How much do you pay for a 2-minute call?
The ACMA has recommended that Aussie telcos advertise the cost of a two-minute standard call. We take a look at what that costs on the post-paid plans available today.
So, your telco offers you hundreds of dollars of "included value" with your mobile phone plan each month, but do you actually know how many calls this equates to?
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), the Australian mobile industry watchdog, has recommended that Aussie telcos begin advertising the cost of a standard call, so that consumers can more easily compare plans before signing up to long-term contracts.
The average length of a call works out to be about two minutes in length, so telcos will need to display the price of two one-minute billing blocks, plus any flag fall fee charged. With these changes coming into effect soon, we thought we'd beat the telcos to the punch and show you what you are being charged for a two-minute call right now.
Remember, this is only half of the equation. You'll still need to divide the value in your plan by the cost of a call.
Update: we've removed the "Calls on a AU$50 plan" column seen in the previous version of this article, due to the fact that it was so mind-bogglingly confusing (sorry!) We'll leave it to you to compare the plans you are interested in, using the figures below to create an even playing field.
Telstra
| Plan | Cost of 2-min call |
|---|---|
| Everyday connect (all plans) | AU$2.38 |
| Casual 10 | AU$2.27 |
| Casual 20 | AU$2.15 |
| Casual 30 | AU$2.03 |
| Casual 40 | AU$1.71 |
| Mobile Member 20 | AU$2.15 |
| Mobile Member 30 | AU$2.03 |
| Mobile Member 40 | AU$1.71 |
| Mobile Phone 30 | AU$2.11 |
| Mobile Phone 40 | AU$1.79 |
Optus
| Plan | Cost of 2-min call |
|---|---|
| Sim only (all plans) | AU$2.15 |
| Optus plans (all plans) | AU$2.40 |
Vodafone
| Plan | Cost of 2-min call |
|---|---|
| All plans | AU$2.36 |
Virgin
| Plan | Cost of 2-min call |
|---|---|
| All plans | AU$2.38 |
Amaysim
| Plan | Cost of 2-min call |
|---|---|
| As You Go | AU$0.24 |
| Flexi | AU$0.18 |
Live Connected
| Plan | Cost of 2-min call |
|---|---|
| All plans | AU$2.15 |
TPG
| Plan | Cost of 2-min call |
|---|---|
| All plans | AU$2.15 |
iiNet
| Plan | Cost of 2-min call |
|---|---|
| All plans | AU$2.15 |
Woolworths
| Plan | Cost of 2-min call |
|---|---|
| All caps | AU$2.17 |
Telechoice
| Plan | Cost of 2-min call |
|---|---|
| 29 Cap | AU$1.99 |
Crazy Johns
| Plan | Cost of 2-min call |
|---|---|
| Value plans | AU$2.38 |
Boost Mobile
| Plan | Cost of 2-min call |
|---|---|
| Super Cap | AU$2.17 |
iPrimus
| Plan | Cost of 2-min call |
|---|---|
| No Worries 39 | AU$2.15 |
| Social Caps | AU$2.37 |
| GoLow Plans | AU$1.85 |
Keep in mind that this is only a guide. There are other factors to consider before jumping in to a new phone contract, like how much data the plan offers, and whether SMS is unlimited or deducted from the "included value" figure. Also, some of the plans listed above require a two-year contract, while others, like the Amaysim plans, have no lock-in terms at all.