Spintel Mobile review: Big 5G data without the Optus price tag

Founded in Sydney in 1996 (as Spin Internet), Spintel is a telco that has become best known an award-winning NBN provider that regularly offers some of the best short-term savings on internet plans in Australia. But its SIM-only plans also offer easy connectivity for those looking to bundle their mobile and internet services together.

Operating on the Optus 4G/5G network, Spintel offers no-frills month-to-month plans with included international calling minutes on every plan and eSIM options for people looking to make the switch instantly. 

Spintel is an Optus MVNO, and like all MVNOs, there are always going to be some trade-offs for the cheaper monthly cost. In Spintel's case, that trade-off is mostly customer support and extra perks. 

All of Spintel’s plans are month-to-month SIM Only offerings that come with unlimited national talk and text, as well as no contracts and generous data. 

That is great pricing on the Optus 5G network. The only providers on the Optus 5G network that offer better value for money are Optus itself and Moose Mobile, though Moose's cheapest plan is restricted to the 4G network. 

As an Optus MVNO, SpinTel Mobile runs on the full Optus 4G and 5G network. Australia's coverage landscape has tightened up recently, with Optus and Vodafone running neck and neck, each spanning roughly 1.2 million square kilometers.

Optus holds a slight edge on 4G, reaching 99.1% of the population compared to Vodafone, though both of their 5G networks now reach 94.5% of Australians. Plus, if raw performance matters to you, Opensignal data consistently shows Optus pulling ahead of both Telstra and Vodafone on average 5G download speeds.

Check the coverage map below to verify if SpinTel Mobile has strong 4G and 5G signal right where you need it.

If you're signing up for Spintel Mobile, you shouldn't expect many perks and features outside of small conveniences like getting a single bill if you're also signed up for Spintel NBN. It does, however, offer included international calls on every plan (between $50 and $350 of international call credit) and eSIM for instant connectivity. Spintel's top-tier 200GB plan also has no 150Mbps speed cap, which is not very common amongst MVNOs. 

Spintel isn't alone here. No Optus MVNOs offer any real perks or extra features. For perks, you're only real option is Optus itself, which offers streaming discounts and credits via SubHub and deals on the latest smartphones.

It's also the only way for Optus network users to get a data share SIM for their Apple Watch.

Spintel might not have the breadth of support options of the big telcos - and no in-store support - but what it does offer is fairly straightforward and reliable:

• Phone (Urgent Issues): Call 1300 303 375 (8am–8pm weekdays, 9am–5pm weekends). You can also request a call-back via the My Account portal.
• Online Chat & Messaging: Message via WhatsApp, Facebook (up to one business day reply), or online chat (can take a few hours).
• Self-Service: Access the usage-monitoring app, search the blog support articles, or visit the SpinTel contact page.

In terms of reported customer satisfaction, Spintel is in the top 10 for the telcos that we track. Consumer-review website Product Review lists a 4.7 out of 5 rating (from 18,000+ reviews) for a mix of NBN and mobile customers. There’s also a separate Spintel mobile entry on Product Review, which stands at an impressive 4.9 out of 5 from 4000+ reviews.

Spintel is performing well over on Trustpilot too, with an average 4.6-star rating out based on over 1,300 reviews.