Stop Overpaying for Internet
You might have seen Aldi’s billboards to ‘question your Telco plan.’ This bit of valuable marketing is something we should all make plans to do. I was with a client recently who wanted to swap over their home internet and mobile phone plan to different options, and we saved her $1000 per year in just two hours together. This is the equivalent to an extra trip away per year, six cases of wine, or that new couch you’ve been putting off. Why aren’t we all doing this? The days of sticking with Telstra and Optus because that’s who we’ve always been with means these two giants can continue to charge high prices for their services. Most of the other services are run off their same lines so for a lower cost you’re getting the same service.
The major cost in running technology is your connection to the internet. Getting online through your home internet and mobile phone is fairly essential. Home internet provides things like your computer, streaming your channels on your TV and scrolling on Facebook, and a home phone if you need one, where your mobile phone provides this outside the phone, as well as calling and texting.
For the average Senior user who wants to stream a show every now and again, send emails and catch-up on the news, fast, flashy, expensive plans are generally not the way to go. For your home internet, 25Mbps (which is a measure of how much data can be received at once – Megabits per second) will suit most. Paying more for services which provide higher rates than this is usually excessive to the average user. Usually, the home internet plans are ‘unlimited’, which means that there is no cap on how much you can download/view over the month.
In order for the internet to run you’ll need a modem/router. This is the black or white box that plugs into the wall. Most people use this word interchangeably which is fine – often they are both a modem and a router. Optus and Telstra usually provide this in their internet plans if you stay with them for a duration, and might make you pay for it if you cancel early. Sometimes you have to pay for it up front. With alternative service providers, it’s common place for them to sell you a name-brand modem which is pre set up, or you can BYO and get it set up. Regardless, as long as the modem is compatible with your service and new, it should provide internet well enough for you. There is not usually huge upsides to getting the more expensive one vs the cheaper one.
Some providers to look at are Flip, Aussie Broadband, dodo, Tangerine. They often offer even cheaper deals for the first 6 months. My client went with a Flip plan for $55.90 per month, saving $30 per month compared to Telstra.
I’ve covered the mobile plan before, but here it is again from a past article of mine: As far as I’m concerned, the most cost-efficient plan is Aldi’s 4G 10GB data with unlimited calls and texts for $19 - the SIM Only Plan. It’s got unlimited data roll over, so if you don't use your data, then it goes on the next month’s plan automatically. Aldi’s plans are run on the Telstra network. To put it in perspective, Optus’ cheapest SIM Only Plan is more than double at $49 per month and Telstra’s is $62 per month (both with a few more benefits incl. 5G and more data). You can also keep your number and it’s not too complicated to set up. Plus, if you need more data, you can just upgrade your plan.
Don't let high Telco bills drain your wallet. Take a good moment to review your internet and mobile plans – it could lead to savings of hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars each year. If you're unsure where to start or find the process overwhelming, Greyology is here to help. Our expert team can guide you through the options, set everything up, and ensure you're not paying more than you need to. Imagine what you could do with those savings – an extra holiday, treating yourself to something special, or simply having peace of mind.
Edin Read.
Founder & Chief Technician.
☎️ +61 401 018 615
