Commander phone review

Our verdict: You'll score $5 off your business phone plan if you're already on another Commander service, but even with this savings, you might be able to find better value elsewhere.

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By

Sam Baran

Edited by

David Gregory

Updated

Fact checked
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Key takeaways

  • Commander mobile information is historical as it has transitioned to Vocus.
  • Plans typically featured higher costs for data compared to industry benchmarks.
  • All plans required a 12-month contract with early exit fees.

Must read

Commander has now transitioned to Vocus, and existing customers have been moved over with no changes to their plans or pricing. The information on this page is for historical reference only.

Pros

  • Data sharing between plans on the same account
  • $5 discount with a Commander broadband plan or office phone

Cons

  • Smaller plans aren't great value
  • All plans are on a 12-month lock-in contract

Commander phone review: Our verdict

Commander's mobile plans offer little data for its high costs. If you're looking to sign up to a business phone plan, it might be worth shopping around and comparing your options.

Additionally, you'll be locked into a 12-month contract on all plans. This isn't the norm these days with most plans now offering no lock-in contracts.

Commander may be right for you if:

  • You enjoy data sharing. All plans on the same account will automatically have their data shared between each SIM.
  • You already have a Commander service. You'll get a $5 monthly discount on your mobile plan if you have a Commander broadband or office phone on the same account.

But keep in mind that Commander:

  • Has few support options, with phone calls during business hours the only real way to get in touch.
  • Charges an extra fee for customers who choose to pay by a method other than direct debit.

Read a more detailed review on

Value for money
Coverage
Customer service
Bonus features

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Value for money

Commander only has 3 business phone plans, all costing you quite a bit for its lacklustre plan features.

  • Good to know: Commander mobile plans go as high as $2.50 per 1GB of data, which is 2.5 times more expensive than a standard benchmark of $1 per 1GB.

If you're after a handset to use specifically for work purposes, Commander also stocks various Samsung and Aspera phones for you to purchase on a 24-month plan with one of its mobile plans.

  • Keep in mind: If you want to leave your plan, you'll have to pay more than the remaining value of your headset, as well as half of your remaining plan fees.

These handsets can't be purchased directly online, so you'll need to request a call back from Commander if you're interested.

Things to watch out for:

  • While Commander mobile plans are sold as postpaid services, your plan fees will be charged upfront at the start of each month.
  • All plans come on a 12-month contract. If you cancel early, you'll have to pay 50% of your plan fees remaining on the contract.
  • If you pay by any method other than direct debit, you'll be charged an additional fee.

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Coverage

Commander uses the Optus 4G mobile network:
  • This reaches 98.5% of the Australian population, which is less than Telstra (99.7%) but on par with Vodafone.
  • It's identical coverage to what you'd get from a plan direct from Optus.
  • Customers in metro areas should have no problem with reception, but it's something to keep in mind if you spend a lot of time in regional or rural areas.

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Customer service

Being a business-focussed brand, Commander can help you with any issues or questions you have during the work week. You can contact them using the following methods:

  • Ring up the customer service team between 9am-5pm AEST, Monday to Friday (no hours of operation on the weekend).
  • Send an email if you're not too fussed about a quick response.

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Bonus features

Commander has a few extra features added to its plans:

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Data sharing

Data is shared across every mobile plan registered to the same account automatically.

If you don't want shared data, you'll have to register the numbers to separate billing accounts.

🌍 International inclusions

Commander's $35 and $45 plans come with international call minutes to 58 selected countries. You'll get 50 minutes or 300 minutes depending on which plan you buy.

💰 Bundling discount

When you buy both a mobile plan and a Commander internet plan or office phone line, you'll receive a $5 monthly discount off every mobile plan on your account.

Which rivals are giving Commander a run for its money?

For a wider range

optus logo

Optus also sells business phone plans of many sizes across various month-to-month and contracted terms. You can also get these plans with the latest Apple, Samsung and Google phones.


For cheaper business plans

amaysim logo

TeleChoice also has a selection of business mobile plans, which are actually cheaper than its personal phone plans. The only catch is that it only services businesses that need over 10 plans under the one account.

Ready to sign up to Commander?

You can easily order a mobile plan online from Commander's website or you can also buy a SIM in-store if you don't want to wait around for it to get delivered.

Otherwise, you can keep comparing mobile plans on Finder to discover one that better suits your needs.

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What if I want to keep my current phone number?
Simply choose the option to keep your number during the SIM activation process and Commander will handle it for you. Its website advises the transfer may take up to 5 business days.

If your current mobile number isn't registered under your name, it might take a couple more steps. Read our guide on how to change ownership of your mobile number here.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by David Gregory as part of our fact-checking process.
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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. See full bio

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