Dial down the cost
Smaller phone companies often use bigger networks, writes Sophie Elsworth
MANY mobile phone customers are unaware they can still access the three main telco networks in Australia – Telstra, Optus and Vodafone – if they choose to sign up with smaller carriers providing cheap deals.
Competition in the mobile phone industry is rife and this has delivered good savings to customers who need to stay connected.
Known as Mobile Virtual Network Operators ( MVNOs), these smaller operators buy access to a specific network service at a wholesale price and then resell this on to consumers.
Some of the well- known providers outside of the big three include Amaysim, Dodo and Kogan.
Telco comparison website Whistleout’s spokesman Joseph Hanlon said there’s plenty of choice out there for customers, particularly those who have a BYO device and only need data, calls and texts.
“Most people assume that the smaller providers have their own discrete networks and there’s no way they could compete with the coverage of the big telcos,’’ he said.
“But knowing they share those networks should give people a lot of confidence to take a punt on these smaller providers because they can help save some money.
“The vast majority of these other providers will have a mixture of SIMonly plans and prepaid plans.”
Customers can pay around $ 40 or less per month to get unlimited calls, texts and around 10GB of data.
This is much cheaper than plans where customers are paying off the device as well – costs can easily run over $ 100 per month.
Optus Business managing director Stuart Bird said they are continuing to work with other partners to help deliver more options for consumers.
“At Optus our wholesale customers get unfettered access to the same super- fast, quality 4G plus network that our retail customers do,’’ he said.
“We don’t believe in limiting the network quality for our wholesale customers like other operators do.”
Most the smaller providers also have no- frills deals but it can sometimes result in slower speeds and missing out on added bonuses.
A Telstra spokesman said customers have access to “unlimited wi- fi data at more than one million Telstra hot spots across Australia” and also “access to AFL, NRL and netball games live, fast and data free.”
Mr Hanlon said consumers need to clearly understand what is in their deal.
“With the big providers you’re almost always getting some international calling credit, you’ll have the option to take your phone overseas,’’ he said.