We’re a complacent bunch, if not just a touch lazy. Be that your home internet, your car insurance, home loan or whatever ongoing contract you like, it seems Aussies just aren’t keen to switch. And your mobile phone company is in that same category.
EFTM’s 2019 Smartphone survey revealed some staggering figures relating to how many Aussies have “voted with their feet” over telco pricing or data allowances.
Over 2,500 people took part in the survey, with 44.59% of them stating that it had been more than five years since they switched telcos.
Five years is a Long time in technology, and particularly the telco world.
Back then, the iPhone 6 was new, the iPhone 6 Plus – Apple’s first big-screen phone was new. And back then, you still had “minutes” to count for calls on major telcos – it wasn’t all yet unlimited.
On Optus for Example, on their $50 plan you’d get 1GB of data with 600 minutes of calls and unlimited texts. Today, their $45 plan has 4GB of data and unlimited calls and texts.
In fact, according to our data, 40% of people had switched carriers in the last 3 years.
Drilling into the data shows a worrying trend for the big telcos, and a good sign for the competitiveness of our second-tier mobile market. The big-three telcos all attracting a lower percentage of the market among those who have more recently switched.
Overall – on our numbers, Telstra leads the way with 31.75% of the market, but that is down to just 20% among those who have switched in the last three years.
Optus and Vodafone fared better, though still slightly down on their longer-term overall numbers.
Boost and Kogan are the big winners, Boost’s overall share sits around 3.65%, but when looking only at those who have switched in the last three years it jumps to 6.29%.
Kogan’s 4.94% share overall jumps to a staggering 9.39% when we look at just those who have been more likely to switch.
Switching telcos is easy, but perhaps people just don’t know that and don’t realise you can take your existing mobile number with you. When asked what one thing would make you consider changing telcos, there are two clear answers that stand out. Coverage and Price.
Optus and Vodafone might struggle to win the war on coverage in the regional areas, but on price, it’s hard to imagine anyone couldn’t find a better deal.
Trev is a Technology Commentator, Dad, Speaker and Rev Head.
He produces and hosts several popular podcasts, EFTM, Two Blokes Talking Tech, Two Blokes Talking Electric Cars, The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen, and the Private Feed. He is the resident tech expert for Triple M on radio across Australia, and is the resident Tech Expert on Channel 9’s Today Show and appears regularly on 9 News, A Current Affair and Sky News Early Edition.
Father of three, he is often found in his Man Cave.
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