Unlimited mobile data – not quite all you can eat…

Incumbent Telcos launch unlimited data plans to mitigate competitive intensity from TPG's disruptive pricing.

Vinay Chhoda · Venture Insights1 July 2018Period: July 20188 min read

Last updated 10 June 2026

348 PB↑

Forecast monthly mobile data usage in Australia (2021)

39%↑

CAGR of Australian mobile data traffic (2016-2021)

Locked

+1more stats

Companies covered:TPGTelstraOptusVodafoneAT&TVerizonT-MobileSprint

Abstract

This report analyses the re-emergence of unlimited mobile data plans in Australia, driven by TPG’s entry into the mobile market with a disruptive A$9.99 monthly offering. Mobile data usage in Australia is forecast to increase six-fold between 2017 and 2021, reaching 348 petabytes per month. While incumbents like Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone have introduced unlimited tiers, these plans include significant caveats such as speed throttling and data caps, reflecting the technical challenges of maintaining network performance under high consumption loads.

Key Takeaways

Australian mobile data usage is forecast to grow 6x between 2017 and 2021, reaching 348 petabytes per month.
TPG's entry with a A$9.99 unlimited plan has forced incumbents Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone to launch their own unlimited offerings.
Most 'unlimited' plans are restricted by speed caps (typically 1.5Mbps) and data thresholds ranging from 30GB to 120GB.

stakeholder implications · PDF download

Frequently Asked Questions

The shift is primarily a defensive response to TPG’s disruptive A$9.99 monthly entry into the mobile market. This competitive pressure forces incumbents to match global trends seen in the US and UK, targeting the 40% of consumers who now spend over three hours daily on smartphones.

Operators are managing a projected 39% CAGR in data traffic by implementing aggressive technical constraints. To maintain network integrity as usage scales toward 348 petabytes per month by 2021, incumbents are capping speeds at 1.5Mbps once baseline data thresholds are exceeded.

The emergence of unlimited mobile tiers threatens the fixed-line business, with 30% of fixed broadband users now at risk of migrating to wireless-only connections. As data volume is removed as a differentiator, telcos must pivot to inclusions like sports and music to maintain ARPU.

Unlimited mobile data – not quite all you can eat…

Abstract

Key Takeaways

Frequently Asked Questions

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