The Best non-Telstra Mobile Plans that use the Telstra Network

There is an open secret in the telco industry that tech savvy people know about, and it is saving them hundreds of dollars every year, according to the telco experts at Whistleout.com.au

The secret? The smaller, cheaper phone companies use the same networks as the big guys.

For example, smaller telcos using the Telstra network access the vast majority of its 3G and 4G networks.

So if you’re after the Telstra coverage without the Telstra prices, you can get it with one of these smaller providers (even though they’re not really allowed to say so in their advertising).

And it's often a fraction of the price that Telstra charges, because these smaller upstarts need to try harder to win new customers.

We asked the experts at Whistleout to recommend some of the best non-Telstra plans on the Telstra network.

Here are the examples they gave us, from Aldi Mobile, Woolworths Mobile, Boost and Southern Phone. They're based on so-called BYO plans (where you Bring Your Own phone) with 5GB of data. Prices start from just $35 a month.

You can click on the table below to get any of these offers on the Whistleout website.

Got Questions? Here are Whistleout's FAQs

Can I keep my number?

This is another major concern, and one that we hope we can alleviate for you. You need to remember that you own your mobile phone number. There is legislation protecting you so no telco can ever hold your phone number ransom if you decide to leave.

The process of taking your number from one provider to another is called Number Porting, and it is a surprisingly fast process. Based on personal experience, the fastest we’ve seen is 5-minutes and the slowest is 4-hours, although it can take a day or two in certain extreme cases.

The time it takes to port your number isn’t a major consideration though, as your old service will continue working until the new service is connected, so there shouldn’t be any downtime on your phone number.

Can I trust the small telcos?

The number 1 question we are asked by the people using our phone plan search engine is “Can I trust Company X?” Our answer is two-part — first, yes, and second, it doesn’t really matter.

Yes, based on our experience, you can absolutely trust these companies. Typically they are small teams of very dedicated people working hard to keep their customers happy. Most have excellent self-service websites, some have local tech support call centres, and they are all above board. Anything you’d expect from a bigger telco, you can expect from a smaller telco, too.

But, like we said above, it doesn’t really matter. The majority of smaller telcos operate on PrePaid or Monthly terms, so even if you’re unhappy with the service you receive, you are free to take your business elsewhere at any time. No lock-in contracts, no early termination fees. Just contact a new provider and you’ll be switched out on the same day.

What does SIM-Only mean?

Most of the smaller telcos only sell phone services, not phone handsets. A SIM card is a small plastic card (with a microchip) that you put into your phone and sends your unique subscriber details to the network so that you can connect to it. 

When you buy a SIM-Only phone plan, you only get a SIM card in the package — and with your own phone, this is all you need.