Vodafone raises mobile plan prices for existing customers: Time to switch?
If you signed up to Vodafone before 24 January 2023 it's likely you'll be impacted by the price rise.
Vodafone has announced that the majority of its postpaid mobile customers will face a $5 a month price increase from 1 April 2023.
The telco is offering some affected customers more data in return.
The price hit follows an overhaul of Vodafone's mobile plans in late January.
At the time Vodafone reduced its offers from 5 plans (1 of which included unlimited data) to just 3 plans.
Why are prices increasing?
A Vodafone spokesperson said the telco was increasing the monthly plan fee on most of its existing postpaid mobile plans by $5 a month as a response to inflationary pressures and the rising costs of doing business.
"This is the first time Vodafone has increased pricing for its existing postpaid mobile customers in at least 10 years and is not a decision we have taken lightly," the spokesperson said.
Am I impacted?
Vodafone customers who signed up for to a postpaid mobile plan before 24 January 2023 may be affected.
Vodafone has started contacting customers to let them know via email and mail.
I recently received an email from Vodafone saying my phone plan was going up $5 a month, from $65 to $70. And surprise! They're also throwing in an extra 200GB of data. It's frustrating, as I don't need another 200GB of data – I don't even get through the data I have. I'm a bit stuck because I have a 3-year bundled plan including phone, internet and iPad, so I can't leave without paying out the devices. It's only $5 a month, but it all adds up.— Sarah Megginson, head of editorial at Finder
Similar to Sarah, other customers may find the offer of additional data unappealing given that most Aussies use very little data.
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the average Australian uses around 10.2GB a month.
Can my mobile plan provider increase the price while I'm on a contract?
Yes, depending on the terms and conditions within your contract, your telco may increase the cost of your plan.
They usually have to give written advance notice which is why Vodafone customers are being contacted now.
As network operation costs increase, these price changes are becoming more common with some telcos changing prices annually.
Telstra is one provider that is upfront about this. It has a note prominently displayed on its plans stating "Price may increase by CPI (Consumer Price Index) annually in July".
Can I cancel or change my plan?
You should be able to change to one of Vodafone's Small, Medium or Large plans.
Or, you can also cancel your plan as Vodafone offers no-lock-in contracts the majority of the time.
- Keep in mind: If you're on a phone repayment plan you may need to pay out the remaining cost of your handset upon cancellation. This applies to any other tech offered by Vodafone that you've taken up on a contract.
However, if you're keen to switch there are a bunch of alternatives to consider.
If you're happy staying on the Vodafone network you can pay just $35 a month with felix and get unlimited data (speed capped at 20Mbps).
Try it for 3 months from $17.50 a month with our exclusive deal – $35 a month after.
Otherwise Belong, which operates on parts of the Telstra network, has plans from as little as $25 for 20GB.
Want more options? Compare mobile plans on Finder to one that best fits your budget and data needs.
