As of 26 August 2026, the GoPlan database has verified 142 mobile plans across 6 carriers, and many of these plans are specifically flagged with adminFeeWaived (admin fee waived) as true. This field is critical for calculating your total monthly mobile cost because the admin fee is one of the most common recurring add-ons beyond the headline monthly fee. This article explains the concept of admin fees, common waiver conditions, and uses real examples from csl/1O1O and SmarTone to help you verify the details before signing, so you don’t pay more than you need to.
What is an admin fee? Why it makes your monthly bill higher
An admin fee is usually a fixed monthly service charge imposed by the carrier, regardless of your usage. Some plans include the admin fee in the headline monthly fee, while others list it separately. That means two plans with the same monthly fee can differ significantly in actual total cost if one charges an admin fee and the other waives it. In the GoPlan database, many plans have an adminFeeWaived attribute; if it shows true, the admin fee is waived under the contract conditions recorded in the database, so you don’t need to add an extra amount on top of the monthly fee. Conversely, if it shows false or is not clearly marked, you may need to check with the carrier. Note that adminFeeWaived only applies to the admin fee itself; mobile plans may still have other line items such as tunnel fee, licence fee, caller display, and value-added services. So when comparing plans, look at the total monthly cost, not just the headline monthly fee. Besides mobile plans, GoPlan also covers 27 home broadband plans, 19 5G home broadband plans and 3 business broadband plans, but the admin fee waiver flag is mainly used for mobile plans, so this article focuses on mobile plans.
Common admin fee waiver conditions
- Use a designated credit card autopay: binding a credit card or debit card from a bank partner designated by the carrier for automatic payment is the most common admin fee waiver condition. Some plans require a specific issuing bank, so not every credit card qualifies.
- Choose e-bill / online bill: cancel paper statements and receive bills by email, SMS or the carrier’s app. Some plans waive the admin fee because this reduces administrative costs.
- Meet specific promotional conditions at sign-up: for example, new customer sign-up, a designated contract period, a designated port-in offer, or bundling with other services. The carrier will state directly in the contract that the admin fee is waived, and this is usually valid one-off or for the whole contract period.
Real examples: these csl/1O1O and SmarTone plans are marked as waived
Using verified records in the GoPlan database as examples, csl/1O1O’s $78 plan, SmarTone’s $79 plan and SmarTone’s $159 plan are all marked adminFeeWaived true. That means under the current database terms, the admin fees for these plans have been waived, and you don’t need to pay an extra admin fee on top of $78 / $79 / $159. However, it’s important to understand that this database flag reflects the plan’s status under specific contract conditions, not a permanent exemption in all situations. For example, if you switch away from the designated credit card autopay after signing, the admin fee may still be reinstated.
| Carrier / Brand | Plan monthly fee | Admin fee waiver status (adminFeeWaived) |
|---|---|---|
| csl/1O1O | $78 | true (waived) |
| SmarTone | $79 | true (waived) |
| SmarTone | $159 | true (waived) |
Waiver conditions usually need to be maintained — it’s not one-and-done after signing
Many people think that once they meet the waiver conditions at sign-up, they never need to worry again. But in practice, conditions like designated credit card autopay and e-bill are often ongoing. For example, if you get the admin fee waiver by using Bank A’s credit card autopay at sign-up, then later switch to Bank B for payment, or switch back to paper bills, the carrier may restore the admin fee from the next billing period. Even if you don’t cancel proactively, an expired card, a replacement card, or a bank rejecting the autopay instruction can cause the waiver to lapse. Some contracts even state that if the waiver conditions are no longer met, the carrier can resume charging the admin fee from the next billing date, with no guarantee of a grace period. So it’s best to check your autopay status every quarter, make sure the card is valid, confirm e-bill settings haven’t been accidentally changed, and keep the promotional confirmation documents from sign-up as proof if you need to dispute a charge.
Ask these three things before signing
- What is the original admin fee amount: don’t just ask whether it is waived. Ask how much will be added back each month if you later fail to meet the conditions, and how much the total difference will be over the contract period.
- What exactly are the waiver conditions: for example, which credit card is designated, whether e-bill must be used at the same time, whether there are any limits within the contract period, and whether port-in customers and new customers are treated differently.
- What happens if you no longer meet the conditions: will the fee be resumed immediately, will there be retroactive charges, will there be a grace period or notice period, and can the waiver be restored after you meet the conditions again.