First look at the Telstra EasyCall™ mobile – complex tech made simple
Filed under: gadgets and gizmos, innovation, lifestyle, mobile handsets, technology
If you’ve read any of my previous blogs, you know I have a thing about high tech. I also have a thing about making access to high tech simple. So you can imagine how excited I was to get my hands on the Telstra EasyCall™ Pre Paid Phone.
This is the perfect phone for elderly members of your family – featuring big buttons and large screen fonts, a simple menu structure, audible keys (it says the numbers as you dial them), a speaker phone, an FM radio, a flashlight, and a dedicated key lock slider-switch.
Add to this the ability to pre-programme a favourite number and up to four SMS numbers that allow you to contact family and friends at the flick of a switch, and you have a phone that’s high tech but easy to use.
It’s really designed as a get-in-touch phone, rather than a phone that’s used every day.
And guess what? It retails for $59 including GST. – perfect for Mother’s Day.
What’s in the box?
- Telstra EasyCallTM Mobile Phone
- Pre-Paid Welcome Guide
- Telstra Pre-Paid SIM card ($10 starter kit with 30 day expiry) and new mobile phone number
- Battery
- Wrist Strap
- Head set
- AC charger
- Mobile Muster recycle bag (Reply Paid)
Set Up
I set my EasyCall™ up in a minute. The menu is clear and intuitive. If you make a change or new entry, you cannot quit without being given the option to save.
Programming the favourite number and 4 SMS contacts was a breeze. More on this feature shortly.
Adding contacts, setting the time and date, adjusting the ring tone volume and style – again straight forward.
Full credit to Telstra & ZTE for understanding the customer when designing this phone.
Appearance
When I first came across this handset, my initial thought was it looked like a calculator with the ability to make phone calls.
Having used it today, I can say without any fear of contradiction, it looks like a calculator with the ability to make phone calls.
So what? First and foremost, it’s practical.
The buttons work. The screen works. The flashlight works. The side key lock switch works. The user’s favourite number /SMS numbers alert works. The FM Radio works (without the need for a headset acting as an antenna too) and Emergency Calls (000 and 112) work.
What more could you ask?
The fast contact switch
On the back of the Telstra Easy Call is an orange switch. It’s designed to connect a customer with their friends or relatives quickly with the flick of a switch. The switch can be programmed to automatically make a phone call or send a pre-composed SMS to up to four numbers. It can even make a phone call and send four texts simultaneously.
There’s also an Alert tone that will sound (depending on your tone level settings) until the switch is returned to the off position – just in case you activate it inadvertently.
This feature will work even if the keypad is locked.
Network: GSM 900/1800 (2G)
Dimensions: 108 x 49.5 x 15.1mm
Weight: 82g
Screen: 96 x 64 pixels, 1.65” mono
Talk Time: Up to 300 minutes
Standby Time: Up to 300 hours
Network Locked: Yes
Key Features:
- Big buttons and large font for easy dialling
- Audible keytones that speak to you when you dial numbers
- Loud speaker for clearer sound
- In-built torch
- FM Radio
- Quick access switch to contact friends and family
- Keypad lock / unlock side switch
- 3.5mm Audio Headset Jack
- Calculator, Organiser, Alarm and Reminders
Availability and Price
The Telstra EasyCallTM Prepaid handset is available now $59 at Big W Stores, Leading Edge Group and WOW sight and sound outlets.
Excellent. I see a great niche market for this product with both the elderly and for parents that want to give their children the security of having a mobile phone without the expensive handsets access to things other than basic mobile telephony. Obviously it cant be marketed at children but definitely aimed at parents
What a great phone, now please make one for Next G customers.
looks like this would also be great for people who are vision impaired. The large numbers, large screen and most importantly the spoken numbers when pressing the buttons would most likely make it idea.
Should be made avaliable on the Telstra.
Only one question, my mum and dad have hearing aids, so as this phone is GSM does that mean it is not suitable for them at all due to EME interference, as in the old days before CDMA and Next G?
Both my parents are looking for a phone where the usage cost is low – They don’t want to have a prepaid that runs out each month – they want to rent usage for 6 months or a year – to pay $30 or $60 and the prepaid lasts a year. When can we have this plan with the phone?
I agree with Juli – should be 3G. My mother lives in an area with poor 2G but perfect 3G reception – I would have gone down to the T shop and bought one immediately otherwise.
I am very dissappointed that this phone is not offered in NextG.
These don’t seem to be available at Telstra shops, any reason why not?
Fantastic – Can you get one on a plan instead of pre paid
I hate to be feminist but why do we always promote “simple” phones to older females? Maybe my mum is the exception with her smartphone….
Hi Geoff look into Telstra pre-paid long life. Would be even better for the old folks. My mum is on it and it works great for her as she hardly uses her mobile. I put in a $30 prepaid recharge in every 6 months which seems to do the trick nicely for her. Check out this link for more info http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile/prepaid/latestoffers/
This is fantastic and well overdue. It has one drawback which prevents me from recomending it to my parents – it’s not on 850 (Next G). If I am to recommend a product to family/friends in the mobile arena, I want to be sure of coverage no matter where they may end up taking it. I look forward to version II.
Great, now make one for the Post Paid NextG network.. For the Extra Coverage..
Is the Ringer for the phone LOUD? does it cater for low frequency ringtones, as erderly people cannot hear high frequency sounds?
Does it Vibrate?
Does any telstra sim work?
Why only support for 2g? therefore phone is useless when 2g is switched off.
agree, why was this released on GSM only? Many mums will be living in small towns and outer suburbs with Next G coverage only.
Michael has “this thing about high tech” and he is excited about this low tech device !!!
And surprisingly he is right – which probably shows that sometimes low tech can be THE real high tech, mainly because of the simplicity that they bring versus the extreme complexities of high tech requiring you to have to read the complex manuals that come with them. To me, metaphorically speaking, the true high tech is “simplicity of use made possible”.
How much for outright purchase with no network lock?
Brilliant. But MUST be NextG.
-So many advantages over GSM 900/1800 for older people.
For starters a very high percentage of these people will be using hearing aids – it’s not the best user experience with a GSM phone buzzing through an old hearing aid.
Then the next thing is the coverage which will effect all sorts things like quality of call, battery life etc etc.
Great idea, great price, just needs to take one final step.
As a Telstra shop manager if this phone was released as a next-g version in my demographic this phone would fly off the shelves, bring it on!!!!!
This a fantastic phone but pity is only a 2G pre-paid offer. A robust NextG phone similar to this model on a low cost post-paid plan will sell like hot cakes!
Deb, the only reason is that its Mother’s Day on sunday – if it had been released later in the year I would have referenced Father’s Day.
Sam, there are 11 ring tone styles, including some lower frequency tones.
Vibrate is activated by a long press on the hash key (#).
I am currently using a post paid Telstra SIM in mine. As the handset is locked to Telstra, it must use a Telstra SIM.
Great phone!!! There has been a significant improvement in staff capped plans, which is great, but what is the point of advertising this product within Telstra, if the phone is not available on the 3G network. we all have capped 3 G plans, *(including my mother) on my staff plan.
I’m a Telstra employee and getting older. It would be great to have this phone (or something similar) available on the staff plan. I hope this is the case by the time my current phone contract expires!
Thanks for that, just what i was looking for for Mum. I just went out and got one, they are selling out like hotcakes according to BigW.
Mum has a $10 plan and keeps the phone just for security. She would not get value from a $39 cap plan.
Re previous comments Mum was Dux of the school in her day so she is no dummy, but in her seventies she has an inherint dread of technology. This is just what i needed. The help switch will give her (and me) some peace of mind.
They do vibrate, volume is good and speaker quality is high. Its a decent torch and quality FM radio also. The radio plays through the speaker quite well , just like a tranny (flashback to the seventies!).
Went to buy one an lunch for Mothers day. Could not believe this devise is NOT NextG. No good for regional Australia. When is the Next G version being released.
Will a NextG version of this phone become available? If not, why not?
Ironically not 3G.
Small details can make or break a product.
How stupid, to call this mobile ‘EasyCall’ when we already have a suite of PSTN products that carry that name. Way to go to confuse the general public.
they aren’t even in stock anywhere…nice one telstra
There you have it ‘powers that be’… The people have spoken and they overwhelmingly want it to be on Next G!
I think this is a testament to the value proposition behind the Next G Network, which still continues to be Australia’s best mobile phone network in all aspects.
The challenge is out there… How quickly can you provide the people with a sub-$99 Next G version of this phone?
This is so amazing…
Great idea — but I wonder how small the charger connection is. No point having a phone with big buttons and a big switch on the back for emergency calls to a family member, if the charger plug is tiny and/or difficult to get into the slot. Old people with very poor eyesight or finger dexterity will struggle with this.
Make it Next G….soon please
Good point Dan! Fiddly charger ports are a downfall for many users.
Also no having NextG is absolutely a deal breaker for my parents as GSM never existed for them, only Analogue, CDMA and now NextG.
Lack of info on the Telstra website does not help either.
Thanks for your feedback everyone
I’ve spoken to the mobile device team and they’ve explained that the Easy Call was designed to be as affordable as possible. Telstra chose 2G in this instance as it was the most cost-effective way to enable customers to get in touch via voice or message.
We are currently looking at whether we can introduce a Next G version of the phone. This includes working out whether there is a large enough customer base prepared to purchase the phone at a higher price point. From all of the interest here, looks like there could be. We will keep you posted.
HIGH TECH GIZZMO’S, TELSTRA CANT EVEN PROVIDE A SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT YOU DONT HAVE TO WAIT HOURS TO GET TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE..HOW HIGH TECH WOULD THAT BE
Bought this phone for my mother and put in her sim card (Telstra sim on a plan rather than prepaid). Everything working except txt/sms function. It can receive an sms but cant send one, just puts msg into drafts! What are we doing wrong?? No clear info in guide or on ZTE website
Hi sarah, Thanks for the feedback. I’ve sent your issue on to the appropriate team and you should hear from someone soon via email.
Congratulations on a wonderful Mobile phone.
GSM or Next G who really cares in the city.
Simple with no camera, no video and no mps capability.
Back to basics is a magic concept, I have a supa dupa Next-G phone which stores 8GB of video and mp3′s, but after the initial six months the the extra features are little used.
Thankyou Telstra, once again the commonsense approach always wins back customers like me.
Oh yes, I am a PC whiz and also a technician who installed the Bigpond network and countless Exchanges.
So technology doesn’t confuse me in the slightest.
Why is this phone not on the Telstra.com website? I can’t find it anyway. My parents don’t have interent so will want a brochure. Brochures are pretty hard to obtain these days? I walked into my T shop – no paper in sight. And if it is not Next G – well, maybe I won’t worry about it, my parents are in the country…disappointing.
Hi Sarah
Thanks for your comments
I just tried this and it worked. You should check the Options once in Messages – they are Send Only, Save and Send, Save. Make sure you select either Send Only or Save and Send.
Hope this helps
Myles N – thanks for your comments. In my 10 years as a product manager for mobiles, I found that simple was not a dirty word – rather it was what some customers wanted.
A mobile phone that made phone calls.
Not such a strange concept when you think about it.
With regards to the NextG vs 2G debate – my personal view is this phone is a great start. I am yet to find a phone in the market that meets everyone’s needs – and I dare say I have probably used more phones than most out there.
Please keep the comments coming – your feedback will go a long way in letting our product and marketing teams know what we want to see – and will also assist our suppliers when they put product forward for consideration.
Great phone for the elderly, pity its not Next G.
I’m sure that there would have been a lot of hearing impaired interested in this phone if it was Next g, also a lot of elderly people in the country would also be interested in a simple Next G phone.
Interesting news from Telstra if you have one of the seniors mobiles. QUOTE Telstra expects the last of the second generation mobiles in Australia to switch off by around 2010 as the telco looks to ramp up its broadband speed mobile network. END . So what happens then
Great. Now can I get one with the big keys that also does all the smartphone stuff?
Hi Michael,
Great idea, but the “NextG Network” is extremely essential to add onto this innovation. Please think of this seriously. Thanks!
Fantastic. went into my local Tshop to buy 1 only to be told its not available through them. i will have to go to bigW or wow sight & sound which are both over 100km away. so much for my telstra discount i could have got. its now going to cost me $40 in fuel to go buy one. This phone has the big T stamped all over it but i cant buy one in Tshop. Nice one.
I would buy one for my mum who lives in Katoomba will 2g work there….Also how many numbers will it hold ..paper work says 4 that can`t be right..can it send and receive sms…..
Hi Tasman
The handset can store up to 300 contacts in the phone book. The “4 reference” is 1 pre-defined (by the user) phone number contact and 3 SMS contacts for the Switch.
It can send and receive SMS.