Hello my name is Maryanne.

Hi Maryanne,

 $80 is certainly a lot to be paying for data that runs out at the end of every month. I presume that you're paying for a home phone and internet bundle at that kind of price, but it's unfortunate that you didn't give me an idea of how much data per month you're using, as otherwise I would be able to give you a better idea of a plan that would suit you more and make more sense for your current usage.

Lots of people have trouble understanding how far a gigabyte (GB) goes and how many GBs per month they need. This can lead people to hugely over or underestimate their usage – some people might sign up for 5GBs, thinking that's an unimaginably huge amount, while others think checking their emails once a day will use hundreds of gigabytes per month.

Here's an easy way to keep in mind how much internet you'll use: downloading a full length, high definition movie rarely uses more than 1GB. Streaming a movie of the same length is similar, though sometimes a little more. TV shows, depending upon their length, can use .5 or .25 of a GB; songs can be much less. Of course, there are mitigating factors, like the type and quality of the file that you're downloading, but in general, this is a good principle to keep in mind.

If you don't download things very often but like to use YouTube, Skype, and the occasional movie, you might want to go for an inexpensive mid-level plan from a provider like TPG or Dodo. I would say that 50GB (peak) would be more than enough usage for the average user, and TPG and Dodo are both good for those people who just want to be able to use their internet without worrying too much about a home phone. A plan of this level is going to cost you around $50 a month, giving you a lot more data for your buck (I presume, as you are constantly running out) than the BigPond plan you mentioned.

(If you do use the home phone a lot and want to be able to make lots of calls, I'd recommend checking out TPG's 'Big Talk' option, which for an extra $10 a month on any bundle plan can give you unlimited local calls, unlimited national calls, and 100 international minutes. You'll still pay for any calls to mobiles, but they are priced fairly reasonably, with a 39c call connection fee and then 39c per minute, capped at $2.50 for up to 20 minutes.)

It's always a good idea to start low on any plan, as with most providers it's free to upgrade but costs to downgrade. That means that if you find you're still consistently going over each month and getting your internet slowed down (TPG and Dodo won't charge you for going over your monthly cap, they'll just shape your speed), you can always call and just move up to the next level. However, if you are certain that you will be using more than those mid-level GB quotas that I suggested, you might want to go straight to an unlimited plan.

TPG's Unlimited ADSL2+ and Home Phone and Dodo's Unlimited Bundle Plan are both around the $60 a month mark and will give you unlimited internet, meaning there is absolutely no way for you to go over on any month. They're both good plans, and good providers – in terms of choosing between them, I'd just decide what you want more. TPG's set-up fees are more expensive, but they can give you that option for free calls; Dodo will give you free installation and a free modem on a 24 month contract, which TPG won't do. Both providers will work equally well in your area, as they'll be using the same equipment on the same infrastructure.

Call us for more information about TPG plans or to sign up today on 1300 106 571.

Call Dodo for more information or to sign up today on 1300 136 793.

And if you have any further questions at all, give us a call on 1300 106 571 and we'll be happy to help you out further! I hope this has helped assuage some of your concerns, though, and that you can find a better plan with less frustration than the BigPond plan is currently saddling you with.

Mikaella.