Signing up to an MVNO means you can still get access to the Telstra, Optus or Vodafone mobile networks, usually for a cheaper price.
Plans from MVNOs are usually lighter on features and benefits than plans directly from Telstra, Optus or Vodafone.
What is an MVNO?
An MVNO is a mobile virtual network operator. These providers offer mobile services without owning their own mobile spectrum or infrastructure. Instead they purchase mobile network services from a company that does and then resell it to consumers.
In Australia, there are only 3 telcos that have their own mobile network – Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. That means all other smaller mobile providers, the MVNOs, use one of those networks.
Most MVNOs are independent companies, but some are owned by the big 3 telcos themselves.
Good to know: Just 11% of mobile services in Australia come from MVNOs. The remaining 89% belong to Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.
Do MVNOs have the same coverage as the bigger mobile providers?
It depends which mobile network the MVNO has access to as to whether it has the same coverage as the bigger mobile providers.
MVNOs that use the Optus and Vodafone mobile networks have the same coverage as Optus and Vodafone themselves, as they use the full network.
With Telstra MVNOs, things are slightly different. Most of these only use the Telstra Wholesale Network, which claims to cover 98.8% of the Australian population. Telstra's full network covers 99.5% of Australians, so those with a Telstra MVNO will lose out on a bit of coverage, mostly in rural and regional areas.
Keep in mind: Even though they use the same mobile network, some MVNOs don't offer 5G plans. They may only offer plans that use a provider's 4G network.
Telstra MVNOs
The majority of Telstra MVNOs use the Telstra wholesale mobile network, which covers 98.8% of Australians. Telstra's own network reaches 99.5% of the population.
The only 3 MVNOs in Australia that use Telstra's full network are Boost Mobile, JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys.
Even though it's slightly less coverage, the Telstra wholesale mobile network still reaches more people than the full Optus and Vodafone networks.
Compare plans from Telstra MVNOs
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Everyone has different needs when it comes to mobile plans, but there are many compelling reasons as to why it's worth switching to an MVNO.
The main reason is MVNOs offer cheaper plans.
The ACCC Communications Market Report released in December 2023 found that the median advertised plan price for the big 3 mobile network operators was $58 in 2022–23. For MVNOs, the average was $30.
That's a total difference of $336 over a year signing up with an MVNO instead of 1 of the big 3 mobile operators.
If you're looking for a basic mobile plan and don't need too many bells and whistles, then MVNOs offer lots of affordable options for this.
MVNOs are also worth switching if you don't need a new phone. If you're just after a basic SIM only plan with enough data, MVNOs are a strong option for this.
Finder survey: Which mobile carrier do Australians trust most?
In a survey of 1,110 Australians, the major brands (Telstra, Optus, Vodafone) were found to be more trustworthy than MVNOs. While these larger providers do not always offer the most affordable plans, it could still be worth signing up with them if brand matters to you.
Response
Telstra
60%
Vodafone
30.63%
Optus
29.46%
TPG
14.14%
None of the above
12.88%
Belong
10.99%
Amaysim
7.75%
Boost Mobile
6.85%
Other
6.67%
Moose Mobile
1.17%
Lebara
1.08%
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1110 Australians, December 2023
Why are MVNOs cheaper?
The main reason MVNOs can offer you a cheaper deal on phone plans than any of the big 3 telcos is because they don't have to pay the costs for building and maintaining the actual mobile networks themselves.
MVNOs are also smaller companies and hence don't spend as much on advertising either.
Which MVNOs have 5G mobile plans?
MVNOs in Australia that offer 5G plans include:
AGL
ALDImobile
amaysim
Aussie Broadband Mobile
Belong Mobile
Boost Mobile
CMobile Blue
Exetel Mobile
Goodtel Mobile
JB Hi-Fi
Konec Mobile
Lebara Mobile
Mate
Moose Mobile
More
numobile
Pennytel
Southern Phone
SpinTel
Superloop
Tangerine Telecom Mobile
Telsim
Everyday Mobile (Woolworths)
Frequently asked questions
With 1.5 million customers in Australia, amaysim is considered Australia's largest MVNO.
The following MVNOs offer eSIMs in Australia:
AGL
amaysim
Circles.Life
Everyday Mobile
felix
iiNet
Kogan
Lebara
Lycamobile
Mate
More
Southern Phone
Superloop
Tangerine
TeleChoice
Telsim
TPG
The MVNOs in Australia are:
Accord
AGL
ALDImobile
Alphacall
amaysim
Aussie Broadband
Australia Post
Belong Mobile
Bendigo
BetterLife
Boost Mobile
Catch Connect
Circles.Life
CMobile
Coles
Commander
dodo
E.Tel
Escapenet
Everyday Mobile
Exetel
felix
Flip
Goodtel
iiNet
iPrimus
JB Hi-Fi
Kogan
Konec Mobile
Lebara
Lycamobile
Mate
Moose
More
numobile
Pennytel
Reward Mobile
Southern Phone
SpinTel
Superloop
Swoop
Tangerine
TeleChoice
Telsim
Think Mobile
TPG
Yomojo
Keep in mind that the above list covers MVNOs that we compare on Finder, which may not be all MVNOs available to sign up to in Australia.
Why compare mobile phone plans with Finder?
We know our stuff. We pour over hundreds of mobile plans every month. It's exhausting. But worth it.
You can rely on us. We're constantly updating and fact-checking our data on dozens of Aussie telcos.
We're here to help. We've helped millions of Aussies find better mobile phone plan. And we'll keep doing it.
Mark Neilsen is a writer at Finder, specialising in streaming, broadband and mobile. He looks for deals on all those services and keeps you abreast of any changes to see what's worth it for you. He has over 20 years' experience in print and digital media and while at Finder, Mark’s expertise has been featured in Yahoo Finance, The New Daily, Ad News, Tech Guide and news.com.au. In his time at Finder he has done over 300 articles on streaming, mobile and broadband. In his time away from Finder he is trying to get through the watchlists of the 11 streaming services he is currently subscribed to. See full bio
Mark's expertise
Mark has written 65 Finder guides across topics including:
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