Belong Mobile review

Although Belong is better value than Telstra (and Boost Mobile, the only other provider with full Telstra network access), its plans are still on the more premium end of the pricing spectrum.

Belong offers four different SIM-only plans, ranging from $34 per month to $59 per month at the time of writing. That price doesn't tend to drop often, but depending on when you sign up, you might be able to swing some bonus data for your first year.

As is the case with most MVNOs, Belong plans offer capped data speeds, limiting speeds to 150Mbps for the three cheapest plans and 250Mbps for the most expensive.

If you're set on Telstra coverage but want a smaller monthly bill, EZEE, Tangerine and Everyday Mobile are solid options. If you're willing to consider an Optus or Vodafone MVNO, there's even more savings to be had with the likes of Spintel, OnePass Mobile, and Swoop.

Below is a list of the most popular SIM-only plans under $30 in our engine.

Although both Belong and Boost Mobile are owned by Telstra, only Boost Mobile is given full access to the Telstra network. Belong, on the other hand, is relegated to the smaller (but still excellent) Telstra Wholesale network.

Covering approximately 1.4 million square kilometres, this network isn't as widespread as Telstra proper (2.14 million sqm), but it's still larger than Optus and Vodafone's 1.2 million sqm. For city-slickers, suburbanites and people who live in regional hubs, this coverage should be no issue; it's when you go out further afield into more rural areas that things might start to get a bit patchy.

Check out the map below to put that difference into perspective.

Although not quite as perky as Telstra, Belong Mobile plans have a decent range of goodies to go along with the usual unlimited talk and text offering.

Firstly, there’s unlimited data banking, so whatever you don’t use in a month will be stored for later use. Alternatively, if you have a friend or family member also on Belong, you can gift your unused data to them.

As with most SIM-only plans these days, Belong is also contract-free, so you can cancel at any time if a better option comes along.

Perhaps one of Belong's biggest perks is its international roaming option. For $30, you get 3GB of data, unlimited texts and 150 minutes of calls to use over 15 days in 45 destinations. Although it's not tons of data, it's enough to keep you connected while you're out and about and away from your accommodation's Wi-Fi.

On the flip side, there are a few caveats, as to be expected with any budget carrier. For example, Belong doesn’t offer any handsets, meaning you’ll have to bring your existing phone or buy one outright. Also, if you're someone who regularly calls friends and family overseas, only the most expensive plan includes unlimited talk and text to 30 destinations; for cheaper plans, you'll need to pay an additional $5 per month for the privilege.

Generally speaking, most of Australia’s mobile providers have less than amazing customer satisfaction scores. Belong Mobile sits on the middle-to-low end of the pack, with a 2.4-star rating on user-generated reviews site Product Review, with most complaints highlighting frequent price increases.

In the event that you require a bit of help with your service, there are a few channels available to you. There’s an online hub filled with support articles and a self-management portal, an online chat service, or you can simply give Belong a call on 1300 235 664.