Aldi Mobile Prepaid Plans

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With Aldi In addition to the prepaid plan you must have a PAYG component added on. Note their phone plans now include everything including MMS.

So, I always wondered how my PAYG component keeps running down. Well now I have an explanation from them.

On your recharge day you are not covered for anything from the end of your last month plan (at a particular time) until Aldi processes your next recharge. Who would have thought that this was even possible. So if you do not have an amount in your PAYG balance you will not be able to use your phone at all.

You should not have to be monitoring your account for the exact period that your account recharges in order for you to be not charged additionally to your plan. Otherwise what is the purpose of an automatic recharge process.

In Aldi’s exact words

"Auto-recharge is active on your service, We initiate the auto-recharge process at 23:59 AEST but due to time difference yours may start as early as 20:59

Auto-recharge is not an instant recharge process and when we start to process your recharge your plan will be removed until your payment has been approved from your bank/credit card or PayPal, in most cases this can be a lot faster but we cannot always guarantee the time frame, there may be some instances that we have a IT system issue which could delay the process longer, if this is to happen there are other methods you could use to recharge your service online or via the mobile app

This will cancels out the auto-recharge but if you are charged for a second payment we will refund this for you straight away

During the time that you do not have an active plan your PAYG credit will be used, if you do not have PAYG then you will not be able to use the service until your auto-recharge completes, however we do recommend that you apply credits to stop any future disruption to your service ."

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Thanks for that @Annieeeee, as an Aldimobile customer for a few years (annual value pack) I was not aware of that and have now read

This is obviously a bigger issue for monthly than annual plans, and for those who use their mobiles late and overnight on the day. It is surprising it works that way, and an additional gotcha is if one does a manual recharge it cancels anything remaining from the existing plan, eg the customer would lose a day and possibly more. From their web page about manual recharges:

You can add the same plan, or change to a different plan at any time, however any existing plan credits you have will be forfeited. This may include accumulated rollover data.

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Thanks. So you would have the same problem but only once a year

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My recharge occurs at approx. 6.00pm - so depends on when you activated your account. So a 4 hour window around this time - my usage is extensive.

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It would probably be a surprise as well as confusing to a consumer the first time this happened.

If it is enough of an issue to cause considering a change of carriers, how their system operates during an auto-recharge is obviously a question to be asked. A quick survey of a few other carriers T&Cs don’t mention a similar lapse of outbound service, they as well as Aldimobile state incomings will work for a time (90 days being typical) without credits on prepaid plans, but that does not mean the outbound loss of service window might may not happen with them also.

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Thanks @PhilT - it just seems a rort from Aldi. I have significant rollover data so can’t manually recharge so then I need to suck up the payg charge until recharge.

Surely this isn’t good enough.

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I don’t think it is.

An obvious solution would be process the PAYG on the day(s) before the current billing cycle period expires. This would ensure that there was an overlap of currency of activation and ensure it’s customers are not without service. Their T&C could reflect this process and what it means for cancelling their services.

Earlier attempt of payment also allows customers to be advised of a payment failing, which we have recently experienced with TPG.

In relation to that (TPG), our bank issued new cards with some new details (compared to those used to make previous payments with TPG). The first month’s payment with the new cards was declined and we received an email indicating that the payment was declined and we had to update details/contact them with new payment option before the start of the next billing cycle - otherwise the service may be cancelled. The email sent by TPG included:

We recently attempted to debit your credit card however unfortunately this was declined by the bank. Please note that as TPG services are paid in advance, your service may be suspended if payment is not received before your billing cycle renewal.

We had a time to update the details before there was potential that the service was declined as their payments are taken in advance of the billing cycle period.

It is good that you have let others know this as it might be a show stopper to some to potentially lose service for a period of time between billing cycles. As mobiles are seen as a communication device in the case of an emergency, I agree that it

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Assuming you prefer to stay with Aldimobile, it would be worth a call to ask if there is a way through this badly-designed auto-renewal process. The worst outcome is that you could ask the agent to put the problem into their management system (or tell you how you can do it) for review and hopefully improvement.

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As long as the recharge is done within 24 hours of the expiry then data is not lost, it rolls over. If the recharge does not go through while the previous plan is still active, then any calls or data used after expiry is covered by PAYG balances, until the recharge is active.

The Aldi plans are not post paid plans, they are prepaid with an option to automatically recharge close to the expiry date and time for convenience (eg for me so I don’t forget on the day). If the time isn’t suiting a user then perhaps a call to their help centre might be able to get the time shifted to a better hour for the user. My recharges are quite early in the morning, by 7.00 am the recharge is in place. The quotes from the ALDI site below are for either manual or automated recharges.

” Mobile Plans

All your unused Mobile Plan data will rollover if:

  • You recharge within 24 hours of expiry with a Mobile Plan of the same or higher value;
  • Both Mobile Plans are eligible for Data Rollover.(note: ALDImobile $10 Mobile Plan is not eligible for Data Rollover)”

In regards to Data plans it is similar

“ Data Plans are eligible for rollover of your unused data allowance to your next recharge period. Check ourCritical Information Summaries to confirm eligibility.

Your unused data will keep rolling over until you reach any limit applicable to the plan. The standard data allowance of your plan will be used before any rollover data.

Data Plans

Your unused Data Plan data will rollover up to a maximum of 30GB for the $95 Data Plan, 50GB for the $240 Data Plan and 100GB for the $365 Data Plan if:

  • You recharge within 24 hours of expiry with a Data Plan of the same or higher data allowance;
  • Both Data Plans are eligible for Data Rollover”

For Super packs (annual value plans)

“ If you add a Mobile Plan, Data Plan or another 1 Year Super Pack whilst you have an active 1 Year Super Pack, you will forfeit any remaining credits and we will not reinstate them or refund the value to you.

If you add a 1 Year Super Pack whilst you have an active 1 Year Super Pack you will forfeit any remaining credits but remaining data will rollover as long as you add a Super Pack of the same or higher value.

Please make sure you read all of the information about our plans on our plans page and take note of the warnings presented to you when you purchase.

If you are looking to add extra data to your service, you can add a 3GB, 20GB or 50GB Data add-on to your 1 Year Super Pack.

If you want to make calls or send video MMS that are not included in the 1 Year Super Pack, then you can add Pay As You Go credit for these other call types.”

I have recharged manually after expiry but before the 24 hours and lost no data. Then I just switched to auto after missing the grace period a couple of times. Call values for the few hours for me that auto may occur in, are of no consequence to me. That doesn’t mean that someone else may be heavily impacted, in this case again a phone call to the help centre may be able to change the recharge time.

If automated recharges aren’t working for a user then calendaring the date and time and manually recharging may be the best option to avoid any loss.

As far as I am aware, all prepaid mobile plans from any provider have no service until another recharge is done if the plan has expired. Some even limit the amount of data rollover that can be saved, some have no rollover even if recharged in time. If ALDI aren’t suiting the usage pattern, then perhaps a post paid plan may be needed.

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Thanks for your update - I will give them a call

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I had similar issue with Aldi Mobile plan. Over the years my credit card expiry date changed and I was unaware that Aldi Mobile had my old card details (same card number but old date). When time came for renewal their payment was rejected by the bank as the expiry date did not match. Now Aldi Mobile suspended my mobile service. I can’t use my mobile phone to reach anybody. They don’t have a physical outlet, I thought I could use my wife’s mobile phone but that too was stopped as we have a family plan. This is a dangerous situation to in. Aldi Mobile needs to find a better solution (e.g. raise the payment say 48 hours prior to expiration of the monthly contract, it will give opportunity to find alternate solution while phone is still working). The only way I could communicate with them was through email! :hot_face:

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The first month’s payment with the new cards was declined and we received an email indicating that the payment was declined and we had to update details/contact them with new payment option before the start of the next billing cycle

Getting a notice would be great. I recently changed from paying with a credit card to PayPal (trying to reduce hackable information on the net). The system said thanks for the new info & I thought all was good until 2 months later, when I suddenly found no phone capacity. Apparently the auto renewal was turned off when I changed payment method, but I got no notice or email telling me that. I still had data, it was just when it came time for the annual payment expiry that this caused trouble. And that was two billing periods (month) after I made the change, so it took a bit of exploring to find what was going on.

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The Aldi plan does not sound like a plan I would want to be on.
For anyone who is interested, when I HAD to change over to NBN in January, I did a lot of research regarding my phone plan.
The best one that I was recommended and have no regret moving to is MOOSE mobile. Everything about the change over from Telstra’s astronomical charges of $30 per month for 2 gig of data to Moose Mobile 6 gig of data at $12.80 was smooth and without any issues. When I had to phone their call centre this also was more than satisfactory. Fast and efficiently connected and changed over.
I gave them my credit card details and every month they charge my account at NO extra fee.

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I’ve been with Aldi mobile for years and very happy. Never had a problem like the OP. I just checked my PAYG status and the balance is $nil. I don’t think I have ever had a PAYG credit. $15 a month for unlimited calls and texts and 3GB of data that (unused) rolls over forever. I’m sure there are other providers that do that but I’m not aware of any.

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I’ve only ever had 10 cents PAYG credit and my wife has never had any, and we’ve never had any issues over many years. I’m aware that there is a period on expiry day when calls cannot be made, but I’ve never experienced it. This date would be difficult to track because it varies from month to month. I know it happens and can be a problem because a friend discovered it and had to contact Aldi to find out what happened to his account, and he wasn’t happy to learn this was how the account worked.

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I’ve been using Aldi Mobile for 6 years without any major hiccups.
PAYG credit is NOT dead money, as seems to have been suggested. PAYG credit will tide you over if you forget to recharge your plan, and if you are using the Aldi App to recharge, you can siphon off up to 90% of your PAYG credit to count towards the cost of your recharge.
Aldi do try to stay ahead of the competition, and their $99 for 365 days plan with 15GB data is still great value for low data users. That’s $8.40 per month for unlimited calls and texts, (13, 1300, 1800 numbers are included - contrary to false rumours).
And you get a proper voicemail.

Coles Mobile has a better deal for those who want to make overseas calls, ($120 per year) and for those who need more data, Catch Connect plan $15 per 30 days includes unlimited calls and texts + 18GB data.

It amazes me that many people insist on staying with Telstra, because they think they are going to lose out if they migrate to another network provider. Telstra relies on its customers believing this myth.
I left Telstra many years ago and have never looked back. I have more money in my pocket, more calls, more data and a proper voicemail service.

BB

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And Aldi use the Telstra network so win/win for Aldi customers

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For clarity it is the Telstra Wholesale Network, a subset of the Telstra Network. The major differences are in regional and remote areas where the difference can be significant, even if not in metro and major built up areas.

There are also a number of feature differences, not for here.

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Feature differences appear to be resolving in the near future. The information is in the their FAQs.

WiFi Calling is currently being being rolled out along-side VoLTE and will be made available to all services by the end of December 2022.

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10 posts were split to a new topic: Mobile Service Coverage & Quality Issues