Would you give a small telco a chance for 50% off your phone bill?

Anula Wiwatowska - Offsite Editorial Lead

Last updated 16 February 2022

There is a lot of mistrust around small telcos. People assume that coverage is bad, or that the providers will be less reliable than the Big Three we are all familiar with, or that if something is THAT cheap there must be something wrong with it.

Of course none of this is true (more on that below), but would you put aside the perceived problems if it meant paying half of what you normally do? What about half of that again?

Right now, iiNet - best known for its internet deals - has 50% off every mobile plan. The discounted prices are below.

30GB Small Plan

30GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps
Vodafone 5G Network in selected areas with 5G devices
Deal: 50% off - $15/mth for first 6 months, then $30/mth ongoing. Available until withdrawn. T&Cs apply.

$15.00

Per 1 Month Renewal

Link not supplied

$15.00

Per 1 Month Renewal

Link not supplied

These discounts last for the first six months before your plan reverts back to its original pricing. Since iiNet plans are contract-free however, you can always change providers (and keep your phone number) when the discount is over.

Charging $20 per month for 55GB of data is great value, but when it comes to iiNet and most other small providers, good prices are all you’ll get. These telcos keep costs down by offering no-frills services. Your calls, texts, and data for a low price. That is it. There are also no store-fronts or big marketing campaigns so the providers save money and can pass on lower prices because of it.

Sure the price is right, but it might not be enough to dissuade the mistrust held around small telcos. Let's look at coverage.

iiNet is powered by the Vodafone 3G and 4G network which covers 96% of the Australian population. If you live, work, and play in metro areas then you shouldn’t have any issues with the Vodafone network. Take a look at whether your area is covered in the map below.

Click to Activate Interactive Map

Coverage information is collected from carriers and other third party sources. This is approximate coverage only and does not include indoor coverage. Actual speed and performance depends on your location and device. Local conditions and things like natural and artificial physical features of an area all affect your reception. Coverage © Mosaik

Now reliability. Vodafone and iiNet are both part of the TPG Telecom group meaning that they are both owned and operated by the same organisation. This means that iiNet will be just as reliable as any other TPG provider out there.

Of course iiNet isn’t the only small provider worth taking a chance on, here are the most popular plans with at least 10GB of data in our database.

#1	SpinTel	SpinTel 25GB Data No Contract $12/mth Min. cost $12 WhistleOut Special: Enjoy $11 off for the first 6 months for new customers - $12/mth for first 6 months, then $23/mth	100%	Go to Site
#2	Boost Mobile	Boost Mobile 30GB Data $39 Per 28 Day Renewal Min. cost $13 Deal: Grab a $39 SIM for $13 – save $26. Hurry! Offer ends 05.10.26. Terms Apply	87%	Go to Site
#3	Dodo	Dodo 40GB Data No Contract $30/mth Min. cost $15 Deal: 50% off for first 4 mths! Get the Medium Mobile Plan for $15/mth for first 4 mths. New and returning mobile customers only. Ends 27.10	43%	Go to Site
#4	TPG	TPG 30GB Data $15 Per 1 Month Renewal Min. cost $15 Deal: 50% off - $15/mth for first 6 months, then $30/mth ongoing. Available until withdrawn. T&Cs apply.	33%	Link not supplied
#5	Tangerine Telecom	Tangerine Telecom 30GB Data No Contract $30/mth Min. cost $15 Deal: 50% off plan fees for 4 months - $15/mth for 4 months then $30/mth. Offer available until withdrawn.	24%	Go to Site

Anula Wiwatowska

Offsite Editorial Lead | Instagram

Anula is the Off-Site Editorial Lead for WhistleOut Australia, and an award winning tech journalist. She has been writing about the Australian telco industry, and consumer technology for over five years, and has been known to tell her Uber driver which phone they should upgrade to next.

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