By Chris Ikimis-Healey
Choosing a mobile phone plan for teens and kids is no easy task. How much is reasonable to spend? How much data is necessary? Whether you have already begun scouring the minefield of kid-friendly mobile plans on the web, or still deciding if your child is ready for a phone, you’ll know there’s a lot to consider.
And you’re not alone.
According to Finder’s ‘Parenting Report 2023’ two out of five Australian children own a smartphone, and almost one in 10 were given a phone between ages five and seven.
To help you decide which type of kids mobile plan is best for your child, tween or teen, this article covers some crucial information that will no doubt factor into your decision.
This choice often poses a dilemma for the cost-conscious parent.
A prepaid mobile plan can be a reasonable option for managing expenses, allowing you to prepay for usage. Once your data cap is reached, the service stops, preventing any additional charges and allowing you to decide when to resume service.
With a post-paid mobile plan, your provider automatically bills you each month and renews your plan features on the first day of the new cycle. If you exceed your plan's limits, the service continues without interruption, and any extra charges are added to your subsequent bill.
Start by defining what your child really needs, and this typically varies by age. For younger children (ages 10-13), the main objective might be the ability to text or call you, while teenagers may require more access to data to support their online activities.
Prepaid mobile plans are popular when it comes to managing expenses and avoiding bill shock - once your child uses up their allowance, the service stops until you decide to top it up. This not only keeps costs predictable but also teaches your kids about budgeting.
On the downside, prepaid plans can leave your child without a way to contact you in an emergency once their allowance is used up, and you might find yourself recharging more often than you'd like!
Post-paid mobile plans can often be a more cost-effective solution for families, especially for teenagers who frequently use their phones for data-intensive activities such as streaming videos, social media and online gaming. These plans tend to offer larger bundles of data at more affordable rates per gigabyte, leading to better value for money.
Data aside, a standard feature of post-paid plans is the provision of unlimited calls and texts, ensuring children can communicate with family members at no extra cost, offering parents peace of mind.
If you’ve opted for a post-paid mobile plan, you'll need to decide between a SIM-only option or a contract plan that comes with a handset.
A SIM-only mobile plan provides you with a SIM card loaded with a specific allowance of calls, texts, and data. It is designed for those who already own a handset or prefer to buy one outright. A contract plan bundles a new phone with your service on a fixed-term agreement.
The main advantage of a SIM-only plan is flexibility and the potential for lower costs since you're not paying off a new device. While you might have access to the latest phones via a contract plan, you're also looking at a longer-term commitment with the service provider.
SpinTel offers four great value SIM-only mobile plans, the cheapest starting with a 25GB plan featuring unlimited calls and texts, for an introductory rate of $14 per month for six months, then $22 per month ongoing, ideal for a first-time mobile user. All of SpinTel’s SIM-only plans have no lock-in contract or cancellation fees, making them extremely competitive and often better value than many pre-paid options.
Unlimited calls and texts are a standard feature of most SIM-only or contract plans, so it’s data at the centre of many family debates! Here’s a general guide to how much data is required for some of the most common mobile activities.
| General web surfing | 2.5MB per page (roughly 60MB per hour) |
| Social media | 150MB per hour including videos |
| Music streaming | 90MB per hour |
| Standard video streaming | 720MB per hour |
| HD video streaming | 1.5GB per hour |
Less obvious expenses that can creep into your kid’s mobile plan include roaming charges, international calls or premium SMS.
Roaming charges kick in when you or your child uses the phone outside the country of service, and rates for calls, texts, and data can skyrocket when roaming.
Educating your child on how to manage their phone settings to avoid these charges, like turning off data roaming or connecting to Wi-Fi when available, can prevent unwanted expenses. SpinTel offers an International Roaming Day Pass for $15 providing 1GB of data to use in over 100 destinations, and unlimited calls and SMS.
If your child has friends or family abroad, international call charges are another area to watch, they're typically not included in standard call packages.
And be mindful of premium SMS services that charge a fee for sending a text message to access content or participate in a vote, competition, or charity donation.
Australia’s E-safety commissioner has great resources to support safe mobile phone usage among teens and kids. Start with the basics, like setting a robust passcode and employing parental controls to restrict access to certain apps and content. Regular updates to software and vigilant management of privacy settings, such as turning off location services when they're not necessary, help bolster your child’s security.
Selecting a good value and reliable mobile phone plan for your child doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. SpinTel understands parents want reliability, flexibility and cost-effective options, and this is reflected in its carefully curated SIM-only mobile plans. The added value of no lock-in contracts and usage alerts means peace of mind without the pressure!
