Woolworths Mobile Plans Review: The Verdict
Woolworths Mobile has great value plans, but a smaller range of phones than The Big Three providers and fewer support options.
What we love
- Solid value plans
- International call inclusions are good
What could be improved
- Only two support options
Overall:
Picking a new mobile plan isn't always easy. There are now a whole host of providers to choose from, you're not just limited to Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone. Woolworths is best known for groceries, but has expanded into mobile and phone plans. While it hasn't exactly stayed in its lane (or should we say aisle), the Fresh Food People are the only MVNO in Australia selling brand new phones on a plan, putting it up against The Big Three.
It's a tempting proposition, but is it worth your money? In this review, we'll look at value, support options, and the extras you can get for nabbing your next mobile plan from Woolworths Mobile.
Before we start, here's Woolworth's current range of SIM-only mobile plans:
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Everyday Mobile
$40 SIM Only
$40.00/mth
Min. cost $40
Link not supplied
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Woolworths Mobile plans: Value
There is no easy way to judge value across a whole provider. As there are no stock standard prices, or data inclusions, finding a fair comparison is tricky. While the cheapest plan might be too expensive, the priciest one may represent great data for dollar, but you also shouldn't be paying for data you aren't using.
Based on extrapolated data from the ACCC, the average Aussie is currently using about 30GB per month. To assess value, we've looked at how much a telco charges for its cheapest plan that meets that criteria, excluding discounts, promos, and extras.
Here is how Woolworths' cheapest postpaid plan with at least 30GB compares to the competition:
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#1
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Moose Mobile
Moose 23 SIM Only
$14.00/mth
Min. cost $14
Link not supplied
|
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#2
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Belong
25GB Mobile Plan
$34.00/mth
Min. cost $34
Link not supplied
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#3
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Coles Mobile
$35 Mobile Plan
$35.00/mth
Min. cost $12
Link not supplied
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#4
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Optus
$60 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$39.00/mth
Min. cost $39
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#5
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Everyday Mobile
$40 SIM Only
$40.00/mth
Min. cost $40
Link not supplied
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#6
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Vodafone
$58 Small SIM Only Plan
$45.00/mth
Min. cost $45
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#7
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Telstra
$84 Essential Upfront SIM Plan
$74.00/mth
Min. cost $74
Link not supplied
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Compared to the three big telcos who also offer phones on a plan, Woolworths Mobile is much more affordable at around the 30GB mark. While it doesn't have the most affordable plans out of MVNOs, it is a cheaper option when compared to Vodafone, Optus, or Telstra.
Woolworths Mobile coverage
Woolworths Mobile uses the Telstra Wholesale network which covers 98.8% of the Australian population. Telstra's wholesale network is smaller than Telstra proper, but it still covers a higher percentage of the population than either Vodafone or Optus.
Above you can see how the Telstra MVNO network compares to the full network. Note that we are only comparing 3G and 4G coverage as Telstra doesn't currently offer 5G access to its MVNO providers.
Due to the wide access, Woolworths Mobile is likely to be suitable for most Australians, however, if you live in remote or rural towns then it is worth checking to see which provider offers the best service.
If you want to check if a certain address has Telstra coverage, you can use our coverage checker tool to do so.
All you need to do is punch in your address when searching for a new phone plan. After you've done so and hit Search, you can jump straight to the coverage map by tapping See Coverage Map and then tapping Click To Activate Interactive Map.This map will show you what kind of coverage you have in your area. 5G coverage is highlighted using the darkest shade of purple, 4G in the medium shade, and 3G in the lightest.
Coverage maps are only approximate, only show outdoor coverage, and may be impacted by local conditions such as buildings.
Woolworths Mobile plans: Support
When looking at support, we consider how many channels a telco has to help its customers, rather than quality. Support quality is hard to quantify; across the team, there are times we've had a fantastic experience with a telco, but times it's been rubbish As such, we're looking at the avenues a telco has in order to try and gauge its investment in support.
Here is how Woolworths Mobile's support options compare to the competition:
Woolworths Mobile Support Options Compared
| Provider | In-store | Call | Chat | Social | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vodafone | - | - | |||
| Telstra | - | ||||
| Optus | - | ||||
| amaysim | - | ||||
| Circles.Life | - | ||||
| Woolworths Mobile | - | - | - | ||
| ALDI | - | - | - | - | |
| Boost | - | - | |||
| TPG | - |
Unfortunately, there are only two ways to get in touch with Woolworths about your mobile service. You can talk to a real person through Woolies Mobile social media, or get in touch with the call centre on 1300 101 234. It isn't easy to find that phone number, so I'd save it if I were you.
The provider does offer a range of self-help services such as Olive the Virtual Assistant through its online chat, and manuals for problems both online and through the Woolworths Mobile app.
Woolworths mobile plans: Extras
Woolworths Mobile has a couple of bonuses bundled along with its service. Here's how the available extras compare to other mobile providers:
Woolworths Mobile Extras Compared
| Provider | Perks Program | International Calls | 5G | Discount Bundles | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vodafone | - | ||||
| Telstra | - | ||||
| Optus | - | ||||
| amaysim | - | - | - | - | |
| Circles.Life | - | - | - | - | - |
| Woolworths Mobile | - | - | - | ||
| ALDI | - | - | - | - | |
| Boost | - | - | - | ||
| TPG | - | - | - |
Woolworths might not have 5G, but it does have international calls on almost all of its postpaid plans.
All but the cheapest Woolworths plan comes with unlimited talk and text to 22 select destinations. These destinations are:
Bangladesh, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, SIngapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom, USA, and Vietnam.
Additionally, you can purchase a $5 international Add-On pack which gains access to unlimited talk 10 countries, and 300 minutes to use with 15 other destinations. Unlimited text is included for all 31 countries. Unlimited destinations for the international Add-On are:
Canada, China, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Korea, United Kingdom, and USA.
The additional countries to use the 300 minutes are:
Bangladesh, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Guam, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, and Thailand.
International minute Add-ons have a 30-day expiry and can be topped up as required.
On top of this, you will also get 10% off their shop at Woolworths, once per month, up to the value of $50. If you do a big shop, this can be enough to negate the cost of your monthly phone bill.
Lastly, Woolworths recently introduced data gifting, where Woolworths Mobile customers can send data to other customers at no fee. You can gift up to half of your monthly allowance in 1GB increments.
Woolworths Mobile plans: Devices
Woolworths has a whole host of phones available a plan, including new devices from Samsung and OPPO. Here are a few popular options.
See all phones available on Woolworths here.
Phones can be paid off over 24 or 36 months.
Woolworths Mobile FAQ
What is the Woolworths Mobile contact number?
Call the Woolworths Mobile call centre on 1300 101 234.
What network does Woolworths Mobile use?
Woolworths Mobile uses the Telstra wholesale network.
Anula Wiwatowska
Offsite Editorial Lead | Instagram
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