OVO launches $100 100GB mobile broadband plan to combat NBN frustrations

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 05 September 2017

Tiny telco OVO today took the wraps off a new top-end mobile broadband plan offering 100GB of data for $100 per 30-day recharge. Pricing equates to $1 per gigabyte, which is makes it one of the cheapest data only plans around based on data-per-dollar.

OVO CEO Matt Jones says the company introduced the new 100GB as a response to frustrations around NBN.

"Despite the billions being spent on upgrading Australia's fixed broadband infrastructure, it remains slow and expensive by international standards," said Jones. "I speak as one of the many, many Australians who are sick of hearing about why that is and who's to blame - we just want it to work, where and when we want it."

"I often refer to Akamai's State of the 'Internet Report' which ranks us 50th in the world for average broadband speed at 7.7Mbps, and by contrast, we rank 7th in the world for mobile broadband speed with an average of 15.7Mbps."

Jones says that more than 30% of OVO's customer base are purchasing large data SIMs as part of their package, but have still requested higher inclusion plans.

"Even though we have 50GB and 70GB plans on the market, there's a general consensus that at 100GB you've covered the needs of a home on average," said Jones.

While Jones concedes that fixed broadband plans offer higher data allowances, he believes the majority of Australians won't use more than 100GB per month.

"Obviously one of the advantages of fixed broadband is allowances can be unlimited, but frankly, the vast majority of people don't need more than 100GB per month," said Jones. "So for those people, provided they're in a good 4G area, [mobile broadband is an] ideal product for them."

In addition to the 100GB mobile broadband plan, OVO is launching a speed test website it calls "Not Bloody Necessary". The site is designed to test both fixed broadband and mobile broadband speeds, and after enough information has been gathered, OVO plans to publish a comparison between average fixed and mobile speeds for individual suburbs in Australia.

OVO's data-only plans are as follows:

#1	Vodafone Editor's Pick	Vodafone Editor's Pick Small Data SIM Only Plan Mobile Broadband 60GB Data Deal: Get 60GB of data for 12 months (incl. 30GB bonus data) on the Small Data SIM Only plan. Ends 21.10.26. T&Cs apply. $20/mth Min. cost $20 Link not supplied	$20/mth Min. cost $20	Link not supplied
#2	SpinTel	SpinTel Mobile Broadband 50GB Mobile Broadband 50GB Data $28/mth Min. cost $28 Link not supplied	$28/mth Min. cost $28	Link not supplied
#3	Tangerine Telecom Editor's Pick	Tangerine Telecom Editor's Pick 100GB Mobile Broadband Data Plan Mobile Broadband 100GB Data $34.90/mth Min. cost $34.90 Link not supplied	$34.90/mth Min. cost $34.90	Link not supplied
#4	Lebara Mobile	Lebara Mobile Data Plan Medium Mobile Broadband 80GB Data Prepaid (60 Days) Deal: Includes 20GB bonus data for first 3 recharges on Medium Data Plan until 03.11.26 $37 Link not supplied	$37	Link not supplied
#5	Belong	Belong 100GB Data SIM Only Mobile Broadband 100GB Data $40/mth Min. cost $40 Link not supplied	$40/mth Min. cost $40	Link not supplied
#6	More	More 100GB Mobile Broadband Data Plan Mobile Broadband 100GB Data Deal: Get $10/mth off mobile broadband plan for 36 mths when you sign up with a CommBank debit or credit card. Ends 31.03.27 $40/mth Min. cost $40 Link not supplied	$40/mth Min. cost $40	Link not supplied
#7	Aussie Broadband	Aussie Broadband Large Data Only 5G SIM Mobile Broadband 50GB Data $40/mth Min. cost $40 Link not supplied	$40/mth Min. cost $40	Link not supplied
#8	Telstra	Telstra $44 Pre-Paid Mobile Broadband Go Mobile Broadband 70GB Data Prepaid (28 Days) Deal: Includes 40GB bonus data for first 3 recharges. Activate by 02.11.26 $44 Link not supplied	$44	Link not supplied
#9	amaysim	amaysim 100GB Data Plan Mobile Broadband 100GB Data Prepaid (28 Days) $50 Link not supplied	$50	Link not supplied
#10	Yomojo	Yomojo 50GB Data Only Mobile Broadband 50GB Data $54.90/mth Min. cost $54.90 Link not supplied	$54.90/mth Min. cost $54.90	Link not supplied

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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