Telstra has today announced a new set of plans that will launch on the 4th of March. Telstra has also advised they will launch new upgrade options for customers who like to update their phone more regularly than the standard 24 month contracts normally allow.
Telstra has dubbed their new fast upgrade option – which will allow customers signing up to a 24-month contract, to upgrade to a new phone after 12 months – the ‘Telstra New Phone Feeling’, to get access to the new phone feeling, customers will have to pay a $10 fee per month($120 per year) on top of their monthly contract and handset repayments and at the end of the 12 months will be offered the option to hand their phone back and receive a new handset.
Telstra’s Group Managing Director for Product, Warwick Bray, speaking about how this new program is in response to their millions of custmers, said
We know lots of Australians really look forward to getting their hands on the latest smartphone technology and we want to give them the chance to experience that ‘new phone feeling’ more frequently. So we’re introducing the option for customers to get a new smartphone every 12 months as an add-on with selected handsets across our new 24-month consumer plans.
The new set of plans, known as ‘Mobile Accelerate’ Plans, come in four offerings that will replace the existing Telstra Mobile Consumer plans :
Casual Plans. Customers can bring their own device and pay month-to-month, giving them the benefits of the Telstra Mobile Network with no long-term contract commitment.
Data Share Plans. Customers can share data allowances across multiple devices including a tablet and laptop all on a single bill allowing them to make their data go further.
BYO and BYO Data Share plans. Customers simply bring their existing compatible mobile to Telstra, and enjoy better value than the equivalent Mobile Accelerate Plan.
Optional data packs and data share packs to flexibly boost monthly data allowances.
The Mobile Accelerate plans come with a built-in safety net that covers MMS and Voice charges so customers will pay no more than $130 per month on the eligible call types.
The new Telstra Mobile Accelerate Plans which include a handset look like this :
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Minimum Monthly Plan Charge
24 month minimum term
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$55
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$70
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$95
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$130
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Monthly included allowance for calls, text and MMS to standard Australian numbers
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$550
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$700
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$950
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Unlimited
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|||
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Monthly included data allowance to use in Australia
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500MB
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1.5GB
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2.5GB
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3GB
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|||
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MMS picture messages to standard Australian numbers (per msg)
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50c
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Unlimited
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|||||
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MMS video messages to standard Australian numbers (per msg)
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75c
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Unlimited
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|||||
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Text messages to standard Australian numbers
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Unlimited
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||||||
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Unlimited Nights (7pm – 7am every night) and
Unlimited Weekends (all day Saturday and Sunday) |
No
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No
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Yes
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N/A
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Excess data usage within Australia (charged per KB)
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3c per MB
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||||||
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Excess Voice Safety Net
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$130 (MMC + eligible excess charges = $130)
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||||||
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Minimum cost
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$1,320
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$1,680
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$2,280
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$3,120
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2 min standard call
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$2.38
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||||||
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All to standard Australian numbers (excludes use overseas)
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|||||||
If you’d like to look at the new BYOD plans they look like this :
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Minimum Monthly Plan Spend
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$45
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$55
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$70
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$95
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Plan Term
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12 or 24 months
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|||
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Monthly included allowance for calls, text and MMS to standard Australian numbers
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$550
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$700
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$950
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Unlimited
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Monthly included data allowance to use in Australia
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500MB
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1.5GB
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2.5GB
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3GB
|
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MMS picture messages to standard Australian numbers (per msg)
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50c
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Unlimited
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||
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MMS video messages to standard Australian numbers (per msg)
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75c
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Unlimited
|
||
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Text messages to standard Australian numbers
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Unlimited
|
|||
|
Unlimited Nights (7pm – 7am every night) and
Unlimited Weekends (all day Saturday and Sunday) |
No
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No
|
Yes
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n/a
|
|
Excess data usage within Australia (charged per KB)
|
3c per MB
|
|||
|
Excess Voice Safety Net
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$130 (MMC + eligible excess charges = $130)
|
|||
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Minimum cost
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12 months $540
24 months $1,080
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12 months $660
24 months
$1,320
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12 months $840
24 months
$1,680
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12 months $1,140
24 months $2,280
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2 min standard call
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$2.38
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|||
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All to standard Australian numbers (excludes use overseas)
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||||
The new plans look Ok, but the new plans do at least drop the price of excess data from their current rate of 10c per MB to 3c per MB.
The ‘New Phone Feeling’ options are at least an option for new phone afficianados but having to hand your phone back as well as paying $120 over 12 months for the privelege seems a little off to me. The new BYOD plans at least give some better options for people who want to bring their own phone.
With the added competition that an improved Vodafone network is bringing as well as an enticing offering from Optus, Telstra is finally having to start competing where it matters – on price. It will be worth it to see how these new plans go once they hit the market on the 4th of March. If you’re interested in the new plans, sign up to the Telstra mailing list for new plans.
Do these plans interest you? What do you think of the ‘New Phone Feeling’ program?
