Choosing the right plan is hard. There are countless providers, and it feels like the market changes on a day-to-day basis. To help, every month our expert team picks out the best phone and best internet plans across a wide range of categories.
This gives us a lot of data on which telcos consistently offer great value plans, which leads us to the WhistleOut Awards.
The WhistleOut Awards - now in their sixth year - recognise and celebrate the companies that have consistently provided the best plans across the last 12 months (July 2022 to June 2023) across a wide range of categories.
In addition, the WhistleOut Awards cover phone manufacturers, highlighting the best devices launched in Australia across the last financial year.
The WhistleOut Awards are especially important this year.
It’s no secret that the cost of living has increased over the last 12 months, so value for money is what most people are looking for. We especially want to commend the telcos who’ve consistently offered competitive plans in tough economic times, and the phone manufacturers who’ve offered great value devices that won’t break the bank.
While we have seen a lot of price increases in the last financial year - both in the plans and handset space - there are still more affordable options, and we hope the WhistleOut Awards help highlight some alternatives Aussies might not have considered.
The 2023 WhistleOut Award winners are as follows:
Best Phone Plans
- Mobile Provider of the Year: TPG
- Best SIM-Only Provider, Value Plans: Moose Mobile
- Runner Up: Dodo
- Best SIM-Only Provider, Large Plans: iiNet
- Runner Up: Circles.Life
- Best Prepaid Provider, Value Plans: Catch Connect
- Runner Up: TPG
- Best Prepaid Provider, Large Plans: TPG
- Runner Up: Lebara
- Best Provider, iPhone Plans: Vodafone
- Runner Up: Optus
- Best Provider, Samsung Plans: Vodafone
- Runner Up: Optus
- Best Provider, International Calls: amaysim
- Runner Up: Lebara
- Best Provider, Plans for Kids: Catch Connect
- Runner Up: TPG
- Best Phone Plan Promotion: Tangerine
Best Internet Plans
- Internet Provider of the Year: Tangerine
- Best Unlimited NBN Provider: Tangerine
- Runner Up: SpinTel
- Best Premium NBN Provider: Dodo
- Runner Up: Exetel
- Best Fixed Wireless NBN Provider: Tangerine
- Runner Up: Dodo
- Best Satellite NBN Provider: SkyMesh
- Runner Up: Activ8me
- Best Mobile Broadband Provider, Everyday Use: Telstra
- Runner Up: Optus
- Best Mobile Broadband Provider, High Use: Belong
- Runner Up: Telstra
- Best Home Wireless Broadband Provider: TPG
- Runner Up: Vodafone
- Best Internet Promotion: Dodo
Best Devices
- Best Phone Camera: iPhone 14 Pro
- Highly Commended: Google Pixel 7 Pro
- Best Phone Design: OPPO Find N2 Flip
- Highly Commended: Nokia G22
- Best Value Phone: Motorola Moto G53
- Highly Commended: Samsung Galaxy A34 5G
- Best High Performance Phone: iPhone 14 Pro Max
- Highly Commended: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Phone Manufacturer of the Year: Google
- Highly Commended: Motorola
- Phone of the Year: Google Pixel 7a
Sustainability Awards
- Sustainable Mobile Provider of the Year: felix mobile
- Sustainable Internet Provider of the Year: Telstra
Read more about the internet winners here, and mobile and device winners here.
The WhistleOut Award categories for phone and internet plans were judged by awarding three, two and one points to the providers of the three best plans in each category on a monthly basis, between July 2022 and June 2023. The award winners are the providers with the highest number of points at the end of the 12-month period. In case of a tie, winners are chosen based on the number of 1st positions, then 2nd positions, then 3rd positions they achieved in that category over the course of the year.
The exceptions to this judging process are the Best Promotion awards for Mobile and Internet and the Sustainability awards. The Best Promotion awards are given to the single best promotion over the 12-month period as judged by us. The Sustainability awards were judged by a panel, based on submissions from telcos.
The WhistleOut Awards for phones were judged by our editorial team, considering price, performance, battery, screen, camera, design and the overall user experience.
Alex Choros
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