Bendigo Telco
Bendigo Telco's mobile plans run on the Optus 4G and 5G network, stated in those words on its own plans page. Coverage matches an Optus SIM, which is strong across the capitals and the major regional centres and thinner once you're off the main roads. The bank ownership doesn't buy any extra towers.
- Owned outright by Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, which is unusual and means a real Australian support desk
- eSIM available on every tier, alongside a physical SIM
- Unlimited calls, SMS and MMS on all five plans
- Rising international call allowances at the top tiers, up to $500 on Premium
- Support phone and published business hours, not a chat widget only
- $10 per extra gigabyte once you run out, where several rivals now bank unused data or just slow you down instead
- Postpaid only, no prepaid recharge option
- Entry tier's 5G is capped at 100Mbps, and only the $70 Premium plan is uncapped
- No official APN settings published anywhere on the site
- Prices sit at market rate rather than undercutting it
Bendigo Telco is a mobile and internet provider owned outright by Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, which is not a sentence you get to write about many telcos. The bank's own announcement of the deal put it plainly: it has taken 100 per cent ownership of Community Telco Australia, the entity trading as Bendigo Telco, and is now the only Australian bank to own a telecommunications company.
For a buyer, that ownership matters less than you'd hope. It doesn't buy extra towers. What it does buy is an operator with a balance sheet behind it and a support desk with a phone number and published hours, which is more than several cheaper brands offer.
Current plans
Five postpaid SIM-only tiers on the Optus network, all with unlimited standard calls, SMS and MMS, and all available as a physical SIM or an eSIM:
Plan | Data | Price | 5G speed | International calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Starter | 30GB | $30/month | capped at 100Mbps | not confirmed for this tier |
Essential | 50GB | $40/month | capped at 150Mbps | $100 allowance |
Plus | 100GB | $50/month | capped at 150Mbps | see note below |
Pro | 160GB | $60/month | capped at 250Mbps | $300 allowance |
Premium | 220GB | $70/month | uncapped | $500 allowance |
Excess data is $10 per gigabyte on every tier. That's the number to remember. Plenty of rivals now bank your unused data or simply slow you to a crawl once the allowance is gone, and paying by the gigabyte is the older, less forgiving model.
One thing we couldn't settle: the international call allowance on the Plus tier. Bendigo Telco's own page listed $50 in one place and $300 in another for that plan, so we've left it out rather than pick the flattering number. Ask before you sign up if international calling is why you're looking.
Compare these against every other current plan, including the other Optus-network options, in the full comparison table.
Coverage
The plans page says it in those words: Bendigo Telco uses the Optus 4G and 5G network. So coverage is an Optus SIM's coverage, strong in the capitals and the larger regional centres, patchier once you're off the main highways. The Optus network hub lists every brand riding the same towers, which is the useful comparison to make before you decide the bank connection is worth anything to you.
APN settings
We don't publish APN values for Bendigo Telco. There's no official APN article on bendigotelco.com.au or its help site, and we checked both directly. Guessing settings for a provider is how readers end up with no mobile data, so the honest answer is to call support on 1300 228 123 (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:30pm) if a new SIM doesn't connect. Most modern handsets configure themselves anyway.
The honest verdict
Bendigo Telco is a competent, unexciting operator that charges roughly what the market charges. Nothing here undercuts the budget brands, and the excess data charge is a genuine strike against it in 2026, when several competitors have quietly stopped billing for overage at all.
Where it earns a look is on the softer stuff. It's a real Australian company with a bank behind it, a support line staffed during business hours, and eSIM across the range. If you run a small business in regional Victoria and want a telco you can phone, that's a reasonable thing to pay market rate for. If you're purely chasing the lowest number, Dodo is on the same Optus network and starts $5 lower for a similar allowance.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What network does Bendigo Telco use?
- Optus. Its plans page states that Bendigo Telco uses the Optus 4G and 5G network for its mobile plans, so coverage is the same as an Optus SIM.
- Who owns Bendigo Telco?
- Bendigo and Adelaide Bank. The bank's own announcement of the deal says it has taken 100 per cent ownership of Community Telco Australia, the legal entity trading as Bendigo Telco, making it the only Australian bank to own a telecommunications company.
- What happens if I use all my data?
- You're charged $10 for each additional gigabyte. Bendigo Telco doesn't bank unused data or drop you to a slow speed instead, so keep an eye on the allowance if you're on one of the smaller tiers.
- Does Bendigo Telco publish APN settings?
- Not that we could find. We checked bendigotelco.com.au and its help site directly and found no official APN article, so we don't publish values for it. If mobile data doesn't work on a new SIM, call support on 1300 228 123.