Virgin Mobile prunes plans
Virgin Mobile has simplified its post-paid mobile plans, reducing the number of options it offers from 19 to less than 10, and allowing users to roll over their unused monthly call and text credit.
Virgin's new plans. (Credit: Virgin)
The new plan groups fall under the brands "Big Plans" and "Fair Go". Virgin has kept its "Topless" plans. All plans include a handset, have the ability to roll over unused credit to the next month, and allow free calls between other users on the Virgin mobile network. However, handset fees are covered only if users remain under the plan for a minimum of 24 months, or decide to pay out the remaining cost of their handset. Call rates have remained the same as Virgin's former plans, billed at $0.99 per minute, plus a $0.40 connection fee.
Big Plans cater for users that require larger amounts of monthly calls and text credit, but data allowances are among the lowest offered by Virgin Mobile and handset choices will be limited. There is a $29 plan with $450 worth of included call and text and a 250MB data allowance. There's also a $39 plan with $650 included calls and texts as well as 500MB of included data.
The initial handset offerings are the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10i, HTC Aria or Samsung Galaxy S under the $29 plan and the LG Optimus Black under the $39 plan.
The Fair Go Plans will provide users with a larger selection of more recently released handsets, but include lower monthly call and text credit.
The Fair Go plans start at $29 for $190 worth of included call and text, and 250MB of data. There's also a $39 plan with $300 worth of calls and text and 500MB of included data and a $49 plan, which includes $400 worth of calls and text and 2GB worth of data. The highest Fair Go plan is the $59 plan, which includes $700 worth of calls and text, and has 3GB of included data. For the last two plans, users also have unlimited standard text within Australia.
The LG Optimus Black or the Nokia C6-01 will be offered under the Fair Go $29 plan, and the HTC Incredible S or Motorola Defy will be offered under the Fair Go $39 plan. The Sony Xperia Arc will be offered under the $49 plan, and the Samsung Galaxy S II or iPhone 4 16GB under the $59 plan.
Virgin's $89 Topless plan has unlimited national calls and text, but has a 4GB data allowance and $89 per month of international calls and text. Virgin has not yet advised what handsets will be available under the $89 plan.
It's worth noting that although call and text credits roll over each month, data is exempt. Excess data continues to be charged at Virgin's existing rate of $0.002/KB.
Virgin Mobile will update its website tomorrow to reflect the new plans, but has advised that those wishing to sign up today will be able to do so in store.