It used to be that there were just four big name brands selling phone plans in Australia; Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and Virgin Mobile. But there is a new player in town, and it means business.
Woolworth’s Mobile now sells a selection of Samsung’s best phones, from the cheaper Galaxy S5 and Galaxy A3, to the latest premium models, the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.
Here’s what you can expect if you shop for a new Samsung with Woolworth’s:
- Standard 24-month phone plans with a cheap per-month phone repayment
- Access to parts of the Telstra 4G network
- A choice of 3 easy to understand plan options
- Zero bill shock with no excess usage charges
24-month plans
Woolworth’s Mobile phone plans look pretty much the same as the phone plans sold by the big 4 telcos. You agree to a 24-month term, the price of the phone is heavily subsidised, and you get unlimited calls and SMS each month, plus the amount of data included in the plan you choose.
Telstra Network
If you needed Telstra coverage, and you wanted a new phone, it used to be that you had one option: Telstra. Woolworth’s customers now get access to parts of the Telstra 4G network, so you get the famous coverage, and the fast speeds of Telstra’s network.
3 simple plans
You might be used to your telco trying to sell you a new phone on one of a dozen incrementally different plans. With Woolworth’s you only get a choice of three, a Small, a Medium or a Large. Each of the plans is basically the same, leaving your choice down to whether you need 1GB, 3GB or 8GB of mobile data each month.
Zero Bill Shock
This is one of our favourite parts of these plans. Woolworth’s offers a Zero Bill Shock guarantee, so you will never pay more than the agreed price each month. It does this by treating your data allowance like it would on a pre-paid plan. Once you reach your data limit within a month, it cuts off the data until you reach the end of the month. If you need more data, you can pay for an add-on pack to tide you over until the next month.
Downsides - no frills
The Woolworth’s Mobile plans are a good alternative to plans offered by the bill telcos, but they are also a no frills option. There are a number of plan benefits you will get on a big telco plan that aren’t available here.
Included international calls
Most of the big telco plans now include some international calls. Some plans even include unlimited calls to certain countries.
With Woolworth’s Mobile you get either $5 or $10 per month on the Medium and Large plans to call overseas, but the rates are fairly expensive and vary from country to country. You also need to set a monthly limit on the account so that you don’t rack up a huge bill.
International roaming
If you plan to travel, a Woolworth’s phone plan is not for you. There is no international roaming functionality available on any Woolworth’s plan. Consider a Vodafone Red plan if you plan on travelling a lot.
Family Sharing
Telstra, Optus and Vodafone phone plans let you add multiple lines to your account and pool the data from all of the connected services. Woolworth’s doesn’t offer family sharing yet.