3 important things your mobile plan should do

Many mobile plans come with fancy bells and whistles – and many more include a standard set of features. Gone are the days when call minutes and SMS limits truly matter. Everything comes bundled automatically now!

But really, when you get down to it, a good mobile plan should only do three basic things – and knowing them can make comparing plans that much easier.

So let’s break it down. Repeat after us: your mobile plan should…

This is a no brainer. We have so many different handset options these days – some old, some new, some flat, some flippable, some smart, some even dumb. At the very least, your mobile plan should be compatible with your device. 

Here are some common mistakes:

• Misreading the network. If your phone only gets 4G, don’t waste your money signing up for 5G. 
• Dummy data. If your phone is a dumbphone, don’t worry about comparing data packs. You can’t connect anyway.
• Signing up for the wrong plan. If your device isn’t actually a phone, maybe compare data-only plans instead. No need to call anyone on an iPad!

And don’t waste money with an extended warranty, either.

Connectivity matters today, whether streaming, calling, or hot-spotting from your phone. Therefore it’s essential your mobile plan gives you enough mobile data for your needs. 

Not sure how much data you use? Have a look at your current roaming period in your smartphone’s settings. Reset it to zero and continue normal usage for a month. Unless you’re a heavy internet user, you’ll probably not use more than 10 to 20 GB. 

Armed with self-knowledge, you can compare plans and pay accordingly. Buying too much data is just a waste of time and money. 

Bonus tip: if you really want to go the extra mile, look at the mobile data speeds the telco says you’ll get at peak times. Anything over 25 Mbps rocks. Anything under 10 Mbps sucks.

No matter what features you crave, look for a good value mobile plan, not a cheap one. A great mobile plan beats other offers on sheer value for money. 

If Example Mobile gives you 10 GB for $10, but Better Mobile does the same thing for $8, then Better Mobile has better value. It’d be the same if Example Mobile has 10 GB for $10, but Better Mobile has 20 GB for $12: with the latter, you’ll get more bang for your buck. 

And stretching dollars is the name of the game. With the cost of living so high these days, making your money count for more makes all the difference.

Not everyone looks for the same thing in a mobile plan. Some people want to purchase the latest handset; some want to bundle mobile and broadband. Some need good international calling and data roaming and some just want the cheapest mobile plan. All of it’s valid! 

You can compare different types of plans on our mobile plan comparison page. 

Some users may also want the best of the best, so we’ve also rounded up the best mobile phone plans in 2023.