Prepaid plans are getting a lot of attention in Australia
If you’re thinking about getting a prepaid mobile plan, you’re not alone. Around 45% of all Australian mobile connections are prepaid plans, and this trend isn’t slowing down anytime soon. And with the many telcos available in the country, both MVNOs and major networks are churning out prepaid offers that just keep getting better in order to stay competitive.
Prepaid plans have become the go-to choice for most Australians.
So which telcos have the best prepaid plans out there? All telcos will tell you they do, but we’re not going to debate that in this article. Instead, let’s compare two major telcos and their prepaid plan lineups that will always be on that list – Telstra Prepaid Max Plans and Optus Epic Value Plans.
Comparing Telstra’s Prepaid Max Plans and Optus’ Epic Value Plans
Telstra revamped their prepaid plans last year into a smaller lineup called Prepaid Max, now referred to as Telstra Prepaid Complete. They offer everything from 7-day expiry to long expiry plans.
Optus’ prepaid plans are their Epic lineup. We’ll focus on the Epic Value plans here, which also have short and long expiry offers, but there are others like Epic Data, Daily Plus, and Long Expiry.
Check out the table below to compare the main features of the Telstra Prepaid Max (Complete) lineup and the Optus Epic Value lineup:
| Telstra Prepaid Max (Complete) Plans | Optus Epic Value Plans | |
|---|---|---|
| Recharge | $10 to $300 | $10 to $180 |
| Standard national voice | Standard national voice Unlimited on all plans | Standard national voice Unlimited on all plans |
| Standard SMS/MMS | Standard national voice Unlimited on all plans | Standard national voice Unlimited on all plans |
| International voice and SMS | Some international minutes included in most plans, and extra credit from $5 to $100 can also be used | $10 and $20 extra credit for international and roaming voice and SMS |
| Plans’ expiry | 7 days to 365 days | 21 days to 365 days |
| Data | 1GB to 150GB | 500MB to 60GB |
| Data bank or rollover | Data bank for up to 200GB of unused data when you recharge on time | Data rollover up to 50GB of unused data when you recharge on time |
Both telco’s offer more features in their prepaid lineups than the above table mentions. For instance:
- Telstra’s Prepaid Max (Complete) plans all come with access to free Telstra Air wifi, as well as data-free streaming of live sports on recharges of $30 or more, and data free Apple Music. The lineup also offers Long Life plans that focus on long expiry plans alone (45 days to 1 year), ranging from $20 to $100. Calls, SMS, and MMS are charged per minute and per message, while data is charged per MB.
- Optus’ Epic Value plans include different offers on physical recharge vouchers sold in stores with 3 days to 42 days expiry. They range from $5 to $130, and include 300MB to 40GB, unlimited SMS/MMS, and most come with unlimited voice. Optus prepaid customers also get access to Optus Sport.
Telstra or Optus network coverage? Which is best for me?
The three major telcos in Australia – Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone, all provide some really great coverage throughout the country. Telstra and Optus have the best coverage with 99.4% and 98.6% of the population, respectively.
Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone network coverage.
Despite Telstra having the better coverage on paper, you’ll hardly notice any actual difference between the two telcos when using them. Where 5G service is scanty, you’ll be switched to 4G automatically, and 4G to 3G where necessary.
But the 3G switch is where the difference really shows. Telstra has much better 3G coverage throughout Australia, so it’s a great option for rural areas where other telcos might have some issues.
Pros of using Telstra network
- If you live in a rural area where 5G and 4G might be difficult to access smoothly, then Telstra’s 3G coverage will really come in handy.
- Wide range of prepaid plans to choose from.
- All Prepaid Max (Complete) plans come with 200GB data bank.
- Data free access to sports content and Apple Music.
- Free Access to Telstra Air.
Pros of using Optus network
- Pretty good coverage.
- Optus Sport access means a ton of football content and other sports.
- Data roll over.
Conclusion
Both Telstra and Optus offer some great prepaid plans. You’ll get offered short and long expiry plans at varying price points, and they both offer great coverage throughout the country.
While both telcos are great, Telstra Prepaid Max (Complete) plans have some big data offers, up to 150GB. So if you’re looking for a lot of data, Telstra might be your go-to option. Optus Epic Value plans might be a great place to look if you’re looking for small data options, like their 500MB offer. Also, if you’re in a rural area, Telstra might be a good idea because of their far-reaching 3G coverage.