You don't need to pay Telstra prices to get a mobile plan on the Telstra network – in some cases, you might halve your bill. These providers are known as network resellers or Mobile Virtual network Operators (MVNOs).
In this guide, we'll look at the best mobile plans on the Telstra network.
Best Telstra network plans
These Telstra MVNO plans have plenty of data for browsing and scrolling while out and about. But it also might be useful to keep an eye out for plans offering data banking and data rollover to help build a buffer for high usage months. This would certainly be handy for those months when streaming Bluey on repeat is the only way you can get errands done.
While certainly not stingy on the data, plans under $40 from Telstra providers might cut it close for heavy data users. Data usage from video streaming services can chew through more than 6GB per hour. If your music is streamed from the cloud, apps like Spotify have data usage that can use more than 140MB per hour, which can add up if you're a daily listener.
If you're not sure you have enough data on the plan you want, you can always look at your current internet data usage as a good marker for a minimum GB amount.
Most mobile plans on the Telstra network under $50 come with a lot to love. With frequent double-data deals, you're sure to find a plan that can do everything you need. Many Telstra MVNOs offer access to 5G mobile plans, keeping speeds up as you surf the web or catch up on your favourite TV show.
With so much data on offer, it's good to check if 4G or 5G speeds will better suit your needs.
When plans have similar inclusions, the cheapest option isn’t always the best. One way to compare is on the value per GB. As a rule of thumb, anything at $1 or under per GB is good value.
Which MVNO has the best coverage on the Telstra mobile network?
Most Telstra providers, like ALDI Mobile, Everyday Mobile, and Belong, among others, offer services on the "Telstra Wholesale" network. The wholesale network has a slightly smaller footprint than the Telstra network proper. It covers just 1.4 million square kilometers where the full network accounts for 2.14 million square kilometres.
Here's what this difference look like:

Even so, unless you live in a regional or remote area of Australia, you should still find you're covered by the Telstra Wholesale network – at least for 4G. If you absolutely must have a mobile plan on the full Telstra network, your only alternative is Boost Mobile. Even Telstra's other subsidiary, Belong, doesn't warrant this special treatment, so Boost is somewhat of a unicorn among Telstra providers.
To clarify, here's how coverage compares between Telstra, Optus and Vodafone and each of their respective MVNOs across both 4G and 5G coverage:
| Network | 4G coverage | 5G coverage | Network Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telstra network* | N/A | N/A | 2.14 mil square km |
| Telstra Wholesale network | N/A | N/A | 1.4 mil square km |
| Optus network | 99.1% | 94.5% | 1.2 million square km |
| Vodafone network | 99% | 94.5% | 1.2 million square km |
Numbers shown are a percentage of the Australian population.
*Telstra no longer provides population-based coverage figures. Boost Mobile is the only Telstra MVNO with access to the full Telstra network.
Who sells Telstra network plans?
If you're wondering who uses the Telstra network, there are 8 major Telstra MVNOs: ALDI Mobile, Belong, Boost Mobile, Everyday Mobile, Exetel, More, Superloop, and Tangerine Telecom. We've done a quick summary of each one's main stats below:
Mobile providers on the Telstra network
| Provider | Plan Types | 5G | Highlighted features |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALDI Mobile | Prepaid, PAYG | Yes, selected plans | Unlimited data rollover, international calls and SMS on selected plans to selected countries, long-expiry plans, family plans. 100Mbps/150Mbps/250Mbps speed caps. |
| Belong | No Contract Plans | Yes | Unlimited data banking when you pay on time, data gifting, no coverage charges for national data. 150Mbps/250Mbps speed limits for 5G. |
| Boost Mobile | Prepaid | Yes, selected plans | Unlimited data rollover, long-expiry plans, international calls on standard and long-expiry plans, refurbished phones. Full Telstra network access. 150Mbps/250Mbps/uncapped 5G speeds. |
| Everyday Mobile | Prepaid and No Contract Plans | Yes, one plan | 500GB data banking, data gifting, long-expiry plans, 5G access on its most expensive plan, 100Mbps/150Mbps/250Mbps speed caps. |
| Exetel | Prepaid | Yes | Minimum 500GB data banking, data gifting, 5G access on its most expensive plan, speed caps to avoid excessive bills. 100Mbps/150Mbps speed caps. |
| EZEE Mobile | Prepaid | Yes | Minimum 1000GB data banking, speed caps to avoid excessive bills. 150Mbps/250Mbps speed caps. |
| More | No Contract Plans | Yes, selected plans | 500GB/1000GB data banking, data gifting, eSIM option, travel packs available, 100Mbps/150Mbps/250Mbps speed caps. |
| Superloop | Prepaid | Yes, selected plans | 500GB/1000GB data rollover, international calls on all plans to 15 countries, bundle discounts with home internet, eSIM option, 100Mbps/150/250Mbps speed caps. |
| Tangerine Telecom | No Contract Plans | Yes, selected plans | 500GB/1000GB data rollover, unlimited international calls on most plans, data gifting, eSIM option. 100Mbps/150Mbps/250Mbps speed caps. |
These Telstra MVNOs represent some of the best value on the Australian market right now, especially if you're looking for a mobile plan on the Telstra network.
WhistleOut is Australia's telco comparison website, founded to help everyday Aussies find a phone and internet plan that's right for them. As part of our service promise, we're committed to listing plans from at least the top ten providers of mobile plans in the market, but we're currently tracking 34. When we have a commercial relationship with a provider, you'll see a "Go To Site" button that takes you straight to that plan.
We still compare plans from providers we don't have a commercial relationship with, but these don't have a button. To keep our listings up to date, we have a dedicated product team that makes around 400 changes to our database each month.
When putting together our monthly Editor's Picks, we consider plans from all providers we compare on site, regardless of whether we have a commercial relationship with them. WhistleOut's commercial relationships don't influence our picks for the best Telstra mobile plans.
Pros and cons of Telstra network plans
Choosing a cheaper provider who uses the Telstra network is a great idea. In most cases, you’ll need to bring your own phone to a Telstra MVNO, but you should notice the savings right away. Even so, it is worth noting the pros and cons of going with a Telstra reseller, versus with Telstra itself:
MVNO pros & cons
- Cheaper than going with Telstra directly
- You have the option to bring your own phone, in most cases
- 5G is sometimes only available on more-expensive plans or with reduced speeds
- Most Telstra network providers also have access to slightly less coverage
Telstra pros & cons
- Telstra plans are free from excess data charges in Australia.
- Access to the Telstra Plus rewards program
- Only provider on the Telstra network to sell new phones on plans. Telstra sells phones on 12, 24 and 36-month contracts.
- Telstra has more coverage than most of its MVNOs. The wholesale network has a slightly smaller footprint than the Telstra network proper, covering 98.8% of the Australian population with 4G, compared to 99.7%. The same goes for 5G, which is 75% on the wholesale network versus 95% on the full Telstra network.
- Generally more costly than an MVNO
- Prepaid plans are capped at slower speeds
- Annual price increases
Decide on a budget. Our picks for the best Telstra mobile plans are segmented by price. If you want to save money, the best place to start is by thinking about how much you want to spend.
Sussed out your budget? The next step is to scroll down to the comparison widgets and start comparing mobile plans. Price matters, but you'll also want to keep in mind how much data you're getting and whether any of it comes with a speed limit.
Once you've decided on a plan that matches your needs and budget, simply click on the 'Go to Site' button and you'll be taken to the website for that provider.
Frequently asked questions about Telstra network plans
Which Telstra network providers have access to the full Telstra network
At the time of writing, Boost is the only Telstra MNVO that offers access to the full Telstra network. However, resellers like JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys also offer re-branded mobile plans that offer comparable coverage to that of Telstra's own.
Does Telstra have the biggest mobile network in Australia?
At the time of writing, Telstra has the largest mobile network of the big three with with 99.7% of the Australian population said to be covered via 4G and 95% said to be covered by 5G.
What's the difference between the Telstra and the Telstra wholesale network?
Almost all Telstra network providers (with the exception of Boost) operate over the Telstra "Wholesale" network rather than the one used by Telstra itself. This network offers almost identical 4G coverage (98.8% of the Australian population) but more limited 5G coverage of only 75%.
Why are Telstra mobile plans so expensive
Telstra's biggest claim to fame is also the main reason that its mobile plans are as expensive as they are. Although this provider can charge a premium because it offers access to a larger mobile network than its competition, the flip-side of that claim is that Telstra has to spend relatively more money on upgrading and maintaining that infrastructure.
What is the cheapest plan on the Telstra network?
If you're looking for the cheapest mobile plan on the Telstra network, chances are you'll end up looking at a prepaid provider like ALDI Mobile. This provider currently offers a $23 mobile plan that comes with unlimited local calls and text, 12GB of data, 4G coverage via the Telstra Wholesale network and 30-day expiry.
These are the cheapest mobile phone plans with at least 15GB of data, sourced from our database of 28 mobile providers:
Fergus Halliday
Digital Content Editor