If you plan to consume a lot of data and want it at the fastest speeds possible, Vodafone is launching a new plan. While many people are stuck at home in lockdown, no less.
Timing is everything, they say, but if you’re someone who worries more about data downloads on your phone, Vodafone might have something for you, launching what the telco says is the country’s only unlimited mobile data plan.
That’s not complete true, we don’t think, or at least may only be true for plans as they exist right now.
As of September 2021 in Australia, the handful of mobile plans offering unlimited data are speed locked, such as how Telstra offers 1.5Mbps of unlimited data once you go over a certain amount on a plan for your set amount, something Vodafone also echoes. Meanwhile, Vodafone’s sub-brand Felix offers unlimited downloads capped at 20Mbps, which will be fast enough for most people, but clearly doesn’t take advantage of the full breadth of what either 4G or 5G delivers.
Before unlimited downloads with bandwidth locking was a thing, Telstra offered a plan with both unlimited speeds and unlimited downloads for just under $200, but that has since gone away.
However one is back, as Vodafone launches a plan specifically focused on just that: unlimited downloads at unlimited speeds. If you have a 5G phone and get great reception and speeds, it means Vodafone’s latest plan could just get you faster speeds without a cap on downloads for $85 per month, which is how much the Ultra+ plan will cost.
“This is an all-you-can eat mobile data plan for just $85 per month, it’s that simple,” said John Casey, Chief Marketing Officer for Vodafone.
“Customers want to set and forget their telco plan, and this gives them unlimited mobile data at maximum available speeds, as well as unlimited standard national calls and texts,” he said. “This means customers can stream, browse and connect on their mobile without giving data limits a second thought.”
The launch of Vodafone’s Ultra+ plan may provide unlimited mobile speeds and data alongside each other, but it’s one that launches as much of Australia’s population remains in lockdown.
With NSW and Victoria both still undergoing a stay-at-home lockdown, the need for unlimited mobile data may not be as heavy a requirement for Australians living under those conditions, though it’s a plan that will work Australia-wide, and with support for 5G phones, including the iPhone 12 range and plenty of others.
“With millions of Australians at home in lockdown, there’s never been a more important time to create a great value worry-free experience,” said Casey.
“Our 5G network is continuing to roll out in selected areas of major Australian cities and centres, and this new plan will allow customers with a 5G device in those areas to make the most of it.”
There is a slight catch worth talking about, however, and that’s if you’re using the Vodafone Ultra+ unlimited plan for mobile hotspots. If you do this, the first 30GB of data will be set to an unlimited speed, with the remaining data per month set to 2Mbps. Essentially, Vodafone notes the $85 unlimited plan is strictly for phones, not for hotspots or tablets as such.
That could make it ideal for folks who live on their phones and are still travelling about the place, or anyone looking for unlimited speed rather than the locked down approach mobiles get across other networks, too. Vodafone customers will find the Ultra+ unlimited plan launching this week for $85 per month.
