Add-ons are the standard way to buy a capability that is not in the base plan. They are worth understanding precisely, because the difference between an add-on and a plan that includes something is usually the difference between a fixed monthly cost and an unbounded one.
The TPG International Call Pack
The TPG Mobile SIM only Critical Information Summary sets the International Call Pack at a monthly cost of $5. That is the whole published figure. It is a recurring monthly add-on, not a one-off, and it is not included in the base plan price.
What it is not
- It does not make international calls part of the included usage. The plans list calls to international numbers under excluded usage.
- It does not cover SMS to international numbers, which is charged separately at 50 cents per message.
- It does not cover satellite calls, which these plans exclude.
- It does not change the excess data rate, which is set by the plan tier.
So the honest way to price a TPG SIM only plan for someone who calls internationally is the minimum monthly charge plus $5 for the call pack, and to add the international SMS cost on top if you text. Compare that total against a provider that enables international calling at a higher recharge threshold rather than against the base plan price alone.
The alternative, not the add-on
Some prepaid plans enable selected international calling as a property of the recharge amount rather than selling it as an add-on. That is a different mechanism with a different trigger. Which one is cheaper depends entirely on how much you call, and neither of these providers publishes enough detail for us to guess on your behalf.
What we could not verify. Where a provider has not published a figure we mark it unknown rather than estimate it. Re-read the provider page linked below on the day you decide.