Pros
- 300GB data bank available on plans
- Pair your plan with a refurbished Samsung Galaxy or iPhone
- Freeze your service for up to 3 months when travelling
Cons
- Customer service hours are only within weekday business hours
numobile review
Our verdict: If you’re looking to save a little on popular handsets, you can get a high-quality refurbished one from numobile, paired with one of its affordable mobile plans.
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numobile review: Our verdict
numobile stands apart from many other smaller providers by offering handsets with its plans – both new and refurbished.
A refurbished handset can be better value if you're after a cheaper version of a popular iPhone or Samsung Galaxy and don't mind a couple of minor scratches or slightly reduced battery life.
For example, you'll save about $55 on a refurbished iPhone 11 compared to a brand-new one.
numobile's plans themselves are also very good value, running on parts of the Telstra 4G network.
Besides this, numobile has some handy features that might appeal to you:
- All numobile plans send your unused data to a data bank at the end of each month – up to 300GB – for later use.
- The numobile "freeze service" option lets you pause your plan and payments for up to 3 months if you decide to travel and leave your plan at home.
- Free SIM and delivery anywhere in Australia.
But remember that numobile:
- Only has customer support that functions during weekday business hours and isn't generally contactable outside of those.
Read a more detailed review on
Value for money
Its entry-level plan ($15 for 3GB) is well-priced for those looking for just a bit of data, costing $5 per 1GB. Similar entry-level plans on Finder cost between $4–$10 per 1GB.
- Good to know: numobile's other plans are also decent value, averaging $0.95 per 1GB. This holds up well against a benchmark of $1 per 1GB.
You can also choose to get either a new or "nucertified refurbished" phone with your numobile SIM on a 24-month contract.
You can cancel anytime – all you'll have to do is pay out the remaining value of the mobile.
numobile runs its refurbished phones through a 51-point test to ensure they work well, checking:
- Whether they can send and receive calls and data
- Have functioning cameras
- All buttons and the touchscreen work
- Look as good as new
- And many more features
To ensure you're happy with your purchase, all handsets come with a 12-month warranty in case the device fails.
You can also take advantage of the 30-day "return or swap" option, which lets you return the phone you bought or trade for a different one. The phone must be in the exact condition and original packaging as when it was sent to you.
Things to watch out for
- Although numobile is sold as a postpaid plan, you'll have to pay each month's fees upfront in order to get service.
Coverage
numobile's right up there when it comes to coverage:
- It uses parts of the Telstra 3G and 4G mobile network, covering 98.8% of the Australian population.
- This is better coverage than that provided by Vodafone (96%) or Optus (98.5%).
- The gap in coverage likely won't affect metropolitan areas, but you might notice a difference in rural and regional areas compared to the full 99.5% coverage offered by Telstra itself.
Customer service
Want to get in touch with numobile? The service team is available between 8am–6pm AEST, Monday to Friday.
You can:
- Drop a message via live chat and get a quick response inside service hours.
- Leave a voicemail on the numobile phone line and they'll ring you back.
- Send through an email and you should get a response within a couple of hours.
Bonus features
numobile has a few extra features available on its plans:
🔄 Data Bank
Any data you haven't used at the end of the month will be stored in a data bank, up to a maximum of 300GB.
⏯ "Freeze Service" option
Heading overseas? numobile doesn't offer international roaming, but it does give you the option of freezing your mobile service for up to 3 months without losing any banked data or making payments.
🌏 International inclusions
Every numobile plan (except the 3GB for $15) comes with unlimited talk and text to 15 countries. This could be helpful if you have friends and family living overseas.
➕ Data add-ons
If you run out of data for the month and have nothing in your data bank, you can purchase extra data to tide you over to the next month. You can buy 2GB for $10 or 5GB for $25.
Which rivals are giving numobile a run for its money?
For new Samsungs:
If you aren't keen on refurbished models, Woolworths Mobile is another smaller provider that sells new Samsung and OPPO handsets on affordable plans.
For wider coverage:
If you need more coverage than the wholesale Telstra network offers (98.8%), upgrade to the full network (99.5%) with Boost Mobile's plans.
For cheaper data:
gomo has cheap mobile plans that come with quite a bit of data attached. It also features data rollover up to 200GB.
Ready to sign up to numobile?
Sadly, numobile is not available for purchase via Finder. Instead, head over to numobile's website numobile.com.au to purchase your chosen plan.
Or you can continue to compare mobile plans to find a better deal for you.
What if I want to keep my current phone number?
Easy. Just let numobile know that you want to keep your current number during the SIM activation process. Once everything's set, your number should be ported over in a maximum of 48 hours.
If your current phone number is under someone else's name, switching to numobile might take a bit longer. Find out more with our guide on how to transfer ownership of your mobile number.
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