Buying Unlimited So You Never Check Your Data

What matters before you choose

So on a week-long trip the convenience costs between five and nineteen dollars. Framed that way it is a small amount of money, and plenty of people decide it is worth it.

What you are actually buying

Not more data. Four to eight gigabytes can be a useful planning range for a week of maps, messages and browsing, but video, uploads and sharing can push use higher.

You are buying the absence of a decision. No estimating before the trip, no checking a usage screen halfway through, no topping up in an airport. For some people that is worth more than the difference, particularly on a short expensive holiday where the trip is the thing and the phone is admin.

On a month, check the numbers again

The gap is wider over thirty days, so it is worth a second look.

Indonesia unlimited for 30 days is A$113.95 against A$49.95 for 50GB. Japan full-speed for 31 days is A$120.95 against A$79.95 for a 30-day 50GB fixed plan. Check the one-day validity difference and the selected fixed plan’s start window before comparing price alone.

Thailand goes the other way on price: thirty days of unlimited is A$85.95 against A$89.95 for 50GB. It has a 10Mbps ceiling and drops to 384kbps after 100GB.

Buy it in the month before you fly

The unlimited range runs on a sixty day activation window.

If the whole point is to stop thinking about your data, buying about a month out is what makes that work. For a trip booked further ahead, some fixed-data plans have longer start windows and are the better fit until you get closer.

Related guides

Check the Japan, Indonesia and Thailand product terms, then read what unlimited means.

Questions people actually ask

Is it worth paying more just to avoid checking my data?

On a week-long trip the difference is five to nineteen dollars depending on destination. Plenty of people decide that is a fair price for not thinking about it, and we would agree.

How much more does unlimited cost?

Between 1.25 and 2.06 times the 10GB fixed plan used for comparison, on a seven-day trip. The table above has the exact figures.

Is there anywhere unlimited is not more expensive?

Thailand on a thirty-day plan, where unlimited is four dollars cheaper than our 50GB plan.

When should I buy it?

Within 60 days of departure, with about a month leaving room for changes. The plan must be started within 60 days of purchase.

Sources

Supplier terms bound into our catalogue on 10 September 2026 and live Indonesia, Japan and Thailand plan selectors, read 14 September 2026.

Written by Lachlan, who runs The SIM Shop from Brisbane and answers the support email himself.