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New research from comparison site Finder.com.au shows on average Australians have been with the same provider for 6.5 years.

Baby boomers are most likely to be loyal, staying with the same telco for 8.4 years.

So what's wrong with loyalty?

Finder's tech expert Angus Kidman said customers on outdated plans may be paying too much, with newer plans offering better value.

"A decade ago amaysim, Kogan and Aldi Mobile weren't even players in the market. In 2018, there are over 30 brands to choose from and plans are becoming much cheaper every year," Mr Kidman said.

"Just five years ago a 3GB plan was $39.90 and now you can get 20GB for just $50 a month. Most plans come with unlimited calls and texts in Australia, so data and international call inclusions are the key features to pay attention to."

Most customers surveyed by Finder chose to stay with their provider because they are happy with the service (47 per cent) or because they believe they are onto a good deal (23 per cent).

But for 10 per cent of those surveyed, switching is just too much of a hassle and a further 6 per cent find comparing their options too confusing.

"It's no surprise that many Aussies stick with what they know as switching providers is often considered a hassle. We're creatures of habit and if ain't broke, why fix it?"

"Even if you're happy, it's well worth comparing and checking. With an average 6.5 year span with a telco, there's going to be plenty of Aussies sitting on what they think is a 'good' deal when in fact their own telco is already offering superior value if only they'd actually ask," Mr Kidman said.

"What many Aussies don't realise is that all the smaller players run on the big networks such as Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. So if you're with one of these telcos because it has the best coverage in your area, you could switch to a cheaper provider which uses the same network. For example, if you want to stay on the Telstra network, you can switch to Aldi, Woolworths or Boost."

If you want to compare plans, Finder suggests first knowing what you currently pay versus what you currently use and considering how you use your phone.

Once you have that information, it's easier to compare different plans or call your current provider for a better deal.