Mobile, explained without the spin

Most light users sit under 10 GB a month, regular users land somewhere around 20 GB to 40 GB, and heavy streamers can pass 100 GB. The honest way to find out is to check your last few bills or your phone settings rather than guess, since paying for unlimited when you use 8 GB is money straight out the door. Use the estimator above for a quick starting point, then read our data check guide to confirm it.

Almost always, yes, if you already own a phone. A SIM-only plan separates the cost of your service from the cost of the handset, so you stop paying a hidden loan on a phone you may already own outright. The catch is simple: you need a phone first. If you do, SIM-only is the single biggest saving most people can make on their mobile bill.

Prepaid means you pay up front for a set amount of data and calls, with no bill and no credit check, so you can never go over. Postpaid means you use the service first and pay monthly, often with more inclusions and the option of a handset loan. Prepaid suits tight budgets and light users; postpaid suits heavier users who want more data and do not mind a monthly bill.

It is one of the most important things. In Australia the three networks are Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, and the cheaper resellers (MVNOs) run on one of them. The brand on your plan matters less than which network it uses, because that decides your coverage and speed. Pick the network that covers where you live, work and travel first, then shop for the best-value plan on it.

Yes. Your mobile number is yours to keep, and porting it to a new provider is free and usually takes minutes to a few hours. You start the port with the new provider, not the old one, and you keep using your phone the whole time. If a provider closes, the same rule applies: your number stays with you, so you are never trapped.