iPrimus aims to please with affordable plans offering a full range of options.
As the first telco to enter the Aussie market after industry deregulation back in 1997, iPrimus has plenty of history serving Australian communication needs. While it originally focused on Internet and home phone services, the telco also offers SIM-only mobile plans delivered over Optus' 4G network, all of which are available on no-lock-in, month-to-month contracts.
iPrimus SIM-only plans
iPrimus offers three tiers of post-paid SIM-only plan with varying data caps and extras. Those differences aside, each plan comes loaded with unlimited calls to standard landlines, mobiles and 13/1300 numbers within Australia plus unlimited national SMS.
Dubbed "Plus" plans, here's what iPrimus' SIM-only line-up looks like:
- 1.5GB Plus, which includes 1.5GB of data for $20 a month
- 3GB Plus, which includes 3GB of data for $30 a month
- 10GB Plus, which includes 10GB of data and 300 international minutes to select countries for $50 a month
On all three plans, going over your monthly data cap will incur excess data charges of $12 per 1GB, with that charge applied automatically as soon as you exceed your current balance. Bear in mind that, even if you don't use the entire 1GB of extra data, you'll still be charged the full $12.
How does iPrimus compare?
The post-paid SIM-only market is an incredibly competitive one, and iPrimus hasn't quite got the chops to hang with the front of the pack.
At the budget end, iPrimus' 1.5GB Plus plan is overshadowed by plans from amaysim, Moose Mobile and Vaya, all of which include higher data caps and lower prices while offering the same coverage through Optus' 4G network:
Higher price tiers don't see iPrimus perform any better, with its $50 10GB Plus plan trumped by amaysim's $40 15GB plan as well as Moose Mobile's $49 30GB plan:
Why should you consider iPrimus?
If you're after a basic SIM-only plan with the freedom of unlimited calls and texts, iPrimus' 1.5GB Plus plan isn't too far off from the best offerings on the market. You can cancel this month-to-month plan at any time without any termination fees, so you don't have to worry about committing to something you'll later regret.
Meanwhile, for data-junkies and those with friends and families overseas, iPrimus' 3GB and 10GB Plus plans simply can't compete with the many superior options out there from providers like amaysim, Vodafone, Vaya and Moose Mobile.
