Pre Paid plans are where you pay in advance for the services – calls, texts, mobile data and extras – you want to use for the next billing cycle (typically 28-30 days). Once you’ve used up your inclusions or the cycle is finished, you will need to recharge your device. Some plans also come with the option of auto-recharge once you’ve used up your allowance or at the start of the next billing cycle.
This type of plan varies from postpaid where you pay later – usually at the end of the month. And these days these are prepaid plans offering very good value for money, often starting at as little as $10 per month.
Depending on your needs Pre Paid plans can offer a host of advantages – such as flexibility and personal control over costs. They are also easier to exit that postpaid plans. In addition, they could allow you to try out different plans at no extra cost if you want to find the one that suits you best.
How to find top deals on a Pre Paid Plan.
Econnex is an independently owned comparison engine, providing the facts, the savings and the deals available without any skewed preference or bias. Browse through the markets top deals, up-to-date and as they hit, with the confidence of clear information and savings in dollar amounts – none of those varying percentages. Pre Paid Plans have somehow been made even easier, just start searching to see out for yourself.
Is a Pre Paid Plan right for me?
Personal
Are you only using your phone for phone calls, texts and the odd email? Do you have a history of getting a little carried away with your monthly data usage? Or are you just sick of paying for a plan that you aren’t really using? If you answered yes to any of these questions then a Pre Paid Plan could be the perfect solution to your problems.
With a Pre Paid Plan you pay for only what you use. This means it can just be a matter of working out what you normally use or need and choosing a plan accordingly.
Another benefit of a Pre Paid Plan is that you can easily upgrade or switch to another plan if your current one no longer suits you, but without any exit costs, while also keeping your existing device and phone number. By paying a set amount up-front to “recharge” your plan, you are always in control of how much you spend on your mobile plan. These plans are also a great option for kids, who may need a phone when they’re away from their parents but don’t need all the bells and whistles.
To continue using your Pre Paid Plan, you must “recharge” your plan prior to the expiration period, which is listed in the plan information. Mostly this period is 28-30 days, however Long Expiry options are also available. A “recharge” can be completed on your device by following the prompts or by contacting the telco provider directly.
Why choose Pre Paid?
You might decide on a Pre Paid Plan if you:
- are a ‘light user’ – e.g. you don’t normally use much mobile data;
- want to avoid ‘bill shock’ at the end of each month;
- need a temporary or immediate solution for your device use;
- don’t want to be locked into a contract;
- are passing your phone onto your kids for them to use;
- want the flexibility to be able to switch plans or exit when it suits you.
A Pre Paid Plan may also suit you if you’re a visitor to Australia for a holiday or for business purposes and need a short-term immediate plan. It could also suit you if you have visitors coming from overseas to stay with you for a week or two, and you want to give them a phone to use during their stay. In this instance a short-expiry plan (e.g. 7 or 14 days) might be all you need.
Which plan should you choose?
There are a lot of Pre Paid Plans available and numerous variables to factor in when deciding which one to go with. This includes which carrier you prefer, your budget, whether there is a startup (Starter Pack) cost, how much data is included and what it will cost for additional data if you exceed your limit.
Most plans these days come with unlimited national calls and texts and the main point of difference is the amount of mobile data. Some also come with credit for international calls. There are also plans that come with a Data Bank – which essentially means that unused data is rolled over to the next cycle.
Some plans offer additional inclusions as well. For example – offers of bonus data for a period of time, access to data-free live sports and other special deals.
Another thing to consider is the billing cycle or data expiry length. For example, if the cycle is 28 days then you will pay for 13 packs per year, whereas if 30 days then there will only be 12 packs. This will affect the overall amount you end up paying over the course of the plan.
There also plans available with very short cycles (as low as 7 days) and longer expiries – up to 365 days in some cases. Long expiry plans might suit you if you’re an infrequent user or for a spare phone.
Let’s say for example you find a Pre Paid Plan for $10 for 1GB of data and a 28-day expiry. This amounts to $130 a year if you can stick to your data allowance and not go over. A cheap Pre Paid Plan of this kind can make mobile use very affordable when you’re on a tight budget.
Choosing a plan is easy and doesn’t cost anything. You just need to select the desired options from the comparison engine dropdown boxes and use the sliders to set the maximum you want to spend and the minimum of data you need. The engine will then display the best matches for your selections.
Pre Paid Plans for Business are not available.
If you’re ready to stop fearing your phone bill, Econnex provides a range of pre paid plans catering to all types of phone usage. These aren’t just plans for kids, set your filters above and see how you can benefit from a pre paid plan today.