Mobile Prices Rising April-May 2026: How to Avoid Paying More

All three major Australian mobile carriers are raising prices within the next six weeks. Vodafone goes first on 15 April, Telstra follows on 5 May, and Optus rounds it out on 18 May. Their sub-brands — Belong, Boost, and Lebara — are increasing too.

Combined, these increases affect millions of Australian mobile customers. Most plans are going up $4–$5 per month, which works out to $48–$60 more per year. Some prepaid plans are increasing by up to 15%.

Here is exactly what is changing for each carrier, which plans are affected, and what you can do before the increases take effect.

The Timeline

Vodafone: Prepaid Plans Up From 15 April

Vodafone’s increases hit prepaid plans only. Postpaid plans are not affected in this round.

What to note: The $250/365-day plan is not increasing. If you are a Vodafone prepaid customer, recharging onto this plan before 15 April locks in a full year at the current rate. All plans now offer 300GB data rollover (up from 200GB), and 28-day plans include a $5 ongoing discount for auto-recharge.

Source: Vodafone plan updates, via WhistleOut.

Telstra: Postpaid and Prepaid Up From 5 May

Telstra’s increases cover both postpaid and prepaid, making this the broadest change. This is Telstra’s second increase in under 12 months — the previous round was 1 July 2025.

Postpaid

The $50 Starter plan increases to $55 and is being retired for new customers, replaced by a new “Access” tier.

Prepaid

Lock-in tip: If your auto-recharge is active as of 4 May, the old prices and inclusions continue until 2 June 2026. Disabling auto-recharge or doing a manual recharge between 5 May and 2 June triggers the new pricing immediately.

New from 1 July 2026: Telstra is introducing a 10% concession discount for eligible Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card, and Veteran Affairs Gold Card holders on any Upfront Postpaid plan.

Source: Telstra plan pricing updates.

Optus: Postpaid Up From 18 May

Optus is raising its Choice Plus postpaid plans by $5 each. Prepaid plans are not affected in this round. This is also Optus’s second increase in 12 months.

Customers on older Optus Choice prepaid plans will also see a $5 increase.

Source: WhistleOut — Optus price increase 2026.

Sub-Brands Are Increasing Too

If you switched to a sub-brand expecting to avoid increases, it may not work this time:

Belong (Telstra-owned, 5 May): All four plans increase by $4 — Small $30→$34, Medium $35→$39, Large $45→$49, Extra Large $55→$59.

Boost Mobile (Telstra-owned, 5 May): Smaller increases on select plans. The 7-day plan goes from $13 to $14, and the $26/28-day plan to $28. Most 28-day plans hold prices but get data increases.

Lebara (TPG Telecom/Vodafone group, 15 April): Prices increase by $0.10 per plan, but the bigger change is the shift from 30-day to 28-day expiry. This means 13 recharges per year instead of 12 — effectively an extra annual payment on top of the per-recharge increase.

Sources: WhistleOut — Belong, Boost Mobile, WhistleOut — Lebara.

The Real Cost: More Than the Headline

The carriers justify these increases by pointing to network investment, 5G expansion, and additional data. But the ACCC has noted that “consumers do not generally use all their data inclusions and may not value additional data” — meaning extra gigabytes you will never use are not a genuine trade-off for higher prices (source: ACCC communications market report, via Information Age).

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) called the increases “a slap in the face for millions of consumers,” noting they outpace both inflation and community expectations.

Here is how the annual cost adds up:

Who Is NOT Raising Prices?

Several independent MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators) have not announced increases:

Plan details and pricing as of April 2026, subject to change.

The average MVNO plan costs approximately $22 per month compared to approximately $52 per month with the three major carriers (source: Canstar, April 2026). MVNOs use the same networks (Telstra, Optus, or Vodafone) but set their own pricing.

Compare mobile plans at internest.com.au/telecom — see all available plans ranked by price for your usage, no commission.

How to Avoid Paying More

Before the increase dates

1. Switch to an MVNO now. Most plans are month-to-month with no exit fees. You can port your number in minutes. If you are on Telstra and want to stay on the Telstra network, Aldi Mobile and Boost use the same infrastructure.
2. Prepay on a long-expiry plan. Vodafone’s $250/365-day plan is not increasing — recharge before 15 April and you are locked in for a year. Telstra’s auto-recharge customers keep old pricing until 2 June.
3. Check if you actually use your data. Go to your carrier’s app and look at your average monthly usage. If you are on a 50GB plan but only use 10GB, you could drop to a cheaper tier or a smaller MVNO plan. The ACCC’s point stands — paying more for data you do not use is not a deal.

If you want to stay with your carrier

4. Call and ask. Retention teams sometimes offer unpublished discounts, especially if you mention you are considering switching. Multiple users on forums report success with Optus retention deals.
5. Set up auto-recharge for Vodafone. The ongoing $5 discount on 28-day plans partially offsets the increase.
6. Check concession eligibility for Telstra. From July, Telstra offers a 10% concession discount for eligible cardholders — Pensioner Concession, Health Care, or Veteran Affairs Gold.

General

7. Compare regularly. Mobile pricing changes frequently. What was the lowest-cost plan six months ago may no longer be competitive. A 5-minute comparison once or twice a year can save $200–$400 annually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are all three carriers raising prices at the same time?

Annual price increases have become an industry pattern since 2024. All three carriers cite network investment, 5G expansion, and rising operational costs. The ACCC has noted concern about the timing and alignment of these increases, though no formal investigation has been announced.

Will MVNOs raise prices too?

Some already are — Belong, Boost, and Lebara are all increasing alongside their parent carriers. However, independent MVNOs like amaysim, felix, Aldi Mobile, and Kogan have not announced increases as of April 2026. There is no guarantee they will hold prices indefinitely.

Can I keep my phone number if I switch?

Yes. Number porting is standard in Australia and takes minutes to hours. You do not need to contact your old provider — your new provider handles the transfer when you activate.

Do I lose anything by switching to an MVNO?

You may lose carrier-specific extras (such as Telstra’s sports streaming bundle, Optus SubHub, or international roaming add-ons). Network coverage and speed are generally the same, though some MVNOs may have lower priority during network congestion. For most everyday use, the difference is minimal.

Is this legal? Can carriers just raise prices whenever they want?

Yes, for mobile plans. Unlike electricity and gas (where the AEMC has introduced a once-per-year price rise rule from July 2026), there is no equivalent restriction on telecommunications pricing. Mobile carriers can adjust prices with notice as per their contract terms.

How much notice do carriers have to give?

Carriers are required to notify customers of price changes in advance. The standard notice period is typically 30 days for postpaid and varies for prepaid.

General information only, not personal financial advice. Plan prices and inclusions sourced from carrier announcements and comparison sites as of 10 April 2026, subject to change. Always confirm current pricing directly with providers before making decisions. Sources: Telstra, WhistleOut, Canstar, ACCC, ACCAN.