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- Good value mobile plans
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MATE mobile plan review
Bundle up your MATE mobile plan with one of its NBN plans and get $10 off your monthly Internet bill.
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MATE is an Australian broadband provider that also offers mobile plans. If you're looking for good data-per-dollar value and already have a phone, MATE offers a solid set of SIM-only plans.
Compare mobile plans below
Compare MATE mobile plans
What are MATE plans like?
MATE has six postpaid plans available month to month. These are SIM-only plans which means you'll need to provide your own phone.
- good mates. 10GB of data for $20 per month. Unlimited talk and text in Australia.
- better mates. 20GB of data for $25 per month. Unlimited talk and text in Australia, plus unlimited international calls and SMS to 15 countries.
- great mates. 30GB of data for $30 per month. Unlimited talk and text in Australia, plus unlimited international calls and SMS to 15 countries.
- best mates. 40GB of data for $35 per month. Unlimited talk and text in Australia, plus unlimited international calls and SMS to 15 countries.
- soul mates. 50GB of data for $40 per month. Unlimited talk and text in Australia, plus unlimited international calls and SMS to 15 countries.
- elite mates. 70GB of data for $50 per month. Unlimited talk and text in Australia, plus unlimited international calls and SMS to 15 countries.
All plans come with 150GB to 400GB data banking between months.
MATE mobile review
MATE is better known as an NBN provider, but its range of mobile plans offers pretty decent value. They are powered by the Telstra wholesale network that covers 98.8% of the population, so if coverage is important to you but you don't want to pay Telstra's high prices, MATE could be a good alternative.
MATE's plans are better value on the higher end of the scale – that is, their plans from the $30 mark are some of the better value plans available on the market thanks to offering nearly $1 per GB. Besides that, you could probably find cheaper plans if you don't need a lot of data. Always make sure to compare your options to find the best deal for your needs.
These are the main features you'll get on a MATE mobile plan:
 
Here's a summary of MATE's plan features:
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Excess usage warning |  |
| Entertainment extras |  |
| Data-free media streaming | |
| Rollover data | |
| Data sharing | |
| International calls/texts | |
| International roaming | |
| Rewards program | |
| Student/pensioner discounts | |
Is it worth signing up to MATE? We ask our utilities expert and writer, Sam Baran
MATE offers pretty decent value across most of its range of postpaid mobile plans.
Its higher data plans come in at about $1/GB in value, which is about standard for the mobile market. That said, if you're looking for higher data values past 40GB, you might want to consider a provider like Vaya or Moose Mobile for good-value options. Likewise, if you're looking to use just a bit of data each month, you might be better off grabbing a cheaper deal that offers less than 8GB a month.
How does MATE compare?
To give you an idea of how MATE compares to the competition, we've placed its 40GB plan up against similar ones from Telstra (its network provider) and Belong (another MVNO on the Telstra network).
| MATE | Telstra | Belong | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan name | soul mates SIM-only | Upfront Mobile Plan Small | 40GB SIM-only |
| Plan cost | $40/month | $55/month | $40/month |
| Data allowance | 40GB | 40GB | 40GB |
| Dollar per data value | $1.00 per 1GB | $1.38 per 1GB | $1.00 per 1GB |
| Features | Data banking, international inclusions, free Tidal subscription | Data sharing, international inclusions, Telstra Plus rewards | Data banking, international inclusions add on for $5/month |
MATE offers an almost identical service to Belong, and both provide better value than what you get from Telstra. The only real difference between Belong and MATE is that MATE's data banking is restricted to 100GB while Belong's is unlimited, but this is a minor point for most users.
Does MATE work overseas?
No, MATE does not allow for international roaming on its mobile plans.
If you're not looking to take your MATE mobile plan overseas, but rather to use it to call people overseas, then yes, MATE will accommodate for this.
When it comes to international calls, all but MATE's cheapest plan offer unlimited calls and SMS to 15 countries: Canada, China, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, United Kingdom, USA, and Vietnam.
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