It’s like Christmas all over again. Australia’s largest telco, Telstra are upgrading data limits for home internet plans as well as mobile data caps. News of the updates began last week as users began to share colourful emails sent by Bigpond to announce the free data upgrade. As Telstra upgrades their infrastructure, they can support greater volumes of data per month for their millions of users. In the past, Telstra has offered the upgrade to customers who were prepared to resign contracts for an additional 2 years. This time there’s no catch.
The level of data increase is based on the current plan you have, but to receive more than double current data limits, for example 500GB up from 200GB, is a stunning update. Data caps at home and on the road have been typically very low and meant that users had to curb their usage to fit under the cap.
As movies and TV shows are increasingly streamed rather than borrowed or bought and as games increase in size to dozens of gigabytes, the need for more data is massive. If you’re someone who like to be on the front end of technology, you’ll likely download the multiple gigabytes of Windows 10, then re-install your apps like Office and Adobe Creative Suite, chewing threw 50-60GB in total.
If you also happen to game, play a few demo’s or buy a new title digitally, you’ll also burn another 50-100GB. Watch a few 1080p movies in the month and all of a sudden, that 200GB cap is suddenly no longer enough.
With the introduction of streaming services like Netflix, Stan and Presto, combined with audio streaming services like Spotify and Pandora, the growth in your data usage is real, especially when compared to just 2 years ago when 200GB seemed like overkill.
In terms of mobile data caps, the problem is worse. As we move from 4G to 4G+ and soon 5G mobile networks, the speeds available to power new user experiences, will see users easily pop their monthly caps in a matter of days, if not hours.
Today Telstra announced from April 9th, new Mobile Accelerate and Easy Share Business Plans will score you a six month bonus Presto subscription included. If you take up our $95 Mobile Accelerate Plan, you will receive a bonus 3.5GB of data for a total data allowance of 6GB per month to use in Australia. This is for the life of your contract.
If you’re a small business customer, a $65 or above Easy Share Business Plan with a new handset will receive bonus data ranging between 500MB and 6GB per month to use in Australia depending on the plan level you take up.
Those who own their smartphone outright don’t miss out, with BYO plans also receiving data allowance boosts from April 9th. Depending on the plan level chosen, you will enjoy a bonus data boost ranging between 500MB and 7GB per month for the life of your contract to use in Australia.
The new plans are available below, get more information from Telstra.
Telstra Mobile Accelerate Handset Plans
Plan | $95/mth | $130/mth |
Min cost over 24 months | $2280 | $3120 |
Voice Inclusion and MMS | $950 | UNLTD |
Data Inclusion | 2.5GB | 3GB |
Bonus Data | 3.5GB | 7GB |
Data Total | 6GB | 10GB |
ALL FOR USE IN AUSTRALIA (EXCLUDES USE OVERSEAS)
|
Mobile Accelerate BYO Plans
Plan | $45/mth | $55/mth | $70/mth | $95/mth |
Min cost over 12 months | $540 | $660 | $840 | $1140 |
Voice Inclusion and MMS | $550 | $700 | $950 | UNLTD |
Data Inclusion | 500MB | 1.5GB | 2.5GB | 3GB |
Bonus Data | 1.5GB | 2GB | 3.5GB | 7GB |
Data Total | 2GB | 3.5GB | 6GB | 10GB |
ALL FOR USE IN AUSTRALIA (EXCLUDES USE OVERSEAS)
|
Mobile Accelerate Casual Plans
Plan | $55/mth | $70/mth | $95/mth | $130/mth |
Voice Inclusion and MMS | $550 | $700 | $950 | UNLTD |
Data Inclusion | 500MB | 1.5GB | 2.5GB | 3GB |
Bonus Data | 1.5GB | 2GB | 3.5GB | 7GB |
Data Total | 2GB | 3.5GB | 6GB | 10GB |
ALL FOR USE IN AUSTRALIA (EXCLUDES USE OVERSEAS) |
Telstra Business Easy Share Plans
Plan |
$65/mth |
$85/mth | $100/mth | $135/mth |
Min cost over 24 months | $1560 | $2040 | $2400 | $3240 |
Voice Inclusion | $550 | $800 | $950 | UNLTD |
Data Inclusion | 1GB | 2.5GB | 3GB | 4GB |
Bonus Data | 500MB | 1GB | 3GB | 6GB |
Data Total | 1.5GB | 3.5GB | 6GB | 10GB |
ALL FOR USE IN AUSTRALIA (EXCLUDES USE OVERSEAS) |