vs personal phone plans

The main difference between business phone plans and personal phone plans is the ability to run multiple SIMs from a single account with a combined data pool.

While some personal phone plans do come with data sharing, they are chiefly aimed at families and aren't suitable for business use.

Many business phone plans provide exclusive discounts when you connect multiple SIMs to the same account.

You will also need to share your Australian Business Number (ABN) when signing up.

What is the best business phone plan in Australia?

Businesses come in many shapes and sizes. A real estate and trucking company are going to have vastly different call and data needs.

It's therefore impossible to pick 1 mobile plan that best suits every business.

With that in mind, here are the main offerings from Australia's 3 largest business mobile providers to help you decide.

Telstra business mobile plans

Telstra's SIM-only business mobile plan comes in 3 sizes: Basic (50GB), Essential (180GB) and Premium (300GB). Telstra changes its plan prices from time to time, so check its current business pricing before you sign up.

All plans come with the following inclusions:

• Data sharing across up to 20 plans on the same account
• Unlimited standard national calls and texts
• 30 minutes of calls to standard international numbers
• Pay month-to-month with no lock-in contract
• No excess data charges - speeds slow to 1.5Mbps once your data is used
• 24/7 network surveillance
• Access to Telstra's 5G networks with uncapped download speeds
• Satellite messaging
• McAfee Device Security Essentials
• The option to add a phone to each plan for an added monthly cost spread over 24–36 months
• Support for eSIMs

You can add 25GB Mobile Bundle Plans to an Essential or Premium base plan for an extra $57 a month. Bundle Plans unlock savings of up to $126 a month.

Telstra also offers a range of Pre-Paid Mobile Plans starting at $13 for 7 days (3GB data) and topping out at $350 for 1 year (300GB).

To get the right mix of plans for your business, Telstra encourages you to book an appointment with one of the company's dedicated small business experts prior to signing up.

Optus business mobile plans

Like Telstra, Optus offers 3 SIM-only business mobile plans: Small ($50 per month for 50GB), Medium ($65 per month for 200GB) and Large ($85 per month for 400GB).

Here are the inclusions:

• Data sharing across multiple plans
• Unlimited standard national calls and texts
• Unlimited international calls and text to selected countries (Medium and Large plans only)
• Pay month-to-month with no lock-in contract
• No excess data charges - speeds slow to 1.5Mbps once your data is used
• Access to Optus' 5G network
• International roaming for $5 per day (5GB + international talk & text)
• Support for eSIMs

For businesses that need 4+ SIMs, there's the Optus Teams Plus plan. It comes with 4 SIMs and 320GB of shared monthly data for $165 a month. (You can add more SIMs at $29 a pop.)

Companies that require 10+ SIMs are encouraged to talk to an Optus account manager to tailor data allowances, monthly rates and device inclusions to their business.

Vodafone business phone plans

Vodafone has the most affordable plans of the big 3 telcos. You once again have 3 options: Small ($53 a month for 60GB), Medium ($63 a month for 200GB and Large ($73 a month for 400GB).

Here's what you get on each plan:

• Unlimited standard national talk and text
• Unlimited international texts and call minutes
• Pay month-to-month with no lock-in contract
• Access to Vodafone's 5G network
• No excess data charges - speeds slow to 2Mbps once your data is used
• $5 per day international roaming in over 100 countries
• Month-to-month flexibility with no lock-in contract
• Support for eSIMs

Vodafone also offers a 15GB Team Plan SIM that can connect up to 9 employees to your base plan. The first Team Plan SIM costs $38 a month, with each additional SIM costing $28 a month.

For teams of 10 of more, there's Vodafone Business Flex plans which start at $35 a month for 20GB.

• What's the difference between business and consumer mobile plans?

  Business plans are primarily built for teams instead of individuals. They allow employees to share data across multiple SIMs and provide centralised billing. Some plans also come with additional perks like enhanced security, device credits and a dedicated account manager.

• Can I share data across multiple business phones?

  Sure can! Nearly all business phone plans let you pool data across multiple SIMs under one account.

• Do business phone plans require a contract?

  Most providers let you pay month-to-month with no lock in contracts. However, you can usually save more and unlock extra perks by signing up to a long lease plan.

• How much does a business mobile plan cost?

  The total cost will depend on the inclusions you're after and the size of your team. SIM-only plans start at around $120 a month for a team of 3.

• Why are Telstra plans more expensive?

  Telstra charges a premium for having the widest network coverage. If you employ remote workers in regional Australia, the extra coverage might be worth it.

• Can businesses use prepaid mobile plans?

  Prepaid business mobile plans are available from a range of providers including Telstra, SpinTel and Aussie Broadband.

• Do business plans come with better security?

  Many small business mobile plans include inbuilt security apps such as McAfee. However, you're not going to find enterprise-grade protection on these plans.

Written by

Chris Jager

Lead Shopping Editor

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Chris Jager is a seasoned journalist with over 15 years of experience in the Australian tech industry. He has contributed his expertise to top tech publications like PC World, Gizmodo, Business Insider, and Lifehacker Australia, where he also served as editor for five years. Chris holds a Bachelor of Communications in Journalism from the University of Western Sydney and is widely regarded as a trusted voice in the tech space. See full bio

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