Vodafone axes unlimited mobile plan, ups starting price

Vodafone has refreshed its postpaid mobile range, cutting down the number of plans it offers to three. As part of these changes, Vodafone's most affordable postpaid plan now starts at $45 per month, up from $40 per month despite having the same 40GB data inclusion.

A Vodafone spokesperson told WhistleOut "small monthly increase in price is a necessary response to inflationary pressures and the increased costs of doing business".

"This is not a decision we have taken lightly, and continue to invest in our products, services and network capability to provide a greater customer experience," said the spokesperson.

Vodafone has also eliminated its top-end plan with truly unlimited data. Its plans now max out with a 300GB data allowance.

Here is Vodafone's complete new range of SIM-only plans:

These plans can also be paired with a new phone, like the upcoming Galaxy S23 series.

The plans are all free from excess data fees; if you go over your allowance, you'll be capped to speeds of 2Mbps. While that's faster than the 1.5Mbps offered by Telstra and Optus, Vodafone previously capped some speeds to 10Mbps. This faster capped data is no longer part of the new plan range.

The majority of these changes can be chalked up to simplicity, according to the Vodafone spokesperson.

"This refresh reduces the number and complexity of our postpaid plans in market, making it simpler for customers to better match their pricing and data needs," said the spokesperson.

"The removal of speed tiers in our refreshed plans keeps all plans aligned and consistent across the whole portfolio, while also giving customers enough speed to do the basics (like web browsing and emails), should they exceed their monthly data quota."

These changes only apply to customers signing up to a new Vodafone plan. Existing customers will remain on their existing plan.

Vodafone increasing the starting price of its plans isn't altogether surprising, given that Telstra and Optus both did so around the middle of last year. Telstra's most affordable Upfront SIM-only plan starts at $58 per month with 40GB, while Optus charges a minimum of $49 per month for a postpaid plan with 30GB.

Vodafone still offers better data for dollar than its biggest competitors, but the price increase may make smaller providers even more attractive for anyone who already owns a phone.

Here's a look at the cheapest SIM-only plans with at least 40GB per month: