Rates Are Up, and Probably Staying Up
On Tuesday 29 September the Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Board raised the cash rate target by 25 basis points to 4.60%, with all nine members in favour. The Board started lifting rates in February from 3.60%, so this is the fourth rise of 2026 and a full percentage point in nine months. It is the highest the cash rate has been in close to fifteen years.
4.60%
Cash rate target from 30 September 2026.
4th
Increase of 2026, after February, and two more through the year.
+1.00
Percentage points since January, when the rate was 3.60%.
The statement said "inflation remains elevated" and that recent results "were stronger than expected", even though growth "has slowed". It closed with the line every business owner should note: the Board will do what it considers necessary, "including increasing the cash rate target further if needed". That is not a promise of more rises. It is a clear signal not to budget for cuts.
Why Start With the Comms Bill
When money gets tighter the natural reaction is to look at the big numbers: rent, wages, stock. Those matter, but they are slow and painful to change. Phone and internet is different. It is a fixed monthly cost, it can usually be changed without touching anything a customer sees, and in most small businesses it has grown by accident.
A typical story goes like this. The internet came with the office. The phone system was added by an IT contractor. The 1300 number was set up years ago with a different provider for a marketing campaign. Staff use personal mobiles and claim part of the bill. Each piece made sense on the day. Together they add up to four bills, four support numbers and a pile of charges nobody has looked at since. We wrote about this pattern in nine suppliers, one office, and it is even more expensive when borrowing costs more.
The 30 Minute Bill Audit
You need last month's bills, a pen and half an hour. You do not need to know anything technical.
- 1
Gather every comms bill
Internet, phone system, any separate 1300 or 1800 number, handset rental, and any mobile plans the business pays for or reimburses. If you are not sure you have them all, search your bank statement for the provider names.
- 2
Count people against seats
List who actually needs a phone extension today. Compare it with the number of users, seats or lines you are billed for. The gap is pure saving.
- 3
Find the extras
Handset rental, call recording, voicemail to email, a static IP, a separate fax line. Mark each one as used, not used, or not sure.
- 4
Check the nbn
What speed are you paying for, what do you actually need, and are you still on the price you signed up at? Promotional prices often end without anybody noticing.
- 5
Total it by month
Add everything up as one monthly figure. Most owners have never seen their comms cost as a single number, and it is usually higher than they would guess.
A Worked Example: Eight Staff, Four Bills
Here is what that audit might find in an eight person business, such as a trades company with an office manager and six people on the road. The figures are illustrative, based on the kinds of charges we commonly see, not on any particular provider.
| What the audit found | Why it was there | Monthly saving |
|---|---|---|
| Two unused seats | Staff who left last year were never removed. | $70 |
| Rental on four desk handsets | A five year rental that nobody cancelled. The field staff use the mobile app anyway. | $48 |
| 1300 number on a separate bill | Set up with another provider for an old campaign. Moving it onto the main system removes the separate rental. | $25 |
| nbn on an expired promo | The introductory price ended, and the plan is faster than the office needs. | $29 |
| Paid call recording add-on | Included in the plan they would move to. | $15 |
| Total | $187 a month, about $2,240 a year | |
Nothing here changes how customers reach the business. The same numbers ring, the same people answer. The money was simply going to things nobody used. If you want to compare your total against what a business your size should be paying, our phone system cost guide has current ranges, and the quote versus the bill explains where extra charges usually hide.
Questions to Put to Your Current Provider
Before you move anywhere, ring your current provider. Sometimes the best saving is a better plan where you already are. These questions get to the point quickly.
| Ask | What you are listening for |
|---|---|
| What am I paying for that nobody has used in 90 days? | A provider who can see usage and will tell you honestly. |
| When does my contract end, and what does leaving cost? | A clear date and a clear figure, not a vague answer. |
| Is my nbn price still the price I signed up at? | Whether a promotion has ended and what the current plan costs new customers. |
| Who owns my numbers? | "You do." Your numbers, including any 1300 number, should be yours to keep. |
| Can the phones and internet be on one bill? | Whether they can support both, or whether you will keep juggling two companies. |
If the answers are vague, that tells you something too. Our guide to switching provider without the usual problems covers how to move safely, and the 1300 number rental trap explains the number ownership question in detail.
Half Price nbn When You Bundle
Rate rises are a good moment for providers to help rather than just comment, so we are doing something about it. New nbn orders bundled with a VOCPhone Voice plan on a 12 month contract get 50% off any nbn plan for the first three months.
| Plan | Speed | First 3 months | Standard price | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 500/50 | $44.95/month | $89.90/month | $134.85 |
| Business | 250/100 | $49.95/month | $99.90/month | $149.85 |
| Business+ | 500/200 | $59.95/month | $119.90/month | $179.85 |
| Gigabit | 1000/400 | $74.95/month | $149.90/month | $224.85 |
The fine print, in plain English: it is for new nbn orders, not existing services. The discount is on the nbn plan only, so Voice plan charges, usage, add-ons, hardware and installation are charged as normal. Home and Business deliver the full speeds on FTTP and HFC, and 100/20 and 100/40 respectively on FTTN, FTTC and FTTB. Business+ requires FTTP. All plans depend on what is available at your address, which you can check on our nbn plans page.
Why the bundle matters more than the discount
The three months at half price is a nice start. The part that keeps paying is having your phones and internet on one bill, run by one team, on a network we own. When something goes wrong there is one number to ring and nobody to blame but us. We explain the difference in bundling phone and nbn with one provider.
Savings That Cost You More
Some savings look good on the bill and bad on the bank statement three months later. These are the ones we see most.
The pattern is the same in every case. A saving that makes you harder to reach, or less reliable, is paid for in missed work. In a slower economy that work is harder to replace. If after hours calls are the issue, an AI agent built into your phone system can answer, take the details and book the job while you are off the clock, and our breakdown of what missed calls cost tradies shows why it is usually cheaper than the calls it saves.
Three Money Habits Before Christmas
The comms audit is one fixed cost. The same thinking applies across the business, and three habits are worth starting now, before the December slowdown.
Invoice on the day
Payment terms start when the invoice lands. Sending it the same day the job ends is the cheapest finance you will ever get.
Ring your lender
Ask what has been passed on to your loan, and what options exist. It is easier to have that conversation before you need anything.
Check your prices
If your costs have gone up, a small, explained price rise usually works better than absorbing it and hoping.
One more change landed the same week: from 1 October 2026 surcharges on eftpos, Mastercard and Visa card payments are banned. If you used to add a card fee, you now carry that cost, so it is worth checking what your payment provider charges and building it into your prices.
How VOCPhone Helps
VOCPhone is Australian owned and runs its own network, so your phones and nbn come from one company that can see both, with 99.99% network uptime and support from our team in Australia. Send us your current phone and internet bills and we will do the audit above with you. If you are already on a good deal we will tell you. If you are not, we will show you exactly where the money is going and what it would cost with us, line by line.
Your numbers move with you, including 1300 and 1800 numbers, and the app puts your business number on every phone and laptop, so some staff may not need a desk handset at all. Call 1300 663 222 and mention half price nbn, or check what is available at your address online.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cash rate after the September 2026 RBA meeting?
The cash rate target is 4.60%. On 29 September 2026 the Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Board raised it by 25 basis points, with all nine members in favour. It was the fourth increase of 2026, taking the rate up a full percentage point from 3.60% in January, and it is the highest the cash rate has been in close to fifteen years. The Board said inflation remains elevated and that it will do what it considers necessary to return inflation to target, including increasing the cash rate further if needed.
How do I audit my business phone and internet bill?
Set aside half an hour and work through five steps. Gather every communications bill, including internet, the phone system, any separate 1300 or 1800 number, handset rental and business mobiles. Count the people who need an extension today against the seats you pay for. List every extra, such as handset rental, call recording or a static IP, and mark whether it is used. Check your nbn speed against what you need and whether a promotional price has ended. Then add everything into one monthly figure. Most businesses find unused seats, old rental charges or duplicated services within the first pass.
How much can a small business save on its phone bill?
It depends entirely on how the services were set up, so be wary of any fixed promise. In our illustrative example, an eight person business with four separate communications bills finds about $187 a month, around $2,240 a year, by removing two unused seats, ending rental on four old handsets, moving a separately billed 1300 number onto the main system, right sizing an nbn plan whose promotion had ended, and dropping a paid add-on that the new plan included. Businesses that already have one provider and review their bill regularly will usually find less.
What is the VOCPhone half price nbn offer?
New nbn orders bundled with a VOCPhone Voice plan on a 12 month contract receive 50% off any nbn plan for the first three months. Home 500/50 is $44.95 a month, Business 250/100 $49.95, Business+ 500/200 $59.95 and Gigabit 1000/400 $74.95 for those three months, returning to $89.90, $99.90, $119.90 and $149.90. That is a saving of $134.85 to $224.85. The discount covers the nbn plan only, not Voice plan charges, usage, add-ons, hardware or installation. Business+ requires FTTP and every plan is subject to availability at your address.
Is it worth switching phone providers to save money?
Sometimes, but ring your current provider first. Ask what you are paying for that has not been used in 90 days, when your contract ends and what leaving costs, whether your nbn price is still the one you signed up at, and who owns your numbers. A better plan with your existing provider can be the easiest saving. If the answers are vague, or your services are spread across several companies, moving to one provider for phones and internet often saves money and reduces the time spent sorting out problems. Make sure you keep your numbers when you move.
What savings should a business avoid when cutting costs?
Avoid savings that make you harder to reach or less reliable. Diverting the main number to a personal mobile, removing the only person who answers calls, choosing the cheapest internet with poor evening performance, signing a long lock-in contract for a small discount, or letting a 1300 number lapse can all cost more in missed work and customer trust than they save. In a slower economy each enquiry is worth more, so protect the phone line, response times and follow-up, and look for savings in unused services instead.
Does the card surcharge ban affect my business costs?
Yes, if you used to add a surcharge. From 1 October 2026 businesses can no longer surcharge customers who pay with eftpos, Mastercard or Visa debit, prepaid or credit cards. The Reserve Bank has also lowered the caps on the interchange fees that sit inside what your payment provider charges you, which should reduce costs for many small businesses. The practical steps are to switch off surcharging, check your latest merchant statement, compare providers if your costs look high, and build the cost of card payments into your prices.
