PrepaidPlans Newsletter issue 54
I was given a challenge earlier this week, a colleague of mine was complaining that her $49 Vodafone Flexi Cap wasn’t always lasting her the full 30 days as she was making several calls back to Ireland every week. So I took it upon myself to investigate some alternative prepaid plans for her.
Also in this issue, we take a look at two new plans, the first from Crazy Johns with the launch of Flat Chat Unlimited and the second from Virgin with the launch of Textalot.
CALLING IRELAND
My colleagues $49 Vodafone Flexi Cap gives you $350 in calls to anyone, $650 to Vodafone and 3GB of data with a 30 day expiry. Calling Ireland at the moment costs her a 39c connection and then $1.81 per minute. A 5 min call will cost $9.44. Over 30 days this equates to 37, 5 min calls to Ireland. Let’s see if we can do better than that.
- You could switch to Vodafone International. With a $30 recharge you will receive $30 call credit, unlimited Vodafone talk and 50MB data. Local calls are charged at 10c/min with a 10c connection. Calls to Ireland are 7c/min with a 15c connection. From your $30 you could make 60, 5 min calls to Ireland in the month.
- Optus Connect 4 Less – Local calls are 15c/min with 0c connection fee. Data is 5c/MB. Calls to Ireland (land-line) are 3c/min and a 23c connection. From your $30 you could make 78, 5 min calls to Ireland in the month.
- Optus New Turbo Cap – With a $30 recharge, you have $300 in call credits, unlimited Txt and 500MB. Normally call rates are $3.64/min, however if you purchase a $10 Top Up (28 days), International Zone B rates allow for calls at 17c/min. Therefore from your $10 top up you will receive 11, 5 minute calls to Ireland in the month.
- Telstra Simplicity – Local calls are 15c/min with no connection. Data is 10c/MB. Calls to Ireland are 20c/min and a 0c connection. From your $30 you could make 30, 5 min calls to Ireland in the month.
- gotalk Ultimate – with a $30 recharge you receive $30 in call credits plus 3000 ultimate minutes for international calls. Ultimate minutes can be used for Ireland land-lines, otherwise calls to mobiles are 48c/min. Locals call rates are 39c/min plus a 39c connection. Data is 2c/MB. With your 3000 minutes you could make 600, 5 min calls to Ireland in the month.
- Lebara Mega Plan – for $39.90 you receive unlimited local calls and SMS plus $9.90 to spend on international calls. Calls to Ireland are 5c/min land-line, 33c/min mobile and 29c connection. Data is 5c/MB. From your $9.90 you could make 18, 5 min calls to Ireland in the month.
- Virgin Simple – $29 recharge offers $29 call credits plus 100MB data. Local call rates are 15c/min and no connection. You also receive unlimited Virgin to Virgin calls. Credit expires after 90 days. Calls to Ireland are 15c/min. From your $29 you could make 38, 5 min calls to Ireland in the month.
- Crazy Johns Flat Chat Sim Only – $25 monthly charge gives you $25 credit, 10c local calls with a 10c connection, plus bonus 500MB. Calls to Ireland are 7c/min. Add to this an International Extra Value pack for $5 with $35 credit and you could make 170, 5 min calls to Ireland in the month.
- The final plan is from TPG. For $35 per month you receive $1000 in calls and 3GB of data. Calls to Ireland are $1.80/min with 35c connection. The trade-off here is the large credit. A 5 minute call to Ireland will cost you approx $9.35. With your $1000 credit you could make 106, 5 min calls to Ireland in the month.
What the market seems to be missing (or they are making it difficult to find) is a Prepaid Cap with competitive international rates. Something like $40 Cap with $700 in credit but with call rates at under 15c/min to a select country.
The alternative would be an international call bonus pack. Spend $10 and receive 100 minutes to any country. They seem to be available for postpaid plans, but not for prepaid. The only thing that comes close is the Optus $10 Top Up.
CRAZY JOHNS FLAT CHAT UNLIMITED
Following an upgrade to the credit expiry of its prepaid mobile Flat Chat range, Crazy Johns has launched Flat Chat Unlimited. With $39 and 30 days to use it you get unlimited calls to Australian fixed lines and mobiles, unlimited Txt, unlimited MMS, unlimited video calls and MMS, unlimited Voicemail, unlimited 1300 and 1800 numbers and a whopping 4GB of data. This is a prepaid offer with 30 days to use it, so if you want to keep using it just keep recharging. How good is it? It is as good as the other “prepaid unlimited offer”. In terms of calls, pretty much every call type except for international is included in your $39 so you can’t fault them there and given the perception that Crazy Johns is a serious prepaid player, this plan should do OK.
VIRGIN TEXTALOT
Virgin Mobile have gone back in time and resurrected their Message Monster concept with the launch of Textalot. Yep if you want unlimited Txts to anyone in Australia, that is any network in Australia, then Textalot will give you just that. The plan doesn’t have a very long expiry, 14 days in fact and the minimum recharge is $10. With your $10 investment you receive $10 in call credits, your unlimited Txts to anyone and 200MB of data. Calls are 78c/min with a 40c connection plus excess data at .2c/KB (or $2MB).
This type of plan will appeal to the youngsters out there Texting-a-lot. The expiry needs a little extending though as 14 days is too short. It basically means that to keep the account active all year, your minimum spend is $260.
Checkout the new Virgin Mobile Textalot plan plus all of what Virgin Mobile has to offer here.
BEST RECHARGE DEALS
Quick round up of the great recharge deals available at the moment.
Virgin Bonus $1200 Credit
If you purchase $2, $5 or $29 sim pack and recharge with a $29 Your Cap before 31/3/2012 you will receive $200 bonus credit each month for 6 months. Bonus recharge must be issued in total before 30/9/2012.
Amaysim Bonus
Woolworths is offering your second month off when you purchase an Amaysim Starter Kit. You must purchase a $2 Amaysim Starter Kit plus a $39.90 Amaysim Unlimited Recharge Voucher instore to access this offer. Your second month worth $39.90 will be free. Offer is valid until 21/2/2012.
Optus New Turbo Cap Plus – Unlimited Weekend Calls
Connect with the Optus New Turbo Cap Plus before 31/3/2012 and stay connected for the entire year with minimum credit and you will receive unlimited weekend calls to Australian standard numbers. This includes national voice calls to mobiles, landlines and 1300/1800 numbers.
Amaysim – 20% off your first order
Sign up to the Amaysim Unlimited, As You Go or Mobile Broadband and activate before 29/2/2012 and you will receive 20% off your first order.
Vodafone 365 Days Special Offer
Recharge with $30 on the 365 Day prepaid mobile plan by 29/2/2012 and get infinite standard national Vodafone to Vodafone calls for 365 days (standard voice calls within Australia). Must activate recharge by 29/02/2012.
Lebara Mobile Mega Plan $9.90 Bonus Offer
Buy a $39.90 Mega Plan Starter pack online between 25/01/2012 and 29/02/2012 and receive a BONUS $9.90 Mega Recharge voucher. The Mega Recharge voucher can be used to top-up your included call credit for international calls and data, at Lebara’s standard low-cost rates.
