WhistleOut Awards 2026: Best Provider for Samsung Plans
Announcing the 2026 winner for Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra plans, judged on contract cost, features and consistent network performance.
Winner
Just as it has done with the iPhone category, Vodafone has now won WhistleOut's Best Provider, Samsung Plans award for an amazing six years running.
Runner-up
Optus again placed second, mirroring the result in the iPhone Plans category.
As the Product Lead at WhistleOut, Crystal uses her eagle-eyed attention to detail to navigate the ins and outs of the complex telco market.
With five years reviewing telco plans up close, Mitch has an instinct for what makes a plan great value.
How we judge this award
This award weighs plans that bundle the latest Galaxy S Ultra model with at least 30GB of monthly data, offered on either a 24 month or 36 month contract term, and each plan is first ranked against others on the same term length.
Value for Money is calculated from the total cost of the plan plus device repayments across the full contract, since only that combined figure reveals what a customer is really paying, with a longer commitment weighted proportionally higher than a shorter one. Plan Features are judged against a checklist of eleven possible inclusions, each worth one point: no speed cap, 5G network access, some international calls, unlimited international calls, roaming inclusion, no excess data charge, data banking or rollover, data sharing, data gifting, streaming or subscription perks, and other bonus perks, with no excess data charges and extras such as device security or entertainment subscriptions carrying particular relevance since they reduce the financial risk of a multi year agreement.
Support Channels tallies eight specific options: a physical store, phone support, online live chat, email or message support, a responsive social media or forum presence, 24/7 support availability, weekend support, and online account management, one point earned per channel offered.
Product Review draws on satisfaction ratings submitted by verified customers of the plan and its provider, and network performance is based on independently measured, provider level speed data. At the close of the year, scores from the 24 month and 36 month groups are tallied together, and the highest combined standing across both terms is crowned the overall winner of Best Samsung Plans.
The Judges
Crystal Feng
Product Lead
Mitch Mercado
Telco Product Expert
Past winners
| Year | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Vodafone | Optus |
| 2024 | Vodafone | Optus |
| 2023 | Vodafone | Optus |
| 2022 | Vodafone | Optus |
| 2021 | Vodafone | Woolworths |
| 2020 | Optus | Woolworths |
| 2019 | Optus | Woolworths |
| 2018 | Optus | - |
Related awards
Best Provider, iPhone Plans Mobile Provider Of The Year Best Provider, International Calls See all WhistleOut awards
FAQs
Who won Best Provider, Samsung Plans in 2026?
Vodafone was named the 2026 winner of the Best Provider, Samsung Plans award.
Has Vodafone won this award before?
Yes, this is Vodafone's sixth consecutive win in this category.
Does WhistleOut get paid by award winners?
No. Award placements are editorially independent of any commercial relationship with providers. See our How We Work page for details on how WhistleOut earns money.
