Big mobile plan changes coming in July and how you can save heaps
We've rounded up big movements from telcos such as amaysim, Optus, Telstra and Boost Mobile on price hikes, 5G access, speed caps and more.
If you're going through your end of financial year checklist, don't forget to think about your mobile plan - it's one of the easiest switches to make if you're looking to save money.
These are the mobile providers that have announced plan changes coming into effect next month.
Telstra price hikes kick in 4 July
Telstra's increasing prices for both its postpaid and prepaid mobile plans from next month.
Its postpaid plans will become $3 to $6 more expensive per month. It was just a year back that Telstra raised its prices by $3 to $4 a month.
Its prepaid plans will also become more expensive by $2 to $5 per recharge.
Here's a rundown of changes across both plan types:
Telstra postpaid plan changes
| Plan | Old price | New price | Data included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $58 | $62 | 50GB (was 40GB) |
| Essential | $68 | $72 | 180GB |
| Premium | $89 | $95 | 300GB |
Telstra prepaid plan changes
| Current Price | Current Data | New Price | New Data |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10 (7-day expiry) | 2GB | $12 | 3GB |
| $30 (28-day expiry) | 10GB | $35 | 15GB |
| $40 (28-day expiry) | 20GB | $45 | 25GB |
| $60 (28-day expiry) | 40GB | $65 | 70GB |
| $150 (6-month expiry) | 60GB | $160 | 70GB |
| $300 (12-month expiry) | 150GB | $320 | 165GB |
What's the alternative? If you're still looking to stay on the Telstra network, Boost Mobile remains a solid option. It offers full access to Telstra's network and despite its own bump in prices (see below), it can save you money or give you more data for the same price.
Boost Mobile price increases also kick in 4 July
Boost Mobile is also changing its pricing for the majority of its prepaid plans by $2 to $30. The higher price increase is for its long-expiry plan.
Here's a look at the changes:
| Current recharge | New recharge from 4 July 2023 | Expiry |
|---|---|---|
| $10 for 3GB | $12 for 5GB | 7 days |
| $20 for 5GB | $22 for 7GB | 28 days |
| $30 for 20GB | $35 for 25GB | 28 days |
| $40 for 30GB | $45 for 35GB | 28 days |
| $50 for 40GB | $55 for 45GB | 28 days |
| $70 for 65GB | $70 for 90GB (No price change) | 28 days |
| $200 for 130GB | $230 for 160GB | 12 months |
| $300 for 240GB | No change | 12 months |
What's the alternative? We still think Boost Mobile offers good bang for buck if you're worried about network coverage. But if that's not a concern, then MATE and Woolworths Mobile could be some good alternatives.
MATE's offering a sign up deal where you pay just $1 for the first month so you could take it for a spin. Woolies' long-expiry prepaid plans were highly commended in the 2023 Finder Awards and you can also score 10% off on your monthly groceries.
amaysim to add 5G, introduce speed caps from 3 July
amaysim isn't hiking up its prices, but it is going to give more customers access to 5G on its $30, $40 and $50 plans.
As with many of the 5G plans in Australia, these will come with speed caps of 100-150Mbps, but that should be fast enough speeds for most people.
Here's a rundown of its 28-day expiry plans if you're keen to sign up:
- $30 for 32GB (get 40GB for just $10 on your first renewal)
- $40 for 80GB
- $50 for 120GB
Good to know. amaysim won the 2023 Finder Award for Best Prepaid Mobile Provider (Value).
Belong Mobile to change entry level plan from 4 July
Belong's not doing anything too drastic, but it is scrapping its current entry level plan and making it $4 a month more expensive. The good news is you get a bit more data in return.
- Original plan: $25 per month for 20GB
- New plan: $29 per month for 25GB
All its other plans remain the same.
What's the alternative? If you're looking to stay on the Telstra network and want a plan for $25 or under per month, then MATE Mobile, Tangerine Mobile or Woolworths Mobile are some good alternatives to consider.
MATE's $25 plan comes with 22GB of data. The first month will cost you just $1. Tangerine's 22GB plan costs $24.90 a month and Woolies' plan costs $25 a month for 22GB.
Optus to introduce new prepaid plans from 11 July, price hikes kick in
Optus will be introducing a new range of Optus Flex Plus prepaid plans in July, consolidating from 11 to just 6 plans.
It'll also add 5G across the board and implement speed caps between 150-250Mbps.
These changes show how mobile plans are evolving - spending more will not only get you a higher data limit, but you can also get faster speeds.
Here's a look at its new plans:
| Price | Data | Expiry | Speed cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| $12 | 3GB | 7 days | 150Mbps |
| $35 | 20GB | 28 days | 150Mbps |
| $45 | 30GB | 28 days | 150Mbps |
| $55 | 40GB | 28 days | 250Mbps |
| $160 | 80GB | 186 days | 150Mbps |
| $320 | 180GB | 365 days | 150Mbps |
In another news, Optus postpaid customers took to Reddit earlier in June, lashing out at the telco about plan prices going up as much as 60%.
These customers were likely on Optus's legacy plans and not impacted by price increases over the last few years. Now they're feeling the pinch.
What's the alternative? Smaller providers that run on the Optus network have full access to it as well, so there's no reason you need to pay the loyalty tax and stick around. Read our round up of the best plans on the Optus network for more options. amaysim, as discussed, is a strong alternative.
There's a good chance we'll see more changes in the coming months. We'll update you when these happen.
Want to tackle other household bills for the new financial year? Compare internet and energy plans to find a better deal.
