TPG Mobile plans review: Less isn’t always more

TPG's offering isn't the most feature-packed or best mobile plan on the market, but there's no denying the fact that it's great value. TPG has just three prepaid plans on offer (you'll have to bring your own device), but they all come with decent data allowances, from 25GB to 100GB. Prices range from $25  to $45 per month, but since TPG is constantly running promo deals, you could score one of their plans for half price.

At time of writing, a six-month discount is available on TPG mobile plans. This means you'll pay half-price for your first half-year with TPG, after which you'll pay the full price. TPG mobile plans are contract free, however, so you can always leave after the discount expires.  

The cheapest mobile plan currently on offer from TPG is the 25GB Small Plan. This comes with 25GB of data, and can currently be had for $12.50 per month for the first six months. 

For comparison, here are the most popular phone and SIM-only plans in that price range:

TPG is powered by the Vodafone mobile network.

There are a number of pros and cons to this shared infrastructure. Vodafone’s underdog network has come a long way over the last decade but it's still the smallest of Australia’s three mobile networks.

That won’t be a problem for most Australians but if you live in a rural area with no Vodafone coverage, you will want to see what’s on offer from a Telstra MVNO, which tend to cover more of the population.

Regional and rural coverage is set to improve for TPG mobile customers later this year, thanks to a network-sharing agreement with Optus. All customers on the Vodafone network - including TPG mobile customers - will be able to roam on to the Optus network where the Vodafone network has no coverage.  This will mean Vodafone's network will almost match the Optus network in size. 

In the mean time, we ssuggest checking if your area has sufficient coverage before signing up to a TPG mobile plan. The TPG 4G coverage map below shows Vodafone’s mobile network reach in Australia. Remember to toggle 5G on or off (depending on your plan) and zoom in to double-check if your area is covered.

If you go for TPG's Medium or Large plan, you'll also benefit from Vodafone's 5G network.

To its credit, TPG's range of phone plans is refreshingly simple to wrap your mind around. There are three TPG SIM-only plans to choose from, with nearly identical perks.

You can see all three prepaid options for yourself using the widget below.

TPG currently offers 5G on its Medium and Large mobile plans:

If you're after SIM-only plans with features like data sharing or data banking, or perks like cheap movie tickets or rewards programs, TPG isn't for you.

To keep prices low, TPG has had to cut all those goodies out, leaving behind just the bare essentials: Calls, texts and data. There's no unlimited data or lack of excess data charges, and if you exceed your allotted data, you'll have to pay $10 for an extra 2GB block.

The only real feature to speak of is international calls. All TPG mobile plans come with at least 100 minutes of international calls and 100 international text messages. If you opt for the Medium or Large plan, you'll get unlimited international calls and texts instead. 

Destinations covered include the following countries:

Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Germany, Guam, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Puerto Rico, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vatican City (Holy See)

If what you're looking for isn't on the list, check out these popular mobile plans with international calls included as standard:

When it comes to mobile phone and internet bundles, TPG does give you the option of saving some money by pairing up its SIM-only phone plans with either a TPG internet plan. 

This will save you $5 per month on the Medium and Large plan, but this will only kick in after any sign-up bonuses end. 

Most Aussie telcos aren't known for fantastic customer service, and unfortunately, TPG is no different when it comes to its mobile plans. According to the user-generated reviews site Product Reviews, TPG Mobile has a measly score of 1.7 out of 5. While that doesn't sound great, it is still better than Optus and Telstra's shocking 1.3-star and 1.4-star respective ratings. 

If you do need help, there are a few channels you can turn to. The TPG website is home to a support hub, which should answer most of the questions you have, and for those that it can't answer, you may find help in the TPG Community, which is the telco's online forum. Alternatively, you can get assistance through the app (more info on that below) or by calling one of the following numbers:

• Accounts & Billing: 1300 993 019
• Technical Support: 1300 997 273
• Plan Change: 1300 995 152

They've also got a support team available on their Facebook page and Twitter, so you can always shoot them a DM if you have an issue.

Yes, there is. TPG’s app is available on iOS and Android and allows you to monitor and manage both your broadband and mobile services. Dubbed My TPG, the app lets you monitor your usage, view your bills and get in touch with TPG’s customer support team. And that’s about it. You can’t do a lot of things most modern service management apps offer, such as live chat or paying your bill.

Both apps have copped a belting when it comes to customer reviews. The My TPG app currently has a 1.2 out of 5-star rating on the Apple App Store and Google Play store. This is a fair representation of our own experience with the app and online account management system.

If you're not quite sold on what TPG has to offer in terms of mobile plans, but like the idea of something similar then it might be worth checking out another Vodafone MVNO like Felix, iiNet or Lebara. You might end up finding a plan with the same coverage, a similar sum of included data and a price tag that's just as budget-friendly.

Check out the widget below for a timely round-up of popular TPG alternatives.

It's not always easy to evaluate mobile carriers in a meaningful way that's useful to everyday consumers. To make things simpler, we’ve come up with a robust checklist of pros and cons that we use to evaluate each of the suppliers. We focus on:

• Overall value for money
• Product features and plan perks
• Coverage maps
• Whether or not they offer 5G connectivity
• Customer support channels
• Publicly available customer reviews

Click here for a full rundown of how we rate and review mobile providers like TPG.

There are two ways you can view your prepaid mobile balance. Firstly, you can check via TPG’s online My Account management system. All you need is your service number and the password you nominated upon sign-up.

Secondly, there’s the aforementioned smartphone app. Again, you will need your service number and password to log in.

Once you’ve logged in to either service, navigate to the ‘View All Mobile Service Accounts’ page, then select ‘View Mobile Usage’. That’s where you can check your balance and recharge your mobile service.

If this all proves difficult, you can always TPG customer service for a helping (?) hand on 13 14 23.