Vodafone is offering 12 months with bonus data to students that sign up to any new 24 month plan, or a new SIM-only Red Plan. You are also eligible if you are an existing upgrading Vodafone customer. Just punch in your Student ID number at checkout to receive the deal. Offer ends March 31.
Red Plans, either SIM-only or 24 month, will provide you with 1GB more per month than usual. Regular plans, only available on the deal as a 24 month option, will get you 500MB more data per month. That may not sound like much, but it’s enough to turn an ultra-affordable 300MB plan in to an 800MB one, which is definitely worth paying attention to on a student budget.
The 24 month plans are a good option if you’re after a smaller cap, or if you need a new phone. Just remember that only the first 12 months will give you that bonus 1GB/500MB. The last year of your contract will be with Vodafone’s normal inclusions.
Vodafone offers what it calls Data Workout on the first two months of any 24 month plan. Data Workout gives you unlimited data while it lasts, so really you’ll only get 10 months of benefit from that bonus data, seeing as the first two will be overlapped by Data Workout's infinite goodness.
Going for SIM-only is a great choice if you already have a phone. Granted, only the premium Red Plans are part of the deal, so you’ll be paying a minimum of $50 per month, but you can bail as soon as your 12 months of bonus data is gone. Actually, you can quit a SIM-only plan at any time with one month’s notice.
There’s no Data Workout on SIM-only plans, which is a shame, but at least you’ll get the full 12 months’ value from your Student Bonus.
24 month standard plans
The regular 24 month plans start at $30 with 300MB. That’s before adding phone repayments and without the bonus 500MB. Also, for the first 2 months you get Vodafone’s Data Workout, which means infinite data within that period.
There are some phones that you can get for $0 on the $30 plan, like the HTC One 4G, but something like an iPhone 6 will run you an extra $30 per month for a total of $60.
The regular 24 month plans are:
- $30 for 300MB and $300 credit for talk and text. (+500MB for first 12 months)
- $40 for 500MB, infinite text to here and overseas, and $400 credit for calls. (+500MB for first 12 months)
- $50 for 1GB infinite text to here and overseas, and $500 credit for calls. (+500MB for first 12 months)
- $60 for 2GB infinite text to here and overseas, and infinite standard national calls. (+500MB for first 12 months)
Adding a phone to each plan may or may not increase your monthly spend, based on which phone and plan combo you opt for.
24 month Red Plans
Vodafone’s Red plans offer more data and inclusions than its regular plans. You get 300 minutes of international calls made from Australia, 2 months of unlimited data at the start of your plan, the choice between free access to Spotify Premium or an SMH subscription (terms depend on which plan), and you’ll only be charged $10 for an extra 1GB if you go over your monthly data allowance. So no nightmare bill shock.
These are also the plans on which you’ll get that full 1GB for 12 months, instead of just 500MB.
You can even set up global roaming for just $5 a day. That means if you go travelling, you can use your regular Vodafone plan for $5 a day. This charge only occurs if you actually use your plan, so if you have your phone off you won’t be charged. This is much cheaper than traditional roaming costs.
The 24 month Red Plans are:
- $70 for 3GB data, infinite standard calls, infinite text both here and to overseas numbers, 300 minutes international calls, $5 roaming and either 6 months free Spotify premium or a 6 month SMH subscription. (+1GB bonus data for 12 months)
- $80 for 4GB data, infinite standard calls, infinite text both here and to overseas numbers, 300 minutes international calls, $5 roaming and either 12 months free Spotify premium or a 12 month SMH subscription. (+1GB bonus data for 12 months)
- $100 for 6GB data, infinite standard calls, infinite text both here and to overseas numbers, 300 minutes international calls, $5 roaming and either 24 months free Spotify premium or a 12 month SMH subscription. (+1GB bonus data for 12 months)
You can also add phones to these plans. Once again this may or may not increase what you pay per month, depending on the phone and plan combo.
SIM-Only Red Plans
SIM-Only Red Plans are the best choice if you don’t need a new phone. They’re cheaper per month than the subsidised 24 month contracts and you can quit at any time with one month’s notice. However, they don’t come with Spotify or SMH subscriptions. There’s also no data workout on SIM-Only Red Plans, which means no infinite data in your first two months.
SIM-Only Red Plans
- $50 for 3GB data, infinite standard calls, infinite text both here and to overseas numbers, 300 minutes international calls, and $5 roaming. (+1GB bonus data for 12 months)
- $60 for 4GB data, infinite standard calls, infinite text both here and to overseas numbers, 300 minutes international calls, and $5 roaming. (+1GB bonus data for 12 months)
- $80 for 6GB data, infinite standard calls, infinite text both here and to overseas numbers, 300 minutes international calls, and $5 roaming. (+1GB bonus data for 12 months)
Students only
Remember, all the bonus data discussed here is for students only. You will need a valid Student ID number from your educational institution to apply.
You must also be a new customer to Vodafone, or a current user upgrading their plan. Offer ends March 31.
Alex Angove-Plumb
Digital Content Editor
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