When you sign up to a postpaid mobile plan, the cost of the monthly repayments covers both the cost of the phone and the cost of the calls you make (atleast it 
includes an allowance of calls). At the end of the contract period, the monthly repayments don’t get adjusted for the fact that the phone has been repaid, they simply continue as is until you wake up to the fact that you are being ripped off.
Your options are to:
- Find a new plan – useful if you are happy with your phone. The plan options are BYO mobile plans, a prepaid mobile plan or maybe another contract plan.
- Upgrade your phone – if you are keen on the latest mobile phone, sign up to another plan and receive the latest in technology. New monthly payments will cover both the cost of the phone and an allowance for calls and mobile internet.
Bill, a friend of my fathers is retired and signed up to a mobile phone plan with Telstra a few years ago. He wanted a new phone and a contract was the easiest option for him at the time. The contract ended some time ago and over the last couple of months he has been asking himself “why hasn’t Telstra contacted me”. Last week he happened to be passing a Telstra store and popped in to ask.
The helpful assistant advised him that the onus was on him to come and ask. Telstra wasn’t planning on telling him to leave the plan any time soon. He asked if he could leave but was mindful that he wanted to keep his number.
Knowing that I run a website which compares prepaid mobile plans, my father motioned me to give him a hand. I simply explained to Bill that he had the option of moving to a prepaid mobile plan with a long expiry which would give him certain savings and the ability to keep his number. Given he was familiar with the Telstra store local to him, I advised that he invest $60 in a Telstra prepaid sim Long Expiry plan which should give him 365 days of credit. This should last him close to 6 months based on his spending pattern. $120 over one year using prepaid is a lot cheaper than $360 on his existing plan.
So Bill will be visiting the Telstra store at Chadstone tomorrow to transfer his phone to a Telstra Long Expiry prepaid mobile plan.
