Lyca Mobile Australia has picked up two accolades at the Finder Mobile Awards 2026, capping off a year defined by strategic simplification and strong customer growth. The mobile virtual network operator took home the Best Long Expiry Prepaid Mobile Provider award and earned a Highly Commended result in the Value SIM Only Mobile Provider category. The recognition validates a dramatic rethink of its product lineup implemented in early 2025.
The wins arrive alongside impressive market performance. Plan activations grew by more than 50 percent in the final quarter of 2025, suggesting that Australian customers have responded well to Lyca Mobile’s stripped-back, value-focused approach.
The Finder Mobile Awards
Finder, one of Australia’s largest comparison platforms, runs its annual Mobile Awards to help consumers cut through the noise in an increasingly crowded market. The awards evaluate products across three core criteria: value, high-data allowances, and plan duration. This year’s judging period spanned 12 months and assessed more than 290 products from 47 providers, making it one of the more comprehensive independent assessments of the Australian mobile landscape.
Importantly, Finder selects winners independently of commercial partnerships. All recipients must meet the platform’s editorial standards, which lends credibility to the results.
Lyca Mobile walked away with two recognitions:
- Best Long Expiry Prepaid Mobile Provider (Winner): Lyca Mobile’s long-expiry plans stood out for delivering substantial data at competitive prices, with judges noting extra perks including eSIM sign-up options and unlimited calls to 35 international destinations. For prepaid customers, long-expiry plans eliminate the pressure of monthly top-ups. Credit lasts longer, which suits infrequent users or those who want to avoid the hassle of regular recharges.
- Value SIM Only Mobile Provider (Highly Commended): Lyca Mobile’s SIM-only plans earned recognition for delivering strong data allocations without compromising on price. The category rewards providers helping customers manage costs while staying connected, a priority for many Australians navigating cost-of-living pressures.
A Deliberate Simplification
The award-winning lineup is the product of a methodical overhaul. In early 2025, Lyca Mobile Australia reduced its offerings from 21 plans down to just nine which was a significant consolidation designed around actual customer behaviour rather than theoretical market segments.
Will Beukes, Head of Digital at Lyca Mobile Australia, explained the thinking: “We have streamlined the number of plans available from 21 to nine, following a detailed review of customer needs. Our new plans have been designed to deliver maximum value to Australian customers. To further support customers, we have expanded our eSIM options and invested in digital innovation and user-centric experiences.”
The shift reflects a broader trend in telecommunications where providers are moving away from overwhelming choice toward curated options that make decision-making easier. For Lyca Mobile, the gamble paid off. They had fewer plans, but each one worked harder to meet genuine customer requirements.
Growth That Backs Up the Strategy
Numbers tell part of the story. The 50 per cent growth in Q4 2025 activations suggests the simplified lineup resonated with customers, though the company has not disclosed specific activation figures or revenue details.
Noman Abbasi, Country Director for Lyca Mobile Group Australia, connected the dots between strategy and results: “These awards are a testament to our commitment to delivering value, flexibility, and real results for our customers. By simplifying our plans and focusing on what Australians truly need, we’ve not only provided cost-effective solutions without compromising on service quality but also achieved strong market growth and customer adoption.”
He added: “We’re proud to be recognised for our efforts and will continue to innovate in ways that deliver both exceptional experiences and measurable success for our customers.”
Fifteen Years in the Australian Market
Lyca Mobile’s Australian operation launched in 2010, giving the company a fifteen-year track record serving local customers. As a mobile virtual network operator, Lyca Mobile does not own physical network infrastructure; instead, it partners with established carriers to deliver service. In Australia, that means operating across Vodafone’s advanced 4G and 5G network, which covers approximately one million square kilometres and reaches 98.4 per cent of the population.
This partnership model allows Lyca Mobile to focus on what differentiates it from the major carriers: pricing, plan flexibility, and features tailored to specific customer needs. The company has historically appealed to customers seeking affordable international calling options, though its recent strategy has broadened the focus to include domestic value seekers as well.
That network footprint, combined with retail partnerships and an expanding digital presence, has allowed Lyca Mobile to build a customer base numbering in the millions. The company maintains relationships with some of Australia’s leading retail providers while simultaneously investing in direct digital sales channels. This hybrid approach lets customers engage however they prefer, whether that means walking into a store or completing the entire activation process online.
Speaking about the Australian commitment earlier in 2025, Abbasi noted: “Lyca has a proud fifteen-year heritage in the Australian market. This investment in our eSIM technology and digital service channels will ensure our customers are offered the very best products and services available.”
He added: “Our team is committed to the Australian market, both with our physical retail partnerships and increasingly through digital sales channels, delivering first class mobile services to millions of Australians every year.”
What Comes Next
Lyca Mobile Australia has indicated it will continue investing in digital channels and plan design through 2026. The eSIM focus appears central to that roadmap. Unlike traditional SIM cards, eSIM technology allows customers to activate and manage mobile services remotely without visiting a store or waiting for a physical card to arrive in the mail. Users can switch between networks more easily, add travel plans without swapping SIMs, and the technology reduces environmental impact by eliminating plastic cards and packaging.
For Lyca Mobile, eSIM also streamlines the customer acquisition process. New users can sign up and activate service entirely online, reducing friction and support costs. The company expanded its eSIM options as part of the early 2025 overhaul, and that investment appears to be paying off alongside the simplified plan structure.
Globally, Lyca Mobile serves over 16 million customers across 18 countries. The company launched in 2006 with a focus on affordable international connectivity – a mission born from understanding that immigrant communities needed better options for staying in touch with family abroad. The Australian market, with its diverse population and strong demand for international calling, remains a significant part of that global footprint.
Whether the simplified, customer-first approach piloted in Australia influences strategy in other markets remains to be seen, but the Finder Awards recognition and Q4 growth figures suggest the model works. For Australian customers weighing their prepaid and SIM-only options, Lyca Mobile’s streamlined lineup now comes with independent validation that it delivers on value.
