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VPNs for ad-blocking In the broadband arena, Telstra and Optus aren’t all that different. All the same, there’s a huge difference in value when it comes to the mobile and phone plans available from the Australia’s two biggest providers. BYO customers have a large suite of options from both providers but for our money, Optus offers better value when buying either a SIM-only plan or a new phone on a plan. As for coverage, it’s a no-brainer. Telstra is the undefeated coverage champion in Australia and shows no signs of slowing down with the rollout of 5G. That said, Optus has been hot on Telstra’s heels over the years, expanding its coverage to 98.5% of populated Australia. If you’re struggling to choose between Telstra and Optus, we can’t blame you. However, we can offer some advice. Let’s start with a round-up of the postpaid plans from each of the two providers, side-by-side: With 99.5% of the Australian population by Telstra’s 4G network and a dedication to delivering coverage in some of the most remote parts of Australia with its Blue Tick initiative, Telstra has always been the most reliable in terms of coverage. That’s why so many people in rural areas have been happy to pay the premium. To be completely fair, Optus still covers a whopping 98.5% of the Australian population. That doesn’t sound like much of a difference but when we’re talking about over 25 million Australians, it’s quite a large difference. To get a sense of how the coverage of Telstra compares to that of its biggest rival, use the provider dropdown in the mobile coverage map below to compare the two. Optus has a decent 5G footprint too, now covering over 1.4 million homes. But if you use the dropdown in the map below to switch between the two providers, you’ll see that Telstra has a significantly higher density of coverage in metropolitan areas. Telstra customers have access to the carrier’s entire network footprint, which covers 99.5% of the Australian population. Meanwhile, Telstra MVNOs like ALDI mobile use the Telstra Wholesale Network. This skimmed-down version of Telstra’s network reaches just 98.8% of the Australian population. That might not sound like a huge difference, but if you’re in a rural area it can count for a lot. The one exception here is Boost Mobile, which does have access to the full Telstra network. For a comparison of how Telstra’s MVNO partners compare to its own in-house plans, check out the widget below. Check out the widget below for a round-up showing how Optus compares to Optus MVNOs using the same infrastructure when it comes to SIM-only and prepaid plans with at least 20GB of data. Cheap isn’t exactly the word you associate with either provider. For the sake of this match-up, let’s take a look at the cheapest SIM-only plans offered by both providers and what they include. It’s worth noting that Telstra moved to an upfront payment system for its BYO SIM plans in 2021. Most of the inclusions remain the same, with a few small upgrades, but all Telstra SIM-only plans are now charged at the start of the month, rather than the end of your billing period. The cheapest Optus SIM plan currently available will get you 30GB of data, unlimited standard calls and text. If you’re using a compatible handset, you’ll also get 5G everywhere that the Optus network offers it. Likewise, there’s even better value to be had (though only SpinTel, Southern Phone and Aussie Broadband offer 5G plans) if you’re happy to go with a lesser-known provider on the Telstra or Optus network. Like Telstra, Optus no longer has excess data charges, switching to a more manageable endless data solution where your speeds are capped at 1.5Mbps when you exceed your monthly allowance. So even if you do go over your data with either provider, you won’t get any unnecessary bill shock. Australian telcos don’t have the best reputation for customer service and satisfaction, and Telstra and Optus are actually two of the worst offenders. According to user-generated reviews website Product Review, Telstra has a meagre 1.4-star rating, while Optus has an even lower 1.3-star rating. Based on those numbers alone, Telstra just comes out on top, but neither provider gets a full tick of approval from us for customer service. It is of course remembering that user reviews aren’t always the best way to judge a telco - most people aren’t going to go out of the way to rave to write an online review unless they’ve had a particularly bad experience. Of course, the longer you contract for, the cheaper your monthly handset repayments will be. You’ll end up paying roughly the same for your handset across all options but longer contracts and lower monthly payments will work for some, whereas others would rather pay more per month if it means shortening the contract period. For this comparison, we’ve selected the Samsung Galaxy S22 5G 128GB 24-month contract. With this particular plan and handset combination, Optus offers the lower starting price on a plan with 30GB per month, but a little extra will get you 40GB per month with Telstra. It’s also worth noting that you’re only contracted to pay off the handset repayments. The plans themselves are technically month-to-month, so if you cancel there aren’t any exorbitant cancellation fees, you just need to pay off the handset. That’s why the total minimum cost for each plan seems so low, you’re only obligated to pay for one month of service and the full cost of the handset. For a better sense of how these plans compare to the rest of the market, let’s take a look at some more popular Samsung Galaxy S22 128GB handset combinations from every other provider that offers that the device. New Telstra customers get to choose between seven different starter kits. Each of these plans comes with a boatload of bonus data up-front. However, that allowance will start to shrink following your third recharge. Check out the widget below for a no-nonsense breakdown of Telstra prepaid plans. Over half of these prepaid plans are branded ‘Flex’ plans. The remainder consists of more traditional prepaid packages that range from $30 to $300. That latter are billed as ‘Epic Data’ plans. Check out the widget below for a round-up of what’s going on with this plan and what signing up gets you. If you’re keen to call a destination that isn’t on that list or go with an Optus prepaid plan that isn’t either of the aforementioned, then international calls are available as an add-on to your prepaid plan. The one exception to this is the 60GB Flex 5G plan, which comes with both unlimited calls to 15 countries and 300 minutes of international calls to an additional 35 destinations. If you like the idea of saving some cash while keeping the same level of coverage, MVNOs are an option well worth considering. Here are the most popular prepaid plans on the Telstra and Optus networks this week that aren’t available from either big provider. Just because one provider has a bigger and better network doesn’t necessarily make them the best mobile provider for every consumer out there. Depending on your circumstances or needs, the cost-savings afforded by Optus or another provider might make for a much better fit than the high price that Telstra’s mobile plans command. As always, it’s best to do your research before you decide.
