https://wirelesschoices.com.au/assets/js/TrueYearCostMethodology-F6nFicFT.js

1import{r as f,j as e}from"./vendor-react-DxD_Nlv7.js";import{H as z}from"./seo-Zk1C8x9s.js";import{N as k,L as C,F as T}from"./index-Gxvt7SP4.js";import{C as _,I as A}from"./CompareCtaBanner-wgJUbfMi.js";import{h as u,E,cu as $,bj as I,bS as W,Y as j,bq as S,T as P,cv as D,I as R,cw as B}from"./icons-Q1ONMAdp.js";import{m as c}from"./ui-motion-nIby3EjP.js";import{L as x}from"./vendor-router-R-QXiuK1zB.js";import"./query-29Ahx5Et.js";import"./notifications-pVj4y6sZ.js";import"./aws-GfI9qLg0.js";import"./utils-validation-BzChuuMT.js";import"./forms-MQMTrd0y.js";import"./utils-core-WYLBMHLG.js";import"./ui-radix-3gUgqgSR.js";const d="linear-gradient(135deg, #00B4D8 0%, #4B7FCC 50%, #9B5DE5 100%)",i="mx-auto w-full max-w-6xl px-4 sm:px-6",O=new Date().getFullYear(),o="TrueYear™ Cost",a="TrueYear Cost",g="v1.0",h="18 July 2026",r="https://wirelesschoices.com.au/methodology/first-year-cost",b=`${a} Methodology | Wireless Choices`,l="How Wireless Choices calculates estimated first-year plan costs - promotional pricing, price reverts, and what the estimate excludes.",L=[["3","pricing branches"],["12","months modelled"],["2","totals always shown"]],M=[{n:"01",Icon:$,title:"Intro promo shorter than 12 months",formula:"(D × promo) + ((12 − D) × standard)",body:"The promotional rate is applied for its stated duration (D months), and the standard rate for the remaining months of the first year. This is the branch that exposes the price revert most advertising glosses over."},{n:"02",Icon:I,title:"Promo runs 12 months or longer (or is ongoing)",formula:"12 × promo",body:'If the promotional rate covers the whole first year - a fixed term of 12+ months, or an ongoing rate with no stated end - the estimate multiplies the promo rate by 12. We do not substitute the higher "then" price for months the promo actually covers.'},{n:"03",Icon:W,title:"No promotional pricing",formula:"12 × standard",body:"Plans billed at one rate from day one are simply the standard monthly price multiplied by 12. No adjustments, no assumptions."}],H=[{title:"A promo only counts if it is genuinely live",body:"A promotional price enters the calculation only when the provider currently offers it, it is greater than zero, it is lower than the standard rate, and its end date (if any) has not passed. Expired offers are treated as if they never existed."},{title:"Reverts are never hidden",body:"Where a plan reverts to a higher rate inside the first year, the estimate blends both rates - and the breakdown shows the exact split (for example: 6 months at the promo rate, 6 months at the standard rate)."},{title:"Two totals, never one",body:"Wherever a promotional total is shown, the standard-rate total (12 × standard price) is shown alongside it or one tap away in the same view, so the effect of the promotion is visible rather than implied."},{title:"One promotional rate, one revert",body:"The model captures a single promotional rate and its stated duration, then applies the standard rate for the remaining months. Providers occasionally layer extra short-lived discounts on top (for example, a further-reduced first month) - those additional tiers are not modelled. Where they exist, the first-year total may be slightly lower than our estimate; the provider’s CIS shows the exact billing."},{title:"Prepaid plans are excluded",body:"Prepaid plans bill per recharge, and recharge cycles (28 days, 35 days, 365 days) do not map cleanly onto calendar months. Publishing a 12-month figure for them would be false precision, so we do not."},{title:"One-off costs are out of scope",body:"Hardware, activation, setup and delivery fees are excluded. They vary by sign-up channel and change frequently; the estimate is a like-for-like comparison of recurring plan pricing only."}],Y=[{Icon:S,title:"It is an estimate, not a quote",body:"The figure assumes pricing as published on the day it was captured. Providers change prices; your bill is governed by your agreement with them, not by our estimate."},{Icon:P,title:"Always check the CIS",body:"Every Australian telco plan has a Critical Information Summary. Read it before signing up - it is the authoritative statement of what you will pay."}

1,{Icon:j,title:"Applied identically to every plan",body:"The same three branches run over every postpaid mobile and internet plan we list, regardless of any commercial relationship with the provider. The formula has no inputs for commissions."}],y=[{q:"Why not just multiply the advertised price by 12?",a:"Because many advertised prices are introductory. A plan promoted at $39 a month that reverts to $59 after six months costs $588 in its first year, not $468. Multiplying the headline rate by 12 understates the real first-year outlay whenever a revert exists."},{q:"What happens when a promotion lasts 12 months or longer?",a:`The ${a} estimate uses the promotional rate for all 12 months, because that is what you would actually pay in the first year. The standard-rate total is still displayed alongside so the post-promo price is never a surprise.`},{q:`Why do prepaid plans not show a ${a}?`,a:'Prepaid recharges run on expiry cycles (often 28 or 35 days) rather than calendar months, so a "12-month" figure would require assumptions about recharge timing that differ per person. Rather than publish a misleading number, we exclude prepaid from this metric.'},{q:`What is excluded from the ${a}?`,a:"One-off costs: hardware and modem purchases, activation and setup fees, delivery charges, and early-exit costs. Usage-based extras (international calls, excess data purchases) are also excluded. The estimate covers recurring plan charges only."},{q:"Can other websites use this methodology?",a:`${a} is a Wireless Choices methodology, first published on ${h}. You are welcome to reference or adapt it with attribution: credit Wireless Choices and link to this page. The name ${a} identifies our implementation of it.`}],w=f.memo(()=>e.jsxs(c.div,{initial:{opacity:0,y:20},animate:{opacity:1,y:0},transition:{delay:.15,duration:.55},className:"overflow-hidden rounded-3xl border border-zinc-200 bg-white shadow-[0_36px_80px_-44px_rgba(16,24,40,0.45)]",children:[e.jsxs("div",{className:"flex items-center justify-between border-b border-zinc-100 px-5 py-3.5",children:[e.jsxs("span",{className:"inline-flex items-center gap-2 text-[11px] font-bold uppercase tracking-wider text-zinc-500",children:[e.jsx(B,{className:"h-3.5 w-3.5 text-[#0077A6]"})," Worked example"]}),e.jsx("span",{className:"text-[10px] font-semibold text-zinc-500",children:"Branch 01"})]}),e.jsxs("div",{className:"p-5",children:[e.jsx("p",{className:"text-sm font-black tracking-tight text-zinc-900",children:"“$39/mth for 6 months, then $59/mth”"}),e.jsxs("div",{className:"mt-4 space-y-2.5",children:[e.jsxs("div",{className:"flex items-center justify-between rounded-2xl border border-zinc-200 bg-zinc-50/70 px-4 py-3",children:[e.jsx("span",{className:"text-xs font-semibold text-zinc-500",children:"Months 1–6 at $39"}),e.jsx("span",{className:"text-sm font-black tabular-nums text-zinc-900",children:"$234"})]}),e.jsxs("div",{className:"flex items-center justify-between rounded-2xl border border-zinc-200 bg-zinc-50/70 px-4 py-3",children:[e.jsx("span",{className:"text-xs font-semibold text-zinc-500",children:"Months 7–12 at $59"}),e.jsx("span",{className:"text-sm font-black tabular-nums text-zinc-900",children:"$354"})]}),e.jsxs("div",{className:"flex items-center justify-between rounded-2xl px-4 py-3 text-white",style:{background:d},children:[e.jsx("span",{className:"text-xs font-bold uppercase tracking-wider",children:o}),e.jsx("span",{className:"text-base font-black tabular-nums",children:"$588"})]})]}),e.jsx("p",{className:"mt-3 text-[11px] font-semibold leading-relaxed text-zinc-500",children:"Multiplying the advertised $39 by 12 would suggest $468 — $120 below what the first year actually costs."})]})]}));w.displayName="HeroExample";const n=({children:t})=>e.jsx("div",{className:"text-[11px] font-bold uppercase tracking-[0.2em] text-zinc-500",children:t}),F=f.memo(()=>e.jsxs(e.Fragment,{children:[e.jsxs(z,{children:[e.jsx("title",{children:`${b}`}),e.jsx("meta",{name:"description",content:l}),e.jsx("meta",{name:"robots",content:"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1"}),e.jsx("link",{rel:"canonical",href:r}),e.jsx("meta",{name:"keywords",content:"first year cost mobile plan Australia, real cost NBN plan 12 months, promo price revert telco, TrueYear Cost methodology, how Wireless Choices calculates plan costs"}),e.jsx("meta",{property:"og:type",content:"article"}),e.jsx("meta",{property:"og:url",content:r}),e.jsx("meta",{property:"og:title",content:`${a}: How We Calculate First-Year Plan Costs | Wireless Choices`}),e.jsx("meta",{property:"og:description",content:l}),e.jsx("meta",{property:"og:site_name",content:"Wireless Choices"}),e.jsx("meta",{property:"og:locale",content:"en_AU"}),e.jsx("meta",{name:"twitter:card",content:"summary_large_image"}),e.jsx("meta",{name:"twitter:site",content:"@wirelesschoices"}),e.jsx("meta",{name:"twitter:url",content:r}),e.jsx("meta",{name:"twitter:title",content:`${a}: How We Calculate First-Year Plan Costs | Wireless Choices`}),e.jsx("meta",{name:"twitter:description",content:l}),e.jsx("script",{type:"application/ld+json",children:JSON.stringify({"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage",name:b,description:l,url:r,inLanguage:"en-AU",datePublished:"2026-07-18",publisher:{"@type":"Organization",name:"Wireless Choices",url:"https://wirelesschoices.com.au",logo:{"@type":"ImageObject",url:"https://wirelesschoices.com.au/logo.webp"}},breadcrumb:{"@type":"BreadcrumbList",itemListElement:[{"@type":"ListItem",position:1,name:"Home",item:"https://wirelesschoices.com.au"},{"@type":"ListItem",position:2,name:"Methodology",item:r}]}},{"@type":"DefinedTerm",name:a,description:"An estimate of the total recurring cost of an Australian mobile or internet plan over its first 12 months, blending promotional and standard rates according to the promotion’s stated duration.",url:r,termCode:g},{"@type":"FAQPage",mainEntity:y.map(({q:t,a:s})=>

1({"@type":"Question",name:t,acceptedAnswer:{"@type":"Answer",text:s}}))}]})})]}),e.jsx(k,{}),e.jsxs("main",{className:"relative min-h-screen overflow-x-clip bg-linear-to-b from-white via-zinc-50 to-white pt-24 pb-24",children:[e.jsx("div",{"aria-hidden":!0,className:"pointer-events-none absolute inset-x-0 top-0 h-[460px]",style:{background:"radial-gradient(60% 100% at 50% 0%, #00B4D814 0%, #9B5DE50d 40%, transparent 72%)"}}),e.jsxs("section",{className:`relative ${i}`,children:[e.jsxs("nav",{className:"flex items-center gap-1.5 text-xs font-semibold text-zinc-500","aria-label":"Breadcrumb",children:[e.jsx(x,{to:"/trueyear",className:"transition-colors hover:text-[#0077A6]",children:"TrueYear"}),e.jsx(u,{className:"h-3 w-3"}),e.jsx("span",{className:"text-zinc-500",children:"Methodology"})]}),e.jsxs("div",{className:"mt-8 grid items-center gap-12 lg:grid-cols-[1.1fr_minmax(0,0.9fr)]",children:[e.jsxs("div",{children:[e.jsx(n,{children:"Pricing methodology"}),e.jsxs("div",{className:"mt-2 inline-flex items-center gap-2 text-sm font-semibold text-zinc-500",children:["By ",e.jsx(C,{size:"sm",className:"h-6 w-6"})," ",e.jsx("span",{className:"font-bold text-zinc-900",children:"Wireless Choices"})]}),e.jsxs(c.h1,{initial:{opacity:0,y:16},animate:{opacity:1,y:0},transition:{duration:.55},className:"mt-4 text-4xl font-black leading-[1.05] tracking-tight text-zinc-900 sm:text-5xl lg:text-6xl",children:[o,".",e.jsx("br",{className:"hidden sm:block"})," What the recurring plan price adds up to in year one."]}),e.jsxs("p",{className:"mt-4 max-w-xl text-base leading-relaxed text-zinc-500 sm:text-lg",children:["Headline prices on Australian telco plans are often introductory. ",o," is our published formula for estimating what a plan’s recurring price adds up to across its first 12 months — promo period, price revert and all. The same published formula across every eligible postpaid mobile and internet plan."]}),e.jsxs("div",{className:"mt-4 inline-flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2",children:[e.jsxs("span",{className:"rounded-full border border-zinc-200 bg-white px-3 py-1 text-[11px] font-bold text-zinc-700",children:["Methodology ",g]}),e.jsxs("span",{className:"rounded-full border border-zinc-200 bg-white px-3 py-1 text-[11px] font-bold text-zinc-700",children:["First published ",h]})]}),e.jsxs("div",{className:"mt-7 flex flex-wrap gap-3",children:[e.jsxs(x,{to:"/trueyear",className:"inline-flex items-center gap-2 rounded-xl px-5 py-3 text-sm font-bold text-white shadow-[0_14px_34px_-10px_rgba(0,180,216,0.5)] transition hover:-translate-y-0.5",style:{background:d},children:["Try the TrueYear tool ",e.jsx(E,{className:"h-4 w-4"})]}),e.jsxs(x,{to:"/compare/mobile",className:"inline-flex items-center gap-2 rounded-xl border border-zinc-200 bg-white px-5 py-3 text-sm font-bold text-zinc-700 transition hover:-translate-y-0.5 hover:border-zinc-300",children:["See it on mobile plans ",e.jsx(u,{className:"h-4 w-4"})]})]}),e.jsx("div",{className:"mt-9 grid max-w-lg grid-cols-3 gap-4 border-t border-zinc-200 pt-6",children:L.map(([t,s])=>e.jsxs("div",{children:[e.jsx("div",{className:"text-2xl font-black tabular-nums tracking-tight text-zinc-900",children:t}),e.jsx("div",{className:"mt-0.5 text-[11px] font-semibold text-zinc-500",children:s})]},s))})]}),e.jsx(w,{})]})]}),e.jsx("section",{className:`${i} mt-24`,children:e.jsxs("div",{className:"max-w-2xl",children:[e.jsx(n,{children:"The problem it solves"}),e.jsx("h2",{className:"mt-3 text-3xl font-black tracking-tight text-zinc-900 sm:text-4xl",children:"The promo cliff"}),e.jsx("p",{className:"mt-3 text-base leading-relaxed text-zinc-500",children:"A large share of postpaid mobile and NBN plans are advertised at a discounted rate that quietly steps up after a few months. Comparing plans on their headline price alone rewards whoever discounts hardest for the shortest time. Modelling the full first year removes that distortion: every plan is judged on the same 12 months, with its price revert priced in."})]})}),e.jsxs("section",{className:`${i} mt-20`,children:[e.jsxs("div",{className:"max-w-2xl",children:[e.jsx(n,{children:"The formula"}),e.jsx("h2",{className:"mt-3 text-3xl font-black tracking-tight text-zinc-900 sm:text-4xl",children:"One definition, three standard branches"}),e.jsxs("p",{className:"mt-3 text-base leading-relaxed text-zinc-500",children:["The general definition: ",e.jsx("em",{children:"sum what each of the first 12 months actually costs at the rate charged in that month"}),". For the two-rate pricing used across the Australian market, that resolves to three branches. Let ",e.jsx("em",{children:"standard"})," be the ongoing monthly price, ",e.jsx("em",{children:"promo"})," the promotional monthly price, and ",e.jsx("em",{children:"D"})," the promotion’s stated duration in months. Every plan lands in exactly one."]})]}),e.jsx("div",{className:"mt-10 grid gap-5 lg:grid-cols-3",children:M.map(({n:t,Icon:s,title:m,formula:p,body:v},N)=>e.jsxs(c.div,{initial:{opacity:0,y:18},whileInView:{opacity:1,y:0},viewport:{once:!0},transition:{delay:N*.07,duration:.45,ease:"easeOut"},className:"flex flex-col rounded-3xl border border-zinc-200 bg-white p-6 shadow-[0_24px_56px_-44px_rgba(16,24,40,0.45)]",children:[e.jsxs("div",{className:"flex items-center gap-3",children:[e.jsx("span",{className:"grid h-11 w-11 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-2xl text-white shadow-[0_10px_24px_-10px_rgba(0,180,216,0.6)]",style:{background:d},children:e.jsx(s,{className:"h-5 w-5"})}),e.jsx("span",{className:"text-[13px] font-black tabular-nums tracking-widest text-zinc-500",children:t})]}),e.jsx("h3",{className:"mt-5 text-lg font-black tracking-tight text-zinc-900",children:m}),e.jsx("div",{className:"mt-3 rounded-xl bg-zinc-50 px-3.5 py-2.5 font-mono text-[13px] font-semibold tabular-nums text-[#0077A6] ring-1 ring-zinc-100",children:p}),e.jsx("p",{className:"mt-3 text-sm leading-relaxed text-zinc-500",children:v})]},t))})]}),e.jsx("section",{className:`${i} mt-24`,children:e.jsx("div",{className:"overflow-hidden rounded-3xl border border-zinc-200 bg-white shadow-[0_36px_80px_-52px_rgba(16,24,40,0.45)]",children:e.jsxs("div",{className:"p-7 sm:p-10",children:[e.jsxs("div",{className:"max-w-2xl",children:[e.jsx(n,{children:"The rules"}),e.jsx("h2",{className:"mt-3 text-3xl font-black tracking-tight text-zinc-900",children:"What keeps the number honest"}),e.jsx("p",{className:"mt-3 text-base leading-relaxed text-zinc-500",children:"A formula 

1is only as good as its guardrails. These are the conditions the calculation enforces before a promotional price is allowed to influence the estimate."})]}),e.jsx("div",{className:"mt-8 grid gap-3 lg:grid-cols-2",children:H.map(({title:t,body:s})=>e.jsxs("div",{className:"flex gap-3.5 rounded-2xl border border-zinc-200 bg-white p-4",children:[e.jsx("span",{className:"grid h-9 w-9 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-xl bg-emerald-50 text-emerald-700 ring-1 ring-emerald-100",children:e.jsx(j,{className:"h-4 w-4"})}),e.jsxs("div",{children:[e.jsx("p",{className:"text-sm font-black tracking-tight text-zinc-900",children:t}),e.jsx("p",{className:"mt-0.5 text-sm leading-relaxed text-zinc-500",children:s})]})]},t))})]})})}),e.jsxs("section",{className:`${i} mt-24`,children:[e.jsxs("div",{className:"max-w-2xl",children:[e.jsx(n,{children:"Straight with you"}),e.jsxs("h2",{className:"mt-3 text-3xl font-black tracking-tight text-zinc-900 sm:text-4xl",children:["What the ",o," is — and isn’t"]})]}),e.jsx("div",{className:"mt-10 grid gap-5 lg:grid-cols-3",children:Y.map(({Icon:t,title:s,body:m},p)=>e.jsxs(c.div,{initial:{opacity:0,y:18},whileInView:{opacity:1,y:0},viewport:{once:!0},transition:{delay:p*.06,duration:.45,ease:"easeOut"},className:"rounded-3xl border border-zinc-200 bg-white p-6 shadow-[0_24px_56px_-44px_rgba(16,24,40,0.45)]",children:[e.jsx("span",{className:"grid h-11 w-11 place-items-center rounded-xl bg-zinc-50 ring-1 ring-zinc-100",children:e.jsx(t,{className:"h-5 w-5 text-[#0077A6]"})}),e.jsx("h3",{className:"mt-5 text-base font-black tracking-tight text-zinc-900",children:s}),e.jsx("p",{className:"mt-2 text-sm leading-relaxed text-zinc-500",children:m})]},s))})]}),e.jsx("section",{className:`${i} mt-24`,children:e.jsx("div",{className:"rounded-3xl border border-zinc-200 bg-linear-to-br from-[#00B4D8]/[0.06] to-[#9B5DE5]/[0.05] p-7 sm:p-10",children:e.jsxs("div",{className:"flex items-start gap-4",children:[e.jsx("span",{className:"grid h-11 w-11 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-2xl text-white",style:{background:d},children:e.jsx(D,{className:"h-5 w-5"})}),e.jsxs("div",{children:[e.jsx("h2",{className:"text-2xl font-black tracking-tight text-zinc-900",children:"Citing or adapting this methodology"}),e.jsxs("p",{className:"mt-3 max-w-3xl text-base leading-relaxed text-zinc-600",children:[o," is a Wireless Choices methodology, first published on this page on ",h," and versioned whenever the formula changes. Journ

1alists, researchers and other comparison services are welcome to reference or adapt it — with attribution. Credit “Wireless Choices” and link to this page. The ",a," name identifies our implementation."]}),e.jsxs("p",{className:"mt-3 text-sm font-semibold text-zinc-500",children:["Version history: ",g," — ",h,": initial publication (month-sum definition, three-branch model, prepaid exclusion, dual-total display)."]})]})]})})}),e.jsxs("section",{className:`${i} mt-24`,children:[e.jsxs("div",{className:"max-w-2xl",children:[e.jsx(n,{children:"Questions"}),e.jsx("h2",{className:"mt-3 text-3xl font-black tracking-tight text-zinc-900 sm:text-4xl",children:"Frequently asked"})]}),e.jsx("div",{className:"mt-10 grid gap-4 lg:grid-cols-2",children:y.map(({q:t,a:s})=>e.jsxs("div",{className:"rounded-3xl border border-zinc-200 bg-white p-6 shadow-[0_24px_56px_-44px_rgba(16,24,40,0.45)]",children:[e.jsx("h3",{className:"text-base font-black tracking-tight text-zinc-900",children:t}),e.jsx("p",{className:"mt-2 text-sm leading-relaxed text-zinc-500",children:s})]},t))})]}),e.jsx("div",{className:`${i} mt-24`,children:e.jsx(_,{badge:"See it in action",heading:"Every plan card carries its first-year estimate",description:"Open any postpaid mobile or internet plan and tap the info icon next to the 12-month cost - the full breakdown behind this methodology is right there. Or explore full-year costs interactively with the TrueYear tool.",primary:{label:"Try TrueYear",to:"/trueyear"},secondary:{label:"Compare mobile",to:"/compare/mobile"},visual:e.jsx(A,{})})}),e.jsx("section",{className:`${i} mt-16`,children:e.jsxs("div",{className:"rounded-2xl border border-zinc-200 bg-white/60 px-5 py-4 text-center",children:[e.jsxs("div",{className:"mb-2 flex items-center justify-center gap-1.5",children:[e.jsx(R,{className:"h-3 w-3 text-zinc-500","aria-hidden":"true"}),e.jsx("h3",{className:"text-[10px] font-bold uppercase tracking-wider text-zinc-500",children:"Disclaimer"})]}),e.jsxs("div",{className:"mx-auto max-w-2xl space-y-1 text-[11px] leading-relaxed text-zinc-500",children:[e.jsxs("p",{children:[a," figures are estimates for comparison purposes only, based on provider pricing as captured on the date shown against each plan. They exclude one-off costs such as hardware, activation, setup and delivery fees, and usage-based charges."]}),e.jsx("p",{children:"Actual charges are set by your agreement with the provider. Always review the provider’s Critical Information Summary (CIS) before signing up."}),e.jsx("p",{children:"Wireless Choices is an Australian comparison and connectivity-tools platform. We may have commercial relationships with some providers — these do not influence this methodology, which contains no commercial inputs. Not all providers or offers are compared."})]}),e.jsx("div",{className:"mt-2.5 border-t border-zinc-200 pt-2.5",children:e.jsxs("span",{className:"text-[9px] text-zinc-500",children:["© ",O," Wireless Choices Pty Ltd (ABN 82 692 958 482). All rights reserved."]})})]})})]}),e.jsx(T,{})]}));F.displayName="TrueYearCostMethodology";export{F as TrueYearCostMethodology};