Et tu, Virgin?
A while ago, we chastised Optus for nerfing the amount of data it would offer customers on its range of revamped plans, and now it looks like MVNO sibling Virgin Mobile is falling under the heathen sway of less-for-more.
Here are the new plans:
They’re still quite competitive, but if you compare them to the old allowances, you realise that new customers are kind of getting screwed.
The $29 Big Plan becomes the $30 Plan, and slashes data by 50MB as well as calls and text inclusions by $250; The $39 Big Plan becomes the $40 Plan, which doesn’t so much slash data, but does cut call and text inclusions by $200; The $49 Big Plan becomes the $50 Plan and slashes data by 1GB but actually increases call and text inclusions by $100; The $59 Big Plan becomes the $60 Plan, leaving call and text inclusions the same while slashing data by a merciless 1.5GB, while the $89 Topless Plan becomes the $90 Plan, still inclusive of unlimited calls and texts but missing 1GB of the data you used to get just days ago.
The slashing of the data rate, however, comes with the introduction of what Virgin is calling the “Irresistible Plan”. That’s not how it’s being described, that’s actually its name.
The Irresistible Plan includes unlimited calls and texts within Australia, $200 worth of international credit, phone upgrades after 12 months when signing on for a 24 month contract, free voicemail, 4G access and a free flight on Virgin Australia to either Vanuatu (Port Vila), Fiji (Nadi), New Zealand (Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, and Queenstown).
The only catch? It costs $140 per month. That’s pretty resistible as far as I’m concerned. Oh, and the flight can only be redeemed between the fourth and ninth month of your contract.
Whether this new, exclusive plan from the “revamped” Virgin Mobile makes up for screwing the rest of us out of data allowances remains to be seen.
Bottom line: if your telco revamps, it’s a good time to check the plan schedule: you’re likely about to be screwed with your pants on.