I first got a mobile phone in 2000 – wow, about seven and a half years ago now. I have been on the same plan that whole time, until tomorrow. Back in those days, they offered much better plans. I was on a “B Together plan” with my Mum, which gave us her phone, with $20 included calls + my phone with $10 included calls for $20 per month ($22 once the GST came in… bugger ;)). But not only did we get that, we also got 20 cent calls on weekends to any mobile in Australia for up to ten minutes, and free 20 minute calls after 8pm to any Optus mobile. Although Optus no longer offers this awesome weekend call rate, it has continued for me throughout the years. It is the main reason I’ve never wanted to change my plan to anything else.
As I mentioned previously, this plan was under my Mum’s name. Mum passed away in 2005, but I still wanted to keep this great deal (and my phone number!) so I had to call up B to get them to put the contract in my name, which they willingly did. My Mum’s phone number first went to my brother, then went unused after he moved to America until my sister lost her phone in a nightclub and needed a new one. Her mobile phone habits are a lot different from my own, though, and her bill kept getting higher and higher, until it reached more than $100. Rather than keeping two phone numbers for myself, one of which I wouldn’t even use, I decided to finally give in, let my sister transfer the number to another provider, and change my own plan.
A few months ago, B merged with some other phone companies under the company name Soul. So I called Soul and asked them what they could give me. I was actually surprised by the plan they had recommended to me that I almost literally jumped at the thought. My new plan starts tomorrow, and I only have to pay $9 per month for $9 included calls. Not only that, but the call rate is a lot better, at only 9 cents per 30 seconds to not only mobiles but landlines as well. My old plan rate was 35 cents per 30 seconds for mobiles, and double that for landlines!
I’m not sure if I was able to take advantage of this plan because I was an existing customer for so long, or if anyone can take advantage of it, but if it sounds like your thing, you can certainly try. I get a $40 Myer gift card if I recommend Soul to anyone, so mention my maiden name (Dominica Corless) if you do decide to sign up with them. I can certainly do with a free $40 to spend at Myer 😉
Dominica May 