New wireless broadband plans
New wireless broadband plans offer more value with more data and no additional usage charges on Australia’s fastest and largest national mobile network.
There are many Australians that use wireless broadband as an additional home broadband service, allowing them the convenience of being connected to both the home and office while out and about or when travelling. It is also a popular choice for those living in areas with Next G™ coverage that may not have access to ADSL or Cable Broadband.
To further support Wireless Broadband Users, Telstra has boosted the value of its wireless broadband plans offering higher data allowances for less along with no additional usage charges on Australia’s fastest and largest national mobile network. The new plans are available from 18 January 2010.
The new wireless broadband plans, plus our recently launched home broadband plans and bundles, give customers access to fantastic value on a range products and new offers we have available. They also offer loyal customers additional savings when they combine additional products with their wireless broadband service.
Telstra still have the “Elite” prices, but at least its a vast improvement on what they had.! I comm.. i comm…Commend.. them on that. Never thought i would ever say that.! Lol. I also commend them for the Loyalty Bonus to Existing Customers.
I even sent details of the new plans to my “Rural” family members. This should be Welcomed by them.
I myself am going to wait just a Tad, because as yet, i as yet havent seen the Real-World Speeds anywhere near what they should be. If i am going to pay a premium, i expect the Elite speeds to be much better than that of My current Optus WBB. (1.5-4.5mbps)
But again i must commend Telstra for making such a Bold move. But dont rest on your Laurels, the Competition is fierce.
Cheers.. Paul
What about pre-paid internet?
Still poor value, come on Telstra!
Recharge Amount3 Data Rate4per MB (charged per KB or part)2 Effective data2
$20 13.3c 150MB
$30 13.3c 225MB
$40 13.3c 300MB
$50 8c 625MB
$60 8c 750MB
$805 2.25c 3.5GB
$100 1.65c 6GB
If I may quote the media release
[...offering higher data allowances for less...]
Er where is the additional data, I’m stuck on 10GB plan and there is no more data available, where is a bigger plan like a 20GB plan? the 10GB plan should be a 20GB plan!
[...Many Australians use wireless broadband as an addition to their home broadband service...]
But what about the many of us that can ONLY have wireless – I’d happily give up my wirelss if I could get ADSL!
[It is also a popular choice for those living in areas with Next G™ coverage who may not have access to ADSL]
Correct but it is NOT a choice…. I have Wireless or Satellite and we know how bad satellite is
[represent exceptional value]
compared to what? We are not after a like for liek with fixed line services but some equality would be nice such as a 20GB plan at the 10GB price….
[...giving Australian broadband users more data...\
This is false, there is NO added data with the 10GB plan
[Telstra will be contacting existing customers about the updated plans over the coming months]
Why so long, why months, are they afraid of the backlash they will and shold get….
Sorry this announcement was a massive dissapointment, I mean we were expecting something but really we have little to nothing… I just wish I could move to another carrier for everything …
Just sold 2 new plans for you, so i hope your happy?
But i still want to know what Real World Speeds in Regional Areas i should be able to get.
No one is able to Tell me.? Will it be better than my Current Average of 3mbps. If it is , then you may have my business as well..Caio.
I am not convinced of the boldness of this move.
“Telstra has boosted the value of its wireless broadband plans offering higher data allowances for less”.
Customers on one of the five plans – 10GB – are not getting any higher data allowance.
Users on lower quota plans may be pleased with the changes but it is disappointing that there was no change in quota on offer for 10GB plan customers. I would rather have seen Telstra keep the $10 a month they are giving back to these customers in exchange for the type of quota improvement offered to users on the lower plans.
Obviously more information is required. Which leads me to my main complaint re Telstra coverage (and yes I do know it is better than any other provider’s); I live in a NextG black spot area and can’t get any information from Telstra as to when we can expect a new Tower to be built. Houses just up the hill all get NextG – but a hand full of houses in my area miss out. There is no one from Telstra can tell me if there are plans for improved service. And I have made valiant attempts to get the information out of Telstra.
If someone can give me a contact number I would be very grateful.
Big drum roll, puff of smoke … and a bad smell.
[...offering higher data allowances for less...]
Where’s the increase from 10GB to 10GB? +1 for higher quota plans … or sort out the awful fixed line you supply me and I’ll happily switch to ADSL.
[...Many Australians use wireless broadband as an addition to their home broadband service...]
Many more use wireless broadband as their only choice of home service, even in ADSL areas, because the fixed line infrastructure is in a sorry state, riddled with a patchwork of shortcuts and cheap bodges.
[It is also a popular choice for those living in areas with Next G™ coverage who may not have access to ADSL]
It is the only viable choice for those whose fixed lines are too poorly implemented to carry ADSL.
[represent exceptional value]
7.7% discount for 10GB, I’ll never refuse a price reduction even if it is meagre.
[...giving Australian broadband users more data...]
Not giving, selling at a hefty premium, no more data for high end users.
[Telstra will be contacting existing customers about the updated plans over the coming months]
Why? There’s nothing of any consequence to hear.
Why oh why didnt you improve on the 10gb plan?
What about Telstra Mobile data packs? Any changes there?
Hi team,
Think todays announcement is a step in the right direction.
However I would like to see a plan higher then 10gb for people who are high users and for those unable to access ADSL or cable.
Also the $10 member benefit for Telstra Landline customers defeats the purpose of having “wireless” sureley? I would allow a Telstra Mobile or Foxtel to also qualify for this discount also.
Really like the new 24th offer, especially as it now includes benefits for current non-Telstra customers.
Good start guys.
Why no 20GB plan?
I have been contacting Bigpond for 2 years now requesting they add a 20GB plan.
I can’t get ADSL, so Next G is my only option – and a family of 4 cannot get through the month on only 10GB per month.
Id prefer to be given access to ADSL infrastructure or see comparative plans to ADSL where Telstra are to blame for lack of access to said ADSL infrastructure. New plans are not large enough for a media heavy user and too expensive still at the top end.
[...Many Australians use wireless broadband as an addition to their home broadband service...]
Then please explain why, if a customer takes up a new Bigpond Fixed Broadband plan, and get the maximum discount, (PSTN Benefit, and multiple service benefit) that the Wireless broadband is not eligble for any further discounts, they can’t even get the PSTN service benefit, only a rebate on the device.
I agree with the above comments on the costs of Telstra’s Wireless Broadband Plans [my only other option is dial-up if it still exists!]. Have had numerous phone calls with Telstra in the last couple of years about my inability to access ADSL in my 8 year old home – ironically in the last couple of months have had two Telstra consultants tell me that I can get ADSL [not ADSL2 or 2+] BUT first time received a phone call from another consultant saying sorry but no. Received the modem in the mail though! Rang Telstra to ask what I should be doing with the modem to be told by another consultant I really could get it! But got a letter a few days ago saying sorry but no! That letter directed me to a Broadband Blackspot Register – which then redirected to this site! Would love to know where the Blackspot Register is so that I can register my details – can anyone help?
Well, here we have a blog, to enable people to comment on and provide feedback about an article written, that has been done and a non response from Telstra how typical.
Where is the ‘listening’ to your customers, where is the ‘customer service’ to your customers… where are you Telstra?
As others have stated above your announcement which was hyped as being a great and looked forward to announcement has only put a very foul taste in everyones thought process about Telstra… These new plans were meant to be so promising, but the top end of teh market has been left high and dry – why?
We are not after a like to like with ADSL just a fair quota for the price
At $119.95 all we get is 10GB, while ADSL gets 100GB and ADSL2+ gets 50GB for $10 less and 100GB for $10 more. Why could the top wireless plan not be at least 20GB!
Never again will I say a good thing about Telstra!
“Silence from Telstra”
I understand your concerns, especially if you are one of those who cant get anything else. ADSL Blackspots etc. Only thing to do is, get 2x 10gig plans. I know thats awfully expensive, but you could try Telstra for additional discount for being in a Blackspot area.? It would be the proper thing to do on Telstras behalf, but i doubt your chances,,
Well, that’s all very nice, but I have BigPond ADSL at home combined with telstra mobile and telstra home phone and 1GB is still costing me $69 per month and then, when we travel (grey nomad!) I’ve got to buy a 1GB data pack for my mobile at $59 per month. So then I am paying twice for a service I only use once.
Do I feel I am being got at – you bet!
@ Paul Grenfall
What so I have to get 2 x 10GB plans at $119.95 each to have more than 10GB, while at the same time any ADSL users and Cable user can get 50GB to 200GB for far far less.
The proper thing to do would be that Telstra recognise there are many that use the wireless as the primary access, if I may quote from the announcement about the new ADSL plans released a couple of months ago…
***********start
Telstra today unveiled new consumer broadband plans that will offer many customers faster speed plans and higher data allowances for the same price with excess usage charges removed on most plans.
Telstra Consumer, Acting Group Managing Director, Ms Glenice Maclellan, said the new plans catered for the changing way Australians were using broadband for communication and entertainment at home.
“Gone are the days when broadband was used only to check email or internet surf. Australian families now also use broadband to download videos, play online games, or check social networking sites all at the same time,” she said.
Telstra’s new broadband plans respond to these changing needs providing faster speed plans and higher data allowances for the same price without data usage time restrictions or excess usage charges on most plans.
***********end
So why are wireless users different, surely they have the same needs for internet access as ADSL users to share video, play games online, use social networking sites and so on – why have wireless users that have wireless as a primary connection been excluded from that – really I want to know why – this is a Telstra Blog is it not? So I’d like, no I demand, an official response!
I think I’ll move to a 3rd world country. I’ll just pick one at random, it’d be hard to luck out and get one with worse internet than this rubbish.
I applaud Telstra’s reduction of prices and increased value for wireless customers. It’s
important to note that the NextG network will end up like Optus’ pathetic network of prices are too cheap and quota too generous. I think demand management has
been very well performed. Having just travelled around Europe and experiencing the awful reception and data speeds, I am reminded at how
lucky we are in Australia to have probably the best 3G network in the world.
I am not worried about the download limit – if I go over I won’t be charged nymore but will be slowed to 64kbps – as downloads are now 30 to 35 on a good day I am thinking of dropping back to a 400M plan!
Yet another disappointment for those of us that have no other choice than bigpong wireless.10gb between 5 users is simply not enough.All you have done is give people with adsl and cable better prices for when they are out sipping lates at the their favorite cafe.Country people once again don’t seem to matter to bigpong.We have no other choice but please understand that their is no goodwill left in us.Once the NBN is up and running we will leave bigpong forever,taking all our other services with it-never,ever to return.
Paul Grenfell, nice hearing from you again.
The silence and perhaps lack of some pertinent disclosures is quite understandable. Telstra management seem to be in the midst of some very delicate negotiations with the Labor administration and keenly watched by all and sundry.
We now have in clear black an white what Telstra shareholders knew for the last five years , that is ……
“The price control arrangements, designed to bolster competition in the market, include caps on the prices Telstra can set for telephone calls and line rental, as well as other services.”
It seems that the regulator, on instructions from the Communications Minister Stephen Conroy, has begun investigating the price control arrangements that apply to Telstra.
Interesting to see what transpires. In this connection, I invite your attention to the following report:
http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/ACCC-
to-review-Telstras-retail-prices-ZQ5QF?OpenDocument
The pricing for wireless prepaid is no different though. 6GB for $100 then down to 3.5GB for $80. I use wireless as i have no landline, and no ADSL2, and anyway i dont want to be hooked up to a contract for months on end. Past few months Telstra been giving double allowance, which was great, but i still only ended up using my usual 4-5GB in a month. Maybe make the prepaid 2 month expiry, or give some better pricing.
Dont get me wrong, the service is great, its hardly ever let me down, i just dont like the pricing.
Thank you to everyone who has left comments. I work for Telstra and we will try to respond to these comments on Monday morning.
Thanks again telstra for completely ignoring what higher paying customers want. How is 10GB your top limit! If I wanted to play less I would get a cheaper plan with a lower download allocation, what I want is a higher limit (is 20gb really asking that much for $130 a month!).
Wanda,
The Broadband Blackspot Register was a web form previously accessible via the nowwearetalking website. Unfortunately, this form is no longer available, and I am not aware of an equivalent.
The nowwearetalking website has also since been dismantled, and has been replaced by the Telstra Exchange website. All nowwearetalking addresses redirect to this new website, which is why you eventually arrived here.
We were aware that a reference to the Broadband Blackspot Register was at one time included on BigPond letters regarding ADSL availability, but these references should have been removed.
I’m very sorry that this has occurred.
Would it be possible for you to provide a copy (or details) of the letter containing the link. This will enable us to chase up the area responsible and have the reference removed from any outgoing communication regarding broadband availability.
Apologies again for the confusion and inconvenience.
I’ll also email you directly to follow up.
Regards,
Tania Elliott
Online Communications Manager, PP&C, Telstra
Yes, I’m disappointed too. My household is straining at the 10 GB quota.
For the moment I can only assume that Telstra is telling us that it doesn’t yet have confidence in its own ability to deliver increased bandwidth/volume over its current wireless infrastructure by letting consumers get access to more than the current high-end quota levels.
Vasso, access for competitors to Telstra’s taxpayer gifted PSTN network, which Telstra has made $b’s of unearned profits from since, was set in law before being vested to Telstra in 1992, well before being sold off.
Yes, yes (before the bright sparks remind me about privatization) you shareholders bought into Telstra firstly in 1997 and then 1999, but you didn’t get a controlling interest of Telstra until 2006. Remember, Telstra received the PSTN and all those $b’s in profit, 14 years before, in 1992!
So shareholders would, or should have known about competitor access, well before buying into the first IPO in 1997 or 1999, but especially in 2006 and subsequently, on market thereafter. Not just 5 years ago when your amigo, amigos, started their short sighted smear campaign against the ACCC.
If shareholders didn’t/don’t know, either they or their Broker’s were amiss in their investment investigative skills.
Man says, “Like finding a needle in a coal mine…” to which an onlooker responds “Haystack!” Man apologises, and promptly corrects himself… “Haystack in a coal mine…”
What have you done Telstra? Great idea! Improve wireless broadband rates and allowances, and then leave the higher allowance plans practically untouched? One step forward, two steps back.
If I may give an example to the Telstra guys to show why more quota is needed, just this morning one PC here downloaded 900MB’s in updates to various software on that PC, fortunately I was quick enough to turn off auto updates to the other four PC’s
Come one Telstra, time to realise we on Wireless need more than 10GB, and at a fairer price, as has been said numerous times above there are many like me that have wirelss as a primary connection. We like ADSL users want to access youtube, share videos with family as well as photos, play online games and do much more – but we cannot, the 10GB makes it impossible to do that… WHY ARE WE TREATED DIFFERENT! Why does Telstra feel we don’t need what ADSL users need? Why does Telstra ignore the needs of wirelss users? Why is the costs for wireless so much more but for so much less? Why Telstra please tell us why?
Anorakronist – “Haystack in a coal mine…” ha ha ha, good one. Someone here can’t see the wood for the trees
I save only $10 per month, it seems Telstra are only rewarding new connections, and not looking after there current customers. Also rewarding people for having a home phone, defeats the purpose of having a wireless service.
I have been working with Virginia to respond to these comments. A big thank you to everyone who has taken the time to provide feedback on our revised BigPond Wireless Broadband plans. We greatly appreciate your comments/suggestions.
Telstra constantly undertakes extensive research into the technology trends, and customer requirements from both national and international markets. This forms the basis of our continual endeavour to improve our offerings to in the form of added value, more choice and additional savings to our loyal customers.
To name just a few recent ones;
Forums like this one have provided us with valuable feedback in our review of our products and services, which has led to the above improvements. Reading some of the more positive comments on this blog, we’ve come a distance in providing a better value driven offering. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be further developments to come and more enhancements along the way to our range of Prepaid and BigPond wireless broadband services.
A lot of your comments and questions have focused on two key areas:
Telstra constantly monitors and reviews its prices in line with our customer needs. Over the last couple of months we have introduced home broadband plans, new home Bundles, added a couple of new post-paid phone plans and now new BigPond Wireless Broadband plans & Telstra Business Wireless Broadband plans, as we look to provide the best option for as many customers as possible. We will continue to monitor all our pricing and the value they provide our customers.
Thank you for your feedback on larger data allowance plans, we will certainly take this into consideration in the design of new plans and product enhancements in the future the plans we have released including up to the 10Gb plans address most customers wireless broadband needs. For those customers where ADSL or Cable is available and you have the need for higher data usage I encourage you to look at the range of plans we have available.
I agree with alot of what has been posted here…
I am currently on the 10gb wireless and we need more quota for our $$$ … its that simple.
Why cant Telstra break out from the rest and offer alot larger wireless quotas via Bigpond… Maybe you should offer a separate price/larger quota cap for people who have no option of getting adsl maybe using a fixed wireless device like the home network gateway or something similar or maybe log people who dont use the mobile aspect of the service (basically fixed line wireless like most of the people on the 10gb plans) and provide a discount…
I am sure if you brought out larger plans it will not be cheap, but you could have at least offered some more quota for the 10gb plan… even if it was 2gb more to 12gb for the $119.95 I would be a bit more happy, but keeping it at 10gb is frustrating
the people on 5gb got a price reduction + slight quota increase why didn’t the people on 10gb get the same treatment… we should get an extra 2gb for the $119.95 price… that would be fairer
20gb for $120 after bundling should be able to be achieved by Telstra imo, and with not having the option of ADSL due to distance to exchange you are the only possible alternative which i am grateful for, but I (like many others) just want some more gb for our money… is that so bad…
Telstra / Bigpond at least should let people choose how much GB they want… Offer some variety that’s all I ask! Don’t restrict your users to a measly 10gb… You could easily= be milking more out of us… Simple things like adding a 1gb data block for $X after you have been capped would be a great money maker… More quota plans = more money for Bigpond
I just don’t understand your thinking on this front!
I’m on the 10 gb & that goes in 2 weeks, then its shaped to dial up speeds…… what a joke, $120 for 10 gb, & even BIGPOND UNMETERED GOES slow once you use the 10gigs up, but if you had 1kb left you could still use it LOL
Where are the 20GB plans? Nowhere, because Tel$tra make more from 20 x 1GB plans than they do from 1 x 10GB plan. 20 happy customers who don’t know any better versus 1 unhappy customer with real broadband 1 week per month
If you are going to freeze ADSL roll-outs in rural Victoria, at least give us a proper alternative!
When i rang telstra on friday 5th feb. and copped the people in the phillipines i was told the new plans and prices for wireless broadband would not be available until 15th feb. I was told to ring them back after 15th feb.Is this correct or am i a victim of yet another telstra stuffup.
The latest changes to wireless plans were pathetic. It indicates Telstra’s refusal to pass on any of the “great deals” to those of us without choice of service. Telstra have a good sized captive audience they enjoy bleeding dry, simply because they can do this to such people in regional areas. Most attempts to indicate this to telstra normally achieves the well used ” we have the best quality product” propaganda. This propaganda is used to sway the customer away from their issue of being ripped off simply because of their chosen location is not the metro areas, where telstra must compete better to get the business.
Though wireless broadband is quite expensive but I like mobility so I can always prefer wireless broadband.
A bouquet for telstra for a change.On monday i rang telstra tochange my plan and device. The lady i spoke to was very helpful and informed me my new modem(usb) would arrive in about a week.Well, it was a very pleasant surprise when it arrived by aust.air express on wed morning,less than 2 days. Thankyou Telstra.
The chatter seems to have died down on this and clearly people who are unsatisfied with their 10 gig wireless plan.
When we discovered that’s all we were able to get in a seeming close house near the exchange I was shocked. I came from a simple 25 gig plan and the difference is substantial you would’ve believe the frustration when we discover that we’ve been throttled mid month.
10 gigs is not nearly enough for a high end user that has no option due to their living concerns, either it be too far away or ill wiring.
20 or even 15! would be a much better way around it. We were expecting something better from you Telstra but you’ve let us down once again.
When we are moving house later this year you can guarantee that you’ve lost us as a customer.
come on Telstra!!! pull your finger out and do something soon or you will be ran over by the optus steamroller!!!
Hi, many people appreciate the price revisions and we thank you for it. However, I would like to direct your attention towards the ever increasing transient residents in Australia. There are many students, and temporary residents that do not have fixed broadband at their rental place, and might move every 1-2 years. The best option is a good wireless broadband connection at a reasonable price.
Telstra has the opportunity to offer these consumers a great product at a good price. When there is good service and satisfaction, this value can be translated to brand loyalty and extend to other Telstra products, such as Foxtel, mobile services etc. The spending power of this segment might be limited, but they can definitely mature to be your big spenders.
Robbie Stephens, you speak of big unearned profits for Telstra and that the investors should have known certain things before they invested in Telstra; I can assure you that the majority of Telstra investors are not as savvy investors as you amy think.
If Telstra is such a great monopoly making such great profits, how come the share price is so low that despite the dividends most shareholders will still be losing money.
As Vasso Massonic ponts out, Telstra is in very complex negotiations with the government; it can be more called, Conroy is dictating to Telstra what they can and cannot do, but in the end will the customers and the Australian taxpayers benefit if Conroy succeeds to wreck Telstra, as he seems to be well on his way
Does anybody know what teh coverage is like in towns bewtween Adelaide and Alice springs, then on to Rockhampton at all.
I have received a letter from Telstra letting me know that my 5 year old house on a new estate cannot get any ADSL – Wireless Only. The letter directs me to the “now we are talking website” for a Black Spot Register like a similar user. If this site no longer exists why put it in a letter to me? There should be a way for people in the same area close to an exchange to let Telstra know that they would like ADSL. Does anyone know if there was a replacement or similar for the Black Spot Register?
my wireless internet is always running slow from all the outages the network gets.. melbourne cbd been down since january come on telstra fix your slow wireless network please.i know 11 people who have cancelled there wireless internet with u since christmas because network is slow and unreliable
i should say melbourne cbd been running at partial loss since january not down since january.i have feeling that telstra slow there wireless network down between 7 oclock and 10 to 10.30 everynigh
marc says: “.i have feeling that telstra slow there wireless network down between 7 oclock and 10 to 10.30 everynigh”
Nothing like that Marc.. Just the usual evening congestion, All 3g wireless ISPs have the same problem.. More so at certain localised areas where there is heavy demand on the local Cells.
Not even NextG is free from that..