Getting help with mobile networks
Getting help with mobile networks
What's coming up?
In this activity, you'll learn where to go to purchase a mobile phone and mobile data plan.
We'll also give you some tips on how to get the right plan for you.
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Mobile data can be tricky
Choosing the right mobile data plan can be tricky as different providers include and require different things.
Some plans can include a phone, some come with a small or large monthly data allowances, and some require you to pay-by-the-month or enter a one or two-year contract.
eSafety tip
Each mobile phone provider has a slightly different way of selling mobile phones and mobile data so it's important to understand what you need before making a decision.
Take your time when talking to a mobile phone provider about what you want and need. Don't let them rush you. Make sure you understand the phone and the data plan you are buying before you commit to anything or pay for anything.
Go to the shop
You can order a mobile phone and data plan from a provider's website and it will be delivered to your house, but the ordering process can be confusing, and it can be hard to know exactly what you want, or even what you're getting.
The big providers (including Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, Virgin and a few others) usually have shopfronts in your local shopping centre. You can speak to a staff member about all the options, and which might suit your needs.
Making an informed choice
A salesperson may try to sell you the most expensive plan and phone they can. They will have lots of reasons for you to want the expensive phone, and lots of data to go with it.
Some providers even offer free pay TV or other services, but those free services usually only last a few months and then you have to pay a monthly fee to keep using them.
Getting what YOU want
Explaining what you will most likely be using your mobile phone for, and how often you are likely to use it should help sales staff direct you to an appropriate plan.
In general, plans are sold as small, medium, large, and super-large. Use the table on the right to help match your mobile phone use with an appropriate plan.
Congratulations!
This is the end of the Getting help with mobile networks activity and have learned it's a good idea to visit a phone plan provider in person to discuss plans that suit you best.
Next up, if you have registered and are logged into the Be Connected website, you'll now be able to take a short quiz to finish the Mobile networks course. If you're not registered, you are now at the end of the course.