The Optus mobile network continues to evolve in incredible ways, and now covers 98.5% of the Australian population. Both its 3G and 4G networks have received significant upgrades in the past couple of years, and its fastest speeds keep rolling out to more regions beyond the major cities. All good stuff.
What you might not know is that Optus shares this network with a number of smaller providers: amaysim, Virgin Mobile, Telechoice and TPG, to name a few. And, unlike Telstra and Vodafone, Optus gives its partners full access to the 4G network — not just slower 3G speeds.
Obviously, more options is a good thing. But when you take all Optus network providers into account, there are hundreds of plans to consider. So, we’re here to help with our picks for the best value plans backed by Optus 4G network.
Editor's Picks
| Plan | Inclusions | Data | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$25 Cruiser SIM Plan |
500 minutes calls
Unlimited SMS |
1.5GB | $25 | Go to Jeenee Mobile |
|
UNLIMITED 2GB | Unlimited calls & SMS | 2GB | $29.90 | Go to Amaysim |
|
Unlimited 4GB | Unlimited calls & SMS | 4GB | $35.90 | Go to SpinTel |
|
$40 SIM Plan | Unlimited calls & SMS | 4GB | $40 | Go to Virgin Mobile |
|
$50 SIM Only | Unlimited calls & SMS | 5GB | $50 | Go to Optus |
A closer look
As you can see, we've included options across a wide range of prices, and with varied inclusions. Whether you're looking for something affordable, or a plan with a huge amount of included data, our editor's picks should have what you're looking for.
Jeenee Mobile: the Cruiser Plan isn't the cheapest BYO Phone plan available, but it is a favourite. Despite being a comparatively new telco, Jeenee has already won industry awards and earned a strong reputation with its Sydney-based customer support.
It's also worth recognising the contribution Jeenee Mobile makes to disability services in Australia. For every new SIM plan that the company sells, a portion of the sale goes towards proving a free phone service to someone living with a disability. All in all, Jeenee is pretty awesome.
amaysim: probably Australia's leading telco in regards to customer service, amaysim is a great option for anyone looking for a SIM plan, especially someone who is new to the concept. While it is better known for its higher value (more expensive) plans, the UNLIMITED 2GB is a great choice for average use phone owners.
There is actually a lot of competition at the $30 price point, including several plan options with unlimited calls and SMS. amaysim steals the show with the 2GB of included data in this plan. This is double what you usually find at this price.
SpinTel: better known as a broadband service provider, SpinTel offers the same access to the Optus 4G network as the other telcos on this list, but with a novel Build Your Own Plan model.
The plan we've listed here isn't a pre-made option, instead we've mixed-and-matched calls, SMS and data and created a plan that we think is excellent value for $33 per month.
Virgin Mobile: owned by Optus, Virgin is probably the best known MVNO in Australia. It boasts the fourth largest customer base in the country, which it has built on the back of its competitive prices and a cheeky brand.
Virgin's $40 SIM Plan is great value and comes with a number of benefits you won't get with the smaller providers. Data Rollover is a key Virgin advantage, as is $300 credit for calls to international numbers.
Optus:it seems only right that a list of best Optus network plans should include an entry by the network owner. But trust us, Optus earns its place in this list.
Following recent price changes, the new $50 SIM Plan is great value with 5GB included. If you plan of streaming music and videos each day, this is the plan for you. If you think you might need more data, the $60 option comes with 7GB.
Here's a few more plan options to consider...
Phone network image via Shutterstock
