Hot Days For Data

In the mobile space, we saw data deals left, right and centre in 2018 and we’d expect these data wars to continue in 2019.

Q WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE IN TERMS OF MOBILE PLANS AND BROADBAND OFFERINGS IN 2019?

Carriers were offering big data bonuses to new customers – as much as double data in some instances – which made for a very competitive marketplace.

Things could easily heat up further in 2019, with the planned merger of Vodafone and TPG creating another powerhouse telco to strongly compete with Telstra and Optus at the top end of town. That could put downward pressure on prices, which would be good news for consumers and could result in some great offers showing up.

Another mobile consideration people will have in 2019 is whether they want to buy their phones outright with a separate SIM plan or on a contract? There is a widening gap between the cost of new flagship phones and other mid-range models, with potential big savings to be made depending on the purchase method for different devices and usage needs. We recommend doing a bit of homework on the options available before jumping into a contract.

Love it or hate it, the biggest internet influence in 2019 is likely to be the NBN. Getting an NBN internet service isn’t optional; we’ll all have to choose one soon. With the rollout scheduled for completion in late 2020, roughly 2½ million households will be required to connect to the NBN in 2019 before their regular internet services are cut off.

That’ll be about a 50% increase in total connected NBN services over the space of one year, compared with current levels. So what should we be looking for in our new NBN plans?