Telstra is the largest and oldest telecom provider in Australia with a 100-year track record. Known for having the fastest and widest network coverage in Australia, they are also one of the major drivers of the National Broadband Network. Read on to see what Telstra have to offer, including Telstra mobile phone plans, broadband offers, and customer reviews.
Overview of Telstra
Telstra is an Australian mobile and internet provider. However, it also happens to be one of the oldest and largest telecommunications providers in Australia.
Telstra has a 100+ year legacy since its founding in 1901. Since its privatisation in the '90s and early 2000s, Telstra went on to become the largest private telecommunications provider in Austria and is one of the most widely held companies on the ASX.
Thanks to its history, it's considered one of the most reputable mobile companies in Australia and provides most of the network used for used by the NBN and other mobile phone providers in Australia.
Telstra touted its prowess in its 2021 Annual Report:
We continue to lead the NBN market with a total of 3.5 million NBN connections, an increase of 246,000. Our NBN market share is now 45 per cent (excluding satellite) with the migration to NBN now around 90 per cent complete.
What Does Telstra Offer?
Tesltra offers the following services:
- Prepaid phone plans
- Monthly contract phone plans
- SIM-only phone plans
- Mobile phones
- Bluetick phones
- Home Internet
- Mobile Broadband
- Telstra TV
- NBN + Phone Bundles
Telstra Coverage in Australia
The Telstra mobile network is the biggest mobile network in Australia.
Their 3G & 4G network is so vast that it reaches 99% of the Australian population. Telstra is also the main proponent of 5G network infrastructure in Australia. As of June, 2021, 75% of Australians have access to the Telstra 5G network in their local area.
Telstra 5G CoverageTelstra has 5G coverage in over 2,700 suburbs and 200+ cities and towns throughout Australia.
The majority of Telstra's coverage is centred around the east and west coasts of Australia, but they also offer more coverage than other network providers in the Northern Territory.
Telstra Coverage Map
Here is a map showing Telstra's 5G, 4G, & 3G coverage areas in Australia.
Several companies use the Telstra network to offer mobile coverage to their customers.
Here is a list of companies that run on the Telstra Network:
Telstra NBN Plans
Telstra NBN plans come with optional additional services such as home phone plans, Telstra TV, or even a few months of a premium streaming service membership.
Look at some of Telstraâs NBN plans and some additional features included when you sign up:
Telstra Plan Name | Speed | Cost (Monthly) | Features |
---|---|---|---|
Telstra NBN Unlimited | 25Mbps | $80 |
|
Telstra Upfront Internet Basic | 25Mbps | $80 |
|
Telstra NBN Unlimited + Telstra TV | 25Mbps | $89 |
|
Telstra Upfront Internet Essential | 50Mbps | $95 |
|
Telstra NBN Unlimited | 50Mbps | $95 |
|
Telstra TV + Standard Plus Speed | 50Mbps | $104 |
|
Telstra Upfront Internet Premium | 100Mbps | $110 |
|
Telstra NBN Unlimited + Premium Internet | 100Mbps | $110 |
|
Telstra Upfront Internet Ultimate | 250Mbps | $140 |
|
Telstra NBN Unlimited + Superfast Internet | 250Mbps | $140 |
|
Sign Up Online If you sign up for your Telstra NBN plan online, your $99 connection fee will be waived.
THE VERDICT:
The best NBN bundles for you is what best suits your needs, but if you're looking for the best value plan, the Telstra TV + Standard Plus Speed is your best choice.
While the nbn speed is not the fastest Telstra offers, its enough to stream your favorite shows and movies with the bundled Tesltra TV plan with a speed of 50mbps for $104. If you want faster internet speeds with Telstra TV, you have to sign up separately, which will significantly raise the cost.
Features & services included in the Telstra TV + Standard Plus Speed plan:
- 50mbps NBN speed.
- Telstra TV streaming device.
- Telstra home phone plan.
- Telstra 4G Smart Modem.
- 3 months of BINGE Standard plan.
- 20K Telstra Points.
The Telstra TV + Standard Plus Speed plan is the best Telstra bundle for you that includes a telephone, Telstra TV plan, and a decent internet speed.
How Do Telstra Plans Work?
If you are looking for a straightforward Telstra plan just to get your broadband connection set up, Telstra has you covered.
- NBN25' Monthly allowance of 500GB/month for $80. You can expect evening speeds of 25.00 Mbps.
- NBN50. Unlimited data allowance a month for $95.00. You can expect evening speeds of 50.00 Mbps.
- NBN100. Unlimited data allowance a month for $110.00. You can expect evening speeds of 100.00 Mbps.
Telstra NBN plans are only by a month-to-month basis, and include features such as:
- 3 months of free access to Foxtel Now.
- 20,000 Telstra Plus points to use for discounts.
- A Telstra Smart Modem for backup service.
- Access to Telstra Air's WiFi network across the country.
Usually there is a $99 connection fee for Telstra NBN plans, but if you make your purchase online it will be waived.
What Happens If I Exceed My Data Allowance? If you exceed the data allowance on your Telstra plan, your broadband speeds will be lowered to 256Kbps. It will stay at this speed until the next period of your plan starts, so make sure to check how much data you use.
Telstra Home Phone Plans
All Telstra internet plans have Telstra home phone plans bundled inside.
The Telstra âUltimate Voiceâ plan by itself is already a great value phone plan. The Telstra standalone âUltimate Voiceâ plan includes a fixed home phone service with unlimited local calls, national, Australian mobile calls.
The Telstra 'Ultimate Voice' plan gives you access to a great home phone service and a great value NBN plan all in on.
Here is a quick list of features included in the Telstra 'Ultimate Voice' plan:
- Call '13' numbers 500 times for free.
- Discounted international calls.
- No lock-in contracts.
- Unlimited directory assistance.
- Ability to earn points using 'Telstra Plus.'
What Can I Bundle with My Telstra NBN Plan?
Telstra has a wide range of products and services that can be or already are bundled within your Telstra plan.
Telstra doesnât offer any plans that are called âbundleâ plans anymore, but that doesnât mean you canât bundle many of Telstraâs great services into one plan.
Most Telstra plans come to you with many additional services already bundled within your bill.
Bundling your Telstra services like internet, phone, and tv subscriptions, you also do aways with multiple bills, making your monthly payments easier.. Bundling can also make your plans cheaper and provide you with extra rewards points through being enrolled into many Telstra services at once, itâs a win-win situation.
While you can generally bundle all of the above plans together, many NBN plans may not include the ability to bundle Telstra TV. All NBN plans include Telstra home phone plans and you can sign up for all the plans separately if you would like.
You can bundle your Telstra NBN plan with these services:
- Telstra Home Phone Plans
- Telstra TV
- Telstra Smart Modem
- Telstra Air
- Telstra Plus
Most of these services can also be signed up for separately. So if you arenât looking for a Telstra mobile, or internet plan you will not be forced to enter a Telstra plan.
Telstra Contact Want to check to see if your current Telstra plan includes any additional services or features that you didn't know about? Try giving Telstra's contact a call or email!
Looking for a New Internet Plan for Your Home?
Selectra Can Provide Advice & Help You Find The Best Plan
Looking for a New Internet Plan for Your Home?
Selectra Can Provide Advice & Help You Find The Best Plan
Telstra Smart Modem
Every Telstra NBN plan will come with 4G back-up included.
The Telstra Smart Modem connects to Telstraâs mobile networks with its backup 4G system. 4G backup means that if you ever lose internet service due to a Telstra outage, the Telstra Smart modem will use Telstra's 4G network as a back-up and keep you online until the outage is fixed.
You can also set up the Smart Modem to send you SMS or email notifications when it switches over to the back-up network, so you can stay informed of what's happening.
The $216 modem is yours to keep as long as you stay with your Telstra contract for 24 months, otherwise you will need to return the modem or pay for it.
Telstra Air
Telstra Air is a Wi-Fi network where you can connect to one of the 1 million Wi-Fi hotspots throughout Australia and the 19 million hotspots through partners overseas.
With Telstra Air you can connect within this national Wi-Fi network and get access to free unlimited data at any of the available hotspots near you. The service is bundled within any of Telstraâs mobile, internet and mobile broadband plans.
To activate your Telstra Air service at an available hotspot you only need to download the Telstra Air app and activate your account.
What is Telstra Plus?
Telstra Plus is a Telstra rewards program where you earn 10 Telstra Plus points per dollar you spend on services.
Best part about Telstra Plus is that you can join at no extra cost to you and earn extra rewards for bundling new services into your Telstra plans.
You can redeem your Telstra Plus points on various discounts in the Telstra online store. These discounts can be applied to a large selection of products in the store including new devices.
Your Telstra Plus membership can even follow you into the real world, where you can receive discounted sport and movie tickets.
Telstra Phones Want to know what are the best or cheapest phones that Telstra offers? Maybe you live outside of the major metro areas and are looking for Telstra certified Blue Tick Phones to have service to reach rural areas. Check out our other articles to learn more.
My Telstra Account & Telstra App
Telstra offers a convenient and easy online account where you can manage everything related to your account and Telstra plans. The
Telstra Login
In order to
If you do not already have one,
With your Telstra login, you can do all of the following:
- Viewing and managing your invoices
- Updating billing details
- Accessing exclusive Telstra Plus
- Recharge or switch offers
- Track your home broadband data usage
- Add Voice and Data packs
- Managing NBN service orders
So, whether you need to add data to your mobile plan, monitoring broadband usage, or seek customer support,
Telstra Plus
Telstra Plus is a separate Telstra membership, where members unlock exclusive benefits including discounted tickets, complimentary entertainment extras, and dedicated support services.
There are different membership tiers, determined by your annual spending with Telstra, which dictates the range of benefits accessible to you throughout the membership year. As your eligible spend increases, so does your tier level, granting you access to even more rewards. Please note that available benefits may vary over time.
If you want to join Telstra plus, simply log in to the Telstra Plus online platform using your Telstra ID. Once you are logged in, you can see the different tiers you are eligible for and sign up online!
If you're on an Essential or Premium Mobile plan, you're eligible for a Telstra Plus tier upgrade. This upgrade will be processed within 30 days and lasts for a year, aligned with your membership date. As your membership anniversary approaches, Telstra will notify you of any changes to your tier status based on your previous year's spending.
Below are all the different Telstra plus tiers that are available
Telstra Plus Plan | Plan Info | Plan Inclusions |
---|---|---|
Member | $0 - $1,499 Overall annual eligible spend | Earn 10 points per $1 on your eligible payments Discounted movie tickets, entertainment |
Silver | $1,500 - $2,999 Overall annual eligible spend | Silver service when you message us via My Telstra app Earn 10 points per $1 on your eligible payments Discounted movie tickets, entertainment |
Gold | $3,000+ Overall annual eligible spend | VIP service when you message us via My Telstra Earn 10 points per $1 on your eligible payments Discounted movie tickets, entertainment |
Business | For customers with an eligible business service. Excludes Enterprise and corporate customers. | Earn 10 points per $1 on your eligible payments Discounted movie tickets, entertainment |
How to Sign up With Telstra
You can sign up for Telstra over the phone by calling 13 20 00. You can also sign up online at telstra.com.au.
When signing up for any service with Telstra, you will be required to perform a credit check and provide valid identification.
This can be one primary form of ID:
- Valid Australian passport
- Drivers license
- Other valid licenses
Plus two secondary forms of ID including:
- Medicare card,
- Australian government-issued benefits card
- Birth certificate
Find a full list of accepted identification online.
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