Southern Phone Plan <br>Review and Comparison

Southern Phone Plan
Review and Comparison

  • Australian based customer support
  • Postpaid plans - much less hassle to manage
  • 30 day ‘Network Guarantee’
We independently review and compile Aussie phone plans so you can easily compare them in one place, for free.



Top Southern Phone Plans

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Which competitors should you consider?

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Does Southern Phone sell 5G plans?

Yes, Southern Phone now offer mobile 5G SIM plans using the Optus 5G network. These plans are separate from Southern Phone’s 3G/4G plans, and they cost more.

Do Southern Phon sell mobile broadband plans?

Yes. Southern have a strong range of Mobile Broadband plans and, as with their voice+data plans (for smartphones), their mobile broadband plans (for dongles, tablets, and laptops) use the Optus 3G and 4G Plus network.

Should I get a 12-month contract from Southern Phone?

Asking this question is a bit like asking whether you should get tickets to see Elvis Presley live. Whether you should or shouldn’t doesn’t matter, because you can’t.

Currently, month-to-month plans are all that SouthernPhone offers. The only exception are their phone-included plans, which last 24-months.

Use the latter option if you do not have (or want a new) mobile device.

Do Southern Phone have a self service app?

Yes, they do. And that’s a good job. Our own research shows that installing the Self Service app is the single best thing you can do to improve how you feel about your phone company. (Essentially, the less need you have to call any customer support line to find out usage information or check some bill feature, the happier you’ll be).

Southern Phone sell postpaid plans. What is postpaid?

Postpaid plans are plans you pay for after you’ve used them. To get a postpaid plan, you’ll need to pass a credit check. With Southern Phone, you first bill arrives 10 days after they activate your service. Afterwards, you need to pay your bill each month (if you continue to use them.

Can I keep my existing phone number if I move to Southern Phone?

Yes, you can. Learn more here.

Some online reviews are bad for Southern Phone.

That’s true. We saw those too and some of them are bad. Southern phone has a plan in place to fix the customer service issues raised by people who complained in those review.

Our trial experience of Southern Phone’s Australian-based customer support is that they’re actually very good. It’s usually people who are unhappy with the service that leave some of the very bad reviews; they’re never removed and there is a little bit of interfering with customer review numbers in every industry – with telco being one of the biggest examples. Although, there is a possibility that Southern Phone have put so much into their app, person-to-person help has fallen by the wayside.

What's good

  • Australian based customer service and support
  • Established brand with multiple products including fixed
  • All plans comes with unlimited Australian Voice and SMS
  • Option for 4G, Plans, 5G Plans, Business Plans, and Data-Only Plans

What's bad

  • Southern Phone offer only postpaid plans
  • Charge $10 for extra data – overage (max 3GB)

Southern Phone – Should You Go With Them?

60 Second summary

Southern Phone offer various month-to-month SIM plans, as well as some plans that come with a phone.

  • You’ll mainly find SIM Only phone plans from Southern Phone. But, they also provide mobiles phones, both new and refurbished.
  • Southern used to be one of the few phone companies to offer you connections to either the Optus or Telstra Mobile networks, but they now focus on Optus alone for SIM Only plans.
  • Southern offer both fixed and mobile telecommunications services – something which is likely to make them appeal to older Australians.

This Month’s Hot Offers

$20.00

$ 10.00

/ Month to Month VIEW PLAN
Domestic Voice Calls and SMS
Unlimited
Data
12GB
Contract
Month to Month
Network
Vodafone 3G+4G
Promotion
50% off! $10.00 for the first 6 months, then $20.
$30.00

$ 15.00

/ Recharge @28 days VIEW PLAN
Domestic Voice Calls and SMS
Unlimited
Data
32GB
Contract
Recharge @28 days
Network
Optus 4G+5G
Promotion
50% off and 50GB for the first renewal. Use code KBGZHU. T&Cs apply. Ends 15.04.24

$ 20.00

/ Month to Month VIEW PLAN
Domestic Voice Calls and SMS
Unlimited
Data
30GB
Contract
Month to Month
Network
Optus 3G+4G
Promotion
30GB for the first 3 months, then 15GB thereafter. Offer extended to 30.04.24.

$ 20.00

/ Month to Month VIEW PLAN
Domestic Voice Calls and SMS
Unlimited
Data
5GB
Contract
Month to Month
Network
Optus 3G+4G Plus
Promotion
Bundle Offer: $5 for the first 3 months, then $15 after, when you have AGL energy.

Everything you need to know about Southern Phone’s plans

Southern Phone (they’re based in Southern NSW) are a tried and tested Australian telco brand. They’ve recently re-branded their services and website, and issued a new suite of plans. The company was known as one of the few to offer plans on both the Optus and Telstra networks, but have since focused on the Optus network alone for SIM Only plans. Southern focus mostly on the over 50s age group, although their plans will (obviously) work in anyone’s phones. So how do they compare?

Like SpinTel, Southern Phone are a full-service telco offering multiple products including NBN fixed broadband and fixed voice (also known as landline) services. They fall into the category of ‘everything you need and nothing you don’t’. (For example, they don’t bundle streamed video or audio entertainment in their plans.) Again, like SpinTel, Southern operates in the incredibly competitive area of Optus network resellers. It’s becoming a crowded place with Moose and Amaysim, both providing plans with slightly different allowances and features on the same network.

Interestingly, Southern have a unique business model. Until recently they were owned by 35 county councils and return profits to them – a form of co-operative. However, since 2019, Southern Phone has been owned by AGL energy.

On data pricing, they are ‘there or thereabouts’ (i.e. competitive with other telcos) – but, to be frank, there are often better data inclusions out there, on the same networks at the same price. Where Southern Phone excel is in their ‘bundled deals’ for customers with landline phones and fixed broadband connections. These facilities will appeal to older Australians the most, as you’ll see from the information below.

Key facts you need to know about Southern Phone

  • Yes, you can keep your number:
    If you already have a phone service with another phone company, (and a phone number by which everyone knows you), you can transfer across to Southern and keep your current number.
  • Southern Phone sell the Optus 3G and 4G networks:
    Southern Phone used to be rare in that they sold SIM Only plans on two different networks at the same time. Most providers have SIMs on a single network. Other companies which still do it include CMobile and Think Mobile. (They sell both Vodafone and Telstra plans at the same time.) However, Southern Phone now sells the Optus 3G, 4G, and 5G network alone for SIM only plans.
  • Southern Phone now sell the Optus 5G network:
    Like many other MVNOs in Australia, Southern Phone now sells 5G plans. The telco resells the Optus 5G network with simple, straightforward 5G plans that cost more than their 3G and 4G plans.
  • All Southern phones plans have unlimited voice and SMS:
    Almost all phone plans now offer Unlimited voice calls and SMS sent between Australian phones communicating with other Australian numbers. There has been a movement by phone companies increasingly offering plans at or around $10 per month, with small data allowances. Some of these plans have voice minute allocations in the low hundreds of minutes. Southern’s entry-level plans (starting at a little over the $10 mark) are likely better than the competition, for those who make more than a few calls a month because of the inclusion of this unlimited call.
  • Postpaid plan provider:
    All of the Southern Phone plans are postpaid. We have an article explaining the difference between prepaid and postpaid plans. Postpaid plans are generally seen as more convenient than prepaid plans and, in some senses, fairer because they bill you for the service on the same day of each month.
  • They sell Mobile Broadband too:
    Souther Phone are one of the rising number of telcos which offer 4G Mobile Broadband bundles for use in dongles, tablets, or other dedicated mobile-only devices. Mobile broadband is the fastest growing product suite on this website.
  • Bundles to save:
    Southern are, as we’ve said, a full-service phone company, which have been around for a while. For example, as well as SIM Only plans, they sell fixed broadband and fixed-line phone products. This is where Southern really stand out – as you will see below.
  • Extra data is $10 per GB:
    If you reach your allocated data limit, Southern will charge you $10 per extra GB you buy, up to a maximum of 3GB. This is now common practice for postpaid plan providers. Check out the ‘overage’ information below for more details.
  • They also sell bundled mobile phones:
    If you’d like to, you can buy your next piece of mobile phone hardware directly from Southern Phone and pay it off in instalments on your phone bill. Many will find this a convenient way of tying together your phone and plan, although you might be better off going to a dedicated phone provider for range and price.

Helpful things to think about when considering Southern Phone

  • What is ‘overage’?:
    Overage is the name given to any costs you sustain, taking a phone plan from a company, which are not in the original plan. For example, you might have a plan with 2GB of data. If you use 2.5GB of data in any month, you’ll be charged $10 for the extra data – and that’s overage. Southern Phone will only add 3GB of extra data, no matter what plan you’re on. In practical terms, this is not something that will affect many people. If you’re that far (3GB) over your data allowance, something is seriously wrong and you need to change up plans – which you can do at any point. Southern will also, like every phone company, send you SMS messages when you get near your data allowance (at 50%, 85% and 100% of it) so you can avoid this happening.
  • They charge a port- out cost of $8:
    When you leave Southern, you will be charged $8 for the privilege. There are very few phone companies which charge you to leave these days. This is an unusual fee, not a show-stopper but, as with the overage section above, it’s something to be aware of.
Southern phone have unusual mobile data ‘overage’ charges.

What’s different about Southern Phone?

  • 5G plans:
    Southern phone now offers 5G plans. The MVNO separates its 5G plans from 3G and 4G plans, so if you’d like faster speeds on your Southern Phone plan, you’ll have to pay extra.
  • International calls:
    Not everyone makes international calls each month. However, like the ever decreasing price of data, international calls are now offered free of charge in more SIM Only deals than they ever have before. Southern Phone offers International credits on their Medium and Large plans.
  • Nothing you don’t need:
    Some phone plans now include free streaming (data free) Southern phone offer classical telco services – voice, SMS, data and fixed-line connections.

Who will Southern Phone appeal to?

They are likely to appeal to anyone who has a landline, as well as a mobile phone at home. In practice, this can mean ‘older Australians’ who want to bundle the telecommunications services they buy. Older Australians are buying smartphones quickly – but a lower proportion of them currently own one. They do, on the other hand, have a higher proportion of landlines and they’re giving those up more slowly than different demographics.

Older people are less likely to have a mobile phone – although the gap between them and young people in this regard is falling fast. People are giving up their landlines. The older you are, the LESS likely it is you will have done this.

Southern Phone offer bundled deals for their customers. If you take your landline phone connection and a SIM Only plan from them, you’ll get a better deal and only have to manage a single company billing relationship. Many people find this much easier than paying multiple bills each month.

Further, Southern phone used to offer SIM Only plans with both the Telstra and Optus network, which made them a rare phone company. Some gravitated to Southern Phone because of this, as it gave the impression of choice. However, too much choice tends to complicate things, and this was likely the case with Southern Phone. The company has since changed its focus by eliminating its SIM Only plans that used the Telstra network. Southern Phone is now focusing on its Optus network-based plans – what it used to call Green SIM Plans.

Today however, Southern Phone does not use the Telstra Network at all. Whether you’re on a SIM only, or Mobile Broadband plan, all 3,4 and 5G is provided by Optus alone.  However, its single-network approach now means simpler offerings that cater to those who might have found the two-network approach to be a bit complicated. This eliminates the question of which network to choose. For those who prefer the Telstra network and would have previously chosen the Orange plans, we recommend Boost and Belong Mobile. These choices present plans similar to Southern Phone’s now-defunct Orange plans, and are cheaper than going directly to Telstra.

Bringing it all together

Southern Phone offer a sophisticated full-service telecommunications suite of plans and products, encompassing fixed and mobile, voice and data services. What sets them apart is the opportunity to contract with a single phone company, and get the benefit of bundled discounts. Given the nature of the trends we see in this area, it’s not hard to see why Southern Phone appeals to the 50+ ‘older Australian’ segment of users. These people are more likely to have a landline, to intend to keep it and, anecdotally, they prefer a single ‘throat to choke’ (single provider to call) if things go wrong with their service.

Southern are competitive on mobile data plan inclusions but they’re not always the best in the market – because they operate in such a competitive section of the market.

Southern Phone vs Moose, Vaya

Moose and Vaya offer very similar plans to Southern Phone’s plans. Southern Phone Green plans operate on the Optus 3G and 4G Plus network, and that’s what you’ll get with both Moose and Vaya. Each of these phone companies sell postpaid plans.

Moose are a new entrant into the market and they are proving popular because of their rates. Moose also have very strong online testimonials from their customers about their service and support. Vaya, too, operate in this very competitive space with a ‘price match guarantee.’ If you can find it cheaper elsewhere, Vaya will match it.

Just a few years ago, Southern Phone offered 12-month contracts. Something which neither Moose nor Vaya has ever done. Finally, Southern are a full-service telco, offering both mobile and fixed variants of their plan range. It is these factors, probably not price, that would lead you to choose Southern Phone over Vaya and Moose.

Southern Phone vs Amaysim, Yomojo

Where Southern Phone offer postpaid plans, Yomojo and Amaysim now sell prepaid plans. They all operate on the Optus 3G and 4G network.

Compare rates closely to get the best deal when you sign up to these peer telcos. Pricing varies and the best deal shifts almost by the week.

And again, Southern Phone offer some options that neither Yomojo or Amaysim can, given the nature of their prepaid product.

Southern Phone vs Belong Mobile

SouthernPhone and Belong Mobile both sell postpaid plans. There were even more similarities when Southern Phone was offering SIM Only plans using both the Optus and Telstra network, as Belong Mobile also uses the Telstra Network. However, now that Southern Phone only uses Optus, those similarities are no more.

Belong have a ‘data vault’ option which allows you to keep the data you’re allocated forever. We think this is the fairest treatment of data in the industry.

Southern Phone vs Kogan

Comparing Kogan and Southern Phone is comparing apples with oranges. Kogan are a brutal, price-based, prepaid plan, pile-them-high-and-sell-them-cheap phone company.

Southern Phone have a very different product offering. Southern operate on the Optus network, which has a larger 3G coverage footprint than the Vodafone equivalent. (Although you might be surprised to find that 4G speeds and coverage are very similar on these networks.) Southern Phone also have fixed line products, including NBN-based broadband and home landline services.

In simple terms, if you live in and around one of Australia’s main cities, Kogan are likely to offer better value on data inclusions. If you live outside those areas and are interested in a longer term relationship (i.e. one which goes beyond a special offer SIM) with your telco, Southern Phone is likely a better answer.

One other feature of Kogan is their multiple month offers. Kogan have some long expiry plans which are worth a look. By purchasing 365-day plans from Kogan, you can avoid the inconvenience of recharging every month and save yourself some money.

Southern Phone vs Lebara

The key difference between Southern Phone and Lebara relates to international call inclusions. Southern phone have decided to focus on their domestic rates and charges. A large part of Lebara’s marketing and plan structure is in making potential customers aware of Lebara’s international call rates and plan inclusions.

If you make more than about an hour worth of calls overseas each month, then Lebara are likely the best option for you.

Lebara do also pass on price cuts to their customers as their plan inclusions improve, an increasingly common but not ubiquitous practice. And of course, Lebara are a prepaid provider which operate on the Vodafone 3G and 4G network.

Finally, Lebara, like Kogan, have long expiry plans to consider. If you want a plan you can pay for up front with a 180-day or 365-day expiry, it’ll cost a little more now and save you up to 24% over the term of the agreement.

Southern Phone vs Vodafone

The major difference between Southern Phone and Vodafone is Vodafone’s network coverage. To be fair to Vodafone, however, the gap in coverage between each of these companies is not nearly what it used to be or nearly as big as you might think. You can find out more, including the latest network coverage statistics in our Vodafone network review summary.

It has to be said that Vodafone’s customer support is the best in the industry. And Vodafone offer a choice of both prepaid or postpaid plans, where Southern Phone offer only postpaid plan options.

Interestingly, picking either of these phone companies is an extremely safe bet – they both offer a Network Satisfaction Guarantee.

Southern Phone vs Telstra

Southern phone used to offer SIM Only plans on the Telstra Mobile network but that is no longer the case. Telstra and Boost Mobile are the only Australian phone companies to provide access to the full (in the industry it’s called the ‘retail’) Telstra network.

With Southern Phone’s recent focus on its Green plans which use the Optus network, you won’t have the exact same coverage footprint that you will if you go to Telstra or Boost. However, Optus coverage is just as good.

Thus, the question in comparing the companies is in the plan type you want. Boost’s plans are prepaid only but offer good value, better than either of the alternatives shown here. Southern’s plans, on the other hand, are postpaid only. For those looking for plans similar to Southern Phone’s no-defunct Orange Plan that operated on the Telstra network, Boost and Belong Mobile are the recommended options. Telstra will sell you either a prepaid or postpaid plan but, of course, they’re the most expensive in the industry.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning that Southern Phone’s customer support is located in Australia, where most of Telstra’s support is offshore, under the Boost and Telstra brands.

Comparing Southern Phone’s Mobile Broadband Pricing

You can compare Southern Phone’s Mobile Broadband pricing on our data plans page.

This Month’s Hot Offers

$20.00

$ 10.00

/ Month to Month VIEW PLAN
Domestic Voice Calls and SMS
Unlimited
Data
12GB
Contract
Month to Month
Network
Vodafone 3G+4G
Promotion
50% off! $10.00 for the first 6 months, then $20.
$30.00

$ 15.00

/ Recharge @28 days VIEW PLAN
Domestic Voice Calls and SMS
Unlimited
Data
32GB
Contract
Recharge @28 days
Network
Optus 4G+5G
Promotion
50% off and 50GB for the first renewal. Use code KBGZHU. T&Cs apply. Ends 15.04.24

$ 20.00

/ Month to Month VIEW PLAN
Domestic Voice Calls and SMS
Unlimited
Data
30GB
Contract
Month to Month
Network
Optus 3G+4G
Promotion
30GB for the first 3 months, then 15GB thereafter. Offer extended to 30.04.24.

$ 20.00

/ Month to Month VIEW PLAN
Domestic Voice Calls and SMS
Unlimited
Data
5GB
Contract
Month to Month
Network
Optus 3G+4G Plus
Promotion
Bundle Offer: $5 for the first 3 months, then $15 after, when you have AGL energy.