Vodafone's bringing your old phone number into the NBN future

Joseph Hanlon - Editorial Director

Last updated 27 June 2018

In an effort to merge old and new, Vodafone will let NBN customers redirect all phone calls from legacy landline phone numbers to Vodafone postpaid mobile phone numbers, as well as offering discounts for NBN customers who also have a postpaid service.

Known as Vodafone Mobile Landline, the new service will mean that customers don't need to have a landline handset connected in their homes at all, and that their home phone numbers will be able to move with them, regardless of whether they move home later.

The service is a separate subscription and will cost $5 per month. It is available to customers with a Vodafone NBN service, but Vodafone plans to open it up to postpaid and prepaid mobile customers in the near future.

Vodafone's General Manager of Fixed Broadband Matthew Lobb says that the service is an important feature, even for those of us who no longer rely on landline phones to communicate.

"Our researched showed that while many people now use mobile phones for all their calls, there is a segment of the community who still want to keep the phone number they have had over the years," said Lobb.

"Most people don't use their home phone, but they want to have it there in case they get a call from a long lost friend or distant relative."

This monthly cost will be offset somewhat by the introduction of a new bundled service discount, where Vodafone customers with both an NBN and postpaid mobile service will get a $10 monthly discount off the cost of their combined bill.

To make sure that customers can make best use of their NBN service, Vodafone also announced that it will sell a new WiFi Booster (pictured above) to work with the Vodafone 4G WiFi Hub modem. The new Booster can pair with the WiFi Hub using one-touch WPS security and can have up to 32 devices connected to it.

The Booster will cost $180 upfront, or the cost can be split over 12, 24 or 36 months.

Making it monthly

Another significant change Vodafone will implement is moving all NBN plans to month-to-month contracts and offering customers the option to pay off any equipment they need, i.e: a smart modem and WiFi boosters.

This move mirrors Vodafone's current mobile phone plans and interest-free handset repayment options. Customers can leave Vodafone NBN internet plans at any time, but will need to pay out the balance of the equipment on their account.

Unlike most no-contract NBN plans, Vodafone NBN does not have any setup costs, though new customers are required to buy a Vodafone WiFi Hub modem.

Joseph Hanlon

Editorial Director | X | LinkedIn

Joe Hanlon has been immersed in mobile phones, plans and the internet for over a decade, having written for publications like CNET, Techradar, Gizmodo and Lifehacker. He steers the editorial ship and makes sure that we are always serving up the most useful guides and recommendations. If you ever bump into Joe on the street, don't be afraid to ask for a phone recommendation. It's embarrassing how much he enjoys talking about this stuff. He also loves listening to podcasts, so feel free to email Joe with recommendations.

Read full bio