New BigPond Broadband Plans – fast, simple and more value
Filed under: ADSL, broadband, customers, entertainment, lifestyle, networks, T-Box, technology, trends
I’ve got a confession to make… I’m having a love affair with the internet. From checking the latest news headlines on my iPhone to researching our next exotic holiday on my home PC and enjoying favourite flicks via my new Telstra T-Box®, it’s safe to say that the online world is never more than three steps away in the O’Flaherty home.
And clearly I’m not alone. From video-rich entertainment to social networking sites, Australians are spending more and more time online. In fact, the average Australian internet user spends 17 hours per week online, which is a 28 per cent lift from 2007[1].
At Telstra, we certainly recognise that our customers’ needs are changing. With information, entertainment and news being enjoyed across multiple devices in the house, it’s not surprising that consumer demand for speed, simplicity and value from their broadband is growing.
We’ve spent a lot of time listening to what our customers need and want from their home broadband solution, and I’m pleased to announce that from tomorrow, our new BigPond broadband plans deliver greater data allowances at lower prices, allowing household members to do more on the internet for less.
We’re really excited about these new plans and have worked hard to ensure they are simple, easy to understand and offer our customers real bang for their buck. Ranging from 2GB to 200GB plans, benefits of the new plans include:
- Reduced monthly access fees of $10 to $90 per month
- Turbo plan customers will get the benefit of faster “Elite” plans for no extra cost, except for the entry level 2GB “Turbo” plan
- A reduction of 12 plans to four to simplify the range
- No additional usage fees on any plan
The pricing for customers on a 12 month plan who have a Telstra full service fixed phone is:
|
[2]Min cost for ‘new prices’ over 12 month with HomeLine® Plus and a 1-port self install modem are: $907.80 (Turbo 2GB), $1027.80 (Elite 2GB), $1,387.80 (Elite 50GB) and $1,627.80 (Elite 200GB), plus a $9.95 delivery fee.
[3] Min cost for ‘old prices’ over 12 months with HomeLine Plus and a 1-port self install modem are: $1027.80 (Turbo 2GB), $1147.80 (Elite 2GB), $1867.80 (Elite 50GB) and $2,707.80 (Elite 200 GB), plus a $9.95 delivery fee.
Plus, customers can receive up to $20 off their broadband monthly access fee when they combine a new 24 month broadband plan with a Telstra full service fixed line phone and an additional BigPond wireless broadband, Telstra post-paid mobile, or FOXTEL from Telstra on a Single Bill[4].
This means, for example, you can enjoy 50GB for as little as $49.95 a month[5].
Full details of the new BigPond plans are available online here
[1]Nielsen’s 2010 Internet & Technology Report
[4]To obtain this discount, the combined monthly access fee of the customer’s services must be at least $89
[5] Min cost for $49.95 plan with HomeLine Plus, a 1-port self install modem and a Telstra post-paid mobile ($20) is $2,397.60, plus a $9.95 delivery fee.
Rest assured, all existing customers will be moved onto the new plans in the coming months. We’ll be letting customers know about the changes, but if anyone wants to make the change sooner, feel free to give us a call on 13 2200 or go online at the site above.
This is a big step in the right direction for our customers, and I hope you feel the same way too – I’m looking forward to your feedback.
New BigPond broadband pricing media release
So it is the end of the day, where is the follow up from Rebekah?
GW
Stellios, I agree, I’m getting sick of the entire exchange site being filled with complaints about wireless by the same few users over and over.
Wireless is a different medium. Before people come out with ideas like “Give us 25gb @ $99″ or whatever else they could first justify it… Why? How much does it cost to deliver? Is it the fault of Telstra that you moved somewhere without internet? Do you express the same disgust to other providers who don’t even service your area?
Telstras wireless prices meet the Australian broadband guarantee…
If people want high quotas like 25gb on wireless then they need to pay for it – and on a business plan you can get it for around $150 or so.
Pete,
So… You weren’t tricked? Companies release new pricing all the time. How long must they wait before releasing new updated pricing to remove the claims you were “tricked”?
Mick, your age has nothing to do with anything. You have the right to voice your opinion whether you are 15 or 105. I am a full time student working just above minimum wage ($16.58) an hour. After my living expenses the internet is my only luxury of which I do indeed pay for Telstra Cable. My rent is very high because I intentionally moved somewhere that has Cable via Telstra. I could chose somewhere cheaper and save $50-$100 a week and stick with ADSL but I want the cable.
I pay $99 for my Cable. For the same price I pay you can get 10gb of wireless if you have 3 services or $10 more with the home phone. Sure, it’s less, but that’s the nature of wireless.
When the new prices came out I was on the 100GB plan and the price changed to $79.95p/month. I upgraded to 200GB for the extra $10.00.
I must say for me this is a awesome price. Now if only Bigpond added more unmetered content to use up my entire 200GB.
To all the Telstra employees on this topic who are concerned about it becomming personal, if I have upset anyone please accept my appology but it has become personal when one person can call people who give a view that is contrary to theirs “wingers”. All wireless users are asking is for a fair go. Yes the page is all about ADSL and Cable but what about wireless. I was brought up to believe that Australia and Australian companies were to kings of “Fair Go fo All” but that does not appear to be the case when people on ADSL and Cable can get 200gig from $69.95 where, those who have no other option than to use wireless (in my case it is fixed wireless not mobile), get a massize 10 gig (20 times lower) for a premium price of from $99.95, do you think that is a fair go, I dont. I am an aged pensioner, as well as a retired Telstra employee who worked for the company for nearly 42 years, and I am on the 3 gig wireless plan, all I can get, which currently costs $49.95 per month, I have still 8 days to go and my wife and I have to put up with reduced speed at the current time of 64 whatever that is, is that a fair go as to get 3 gig extra I have to go to the $79.95 plan where ADSL and Cable customers can get 50 gig for what I am paying for 3gig (nearly 17 times lower) is that a fair go. Imagine what would happen if Telstra said if you live on the north side of town we will give you your telephone for X dollars but if you live in the west side of town we will charge you 17 time more, there would be riots. We are ALL customers of Telstra so why aren’t we ALL treated the same or within a reasonable range instead of being treated like we currently are. As for using the formal complaints process you never know if they are taking you serious or not but just giving lip service to your concerns. At least here we can let everyone know about our concerns and just maybe the silent majority, which I use to be one of, may just start saying, like they do in a certain Insurance add, “WHAT ABOUT ME”. If I have offended then I am sorry but I believe that that I have a genuine case to be upset.
@Stellios Says
I personally agree that the wireless pricing needs to be looked at, and if users that do not have access to ADSL2+ feel so wrongfully done by by these new prices, they should go ahead and voice their complaints through the appropriate avenues.
You have obviously missed Gwm’s post’s explaining the Complaints he has made to the appropriate avenues.
I to have tried these avenues unsuccessfully.
Trevor
A friend of mine called Telstra today & was virtually told that as he is not using his current 25Gb allocation why bother changing, seems that Telstra makes these available then wants to disuade people from having higher allocations, still waiting to get mine sorted out.
Hello Telstra They Mane We Can ot get 50GB on the 25GB With loca call in with it they plane with the t-hub
so it time to update you part now right so they would be good for us the t-hun and t-boc part need to be update now so ye
Bigpond And telstra Are cool
@Brendan
you posted “Hi Michael, I’ve just been told we’ll have have a bunch of answers to questions on this post later today, and one of them will address the migration question. Cheers, Brendan”
Where are they??????
Rebekah,
What about those on cable ultimate?
@Midol
May I suggest you get rid of your cable and go onto wireless for 6 months and see how you go. Then your welcome to come back here and gloat about having cable and tell wireless users they are not average Australians, they do not deserve more for less, they do not have the privilege to use the growing Internet richness.
If your sick and tired of our requests then go elsewhere, no one says you have to be here and read our requests.
Your post is in very poor form where you suggest it is the fault to where people live rather than the fault of the services not being provided. There are many that live in the suburbs that cannot get ADSL or Cable, so is that their fault or the ISP’s? Many live in regional and rural locations that provide the minerals and the food that feed and keep you warm, but hey lets all move to the city and live by your lifestyle rules.
Have I expressed my disgust at other ISP’s, yes I have with various letters. However Telstra are the one that CAN service me and they are the one that IS overcharging me in my view when what I need is not a mobile service but a fixed service.
How generous you are to tell us to pay $150 or more for a miserly 20GB when you can have 200GB for $69.95, how kind of you to share in the affordability to have what most now consider as needed as electricity and food (that is Telstra’s words not mine), I hope you never have to use wireless as your fixed service as I bet you would be complaining even more.
So go, get back to your torrents and use up the 200GB your allowed to use, enjoy the Internet to its fullest, enjoy listening to online radio or watching a few videos, enjoy chatting with friends via video and enjoy playing your online games, but just think for a second that while your taking all that for granted there are many that due to wireless quota restrictions cannot to any of that (or very little of it).
GW
Midol,
Most American ISP’s? I’ve looked at the front page of both AT&T and Verizon and none of them even offer capped services (as far as I can see).
Japan has more than 10 million FTTH customers, who with NTT (the national carrier) you can have either 100M (shared 1gigE between 8 users if you’re in an apartment complex) or 1gigE to your house for about $89AUD p/month. There is of course.. no caps. 10gigE (accepted) is in testing phase.. but looking at Japan recently.. they’ll surely have it delivered in their metropolitan area’s before the NBN co has finished hiring all the soon-to-be-fired exec’s from Telstra.
If you want a comparable service with Telstra you are looking at millions of dollars.
Yep, makes us look like neanderthals.
The rest of the developed world laughs at our ridiculous profit based low service, low capacity monopoly. There is one reason we have slow, expensive, capped, monitored, policed and content restricted internet services in Australia. That reason.. is Telstra (the government) and a communications minister who is too busy having muck fights with google and trying to sensor our traffic, than increasing the capacity of our countries submarine and terrestrial links.
Rebeka says.
Thanks everyone for your feedback so far.
Clearly there’s a lot of interest in these offers and, while it’s not practical to address every comment individually, I’ll have a look tonight at what the common queries and issues are and provide a response to these tomorrow.
Time is running out for the reply you promised us Rebeka so lets hope you have a better memory than Narelle Charity as she was also going reply to us compulsory wireless users but it seems as though she has put it in the Too Hard basket.
Trevor
As I stated before, I sympathise with those people that currently do not have access to a wired broadband service and are forced to pay the higher prices for wireless.
It’s true that wireless broadband is marketed as a separate product to wired broadband, and again as stated before, I believe the pricing needs to be relooked at.
Simply because I am a Telstra employee, doesn’t mean I can change Telstra’s mindset. I do feel strongly about this topic (I gave a presentation highlighting the separation of fixed and wireless today) and will continue to show interest in this topic.
I still believe that filing complaints via the telephone service and online request form are better forms of complaint lodging than this forum thread, even though they have been of no success in the past. That’s a personal opinion.
@Trevor, that was for yesterday I believe but either way still no response. I also agree like Narelle Charity, Rebekah must have put this in the too hard basket.
Time will tell I guess….
GW
This is what Rebekah said yesterday.
I’ll have a look tonight at what the common queries and issues are and provide a response to these tomorrow.
And this is what Rebekah said today
28 Jul 2010
Author: Rebekah O’Flaherty.
iPhone 4 is almost here and we’re turning up the heat this Thursday with a once-in-a-lifetime party for iPhone and MasterChef lovers alike…
Does not really address the queries and issues she had said she would respond to today.
She certainly writes a colorfull blog such as the LOVE AFFAIR with the internet yesterday and today’s blurb about once- in- a- lifetime party for iPhone users etc.
It is just a shame she forgot the previous day’s commitments.
gwmbox,
My 200GB is actually used to download my University materials – yes, I study full time and work full time. I do study via Distance which means quite a high level of downloads. I only live in the city with my high rents because of the uni (I study via distance but wanted to be near a campus) and actually come from a regional area that was only serviced by… surprise surprise – wireless internet. I dealt with it.
Dee,
Australia: 7 617 930km^2 : 22,402,480 Density: 2.8-km^2
Japan: 377 944km^2 : 127 420 000 Density: 337-km^2
See where I am going with this? The only ones who laugh at Australias internet service are those ignorant to why we might not have such high speeds at such low prices.
“10gigE (accepted) is in testing phase.. but looking at Japan recently.. they’ll surely have it delivered in their metropolitan area’s before the NBN co”
Testing phase… Testing… Testing…
I’ve only really looked at comcast but with Verizon $65 US gets you a 25mbit connection. I get 38 with Telstra on Cable (Yes, I know it’s 30mbit advertised) for $89. $65 US would come at around $80. I wonder if the average user on Verizons network would download more than 200gb.
50mbit is $140 so around $165 or so, $65 more a month for an extra 12mbit – again, I wonder how many actually use more than 200gb.
Mick,
“I have to go to the $79.95 plan where ADSL and Cable customers can get 50 gig for what I am paying for 3gig (nearly 17 times lower) is that a fair go.”
You’re comparing your wireless with no member or multi product discount to the 50gb plan with both.
If you have a full service home phone + an additional eligible service you can take 6gb of wireless for only $10 more!
Thanks to everyone who has provided comment. We value your feedback and will take it into consideration for future developments – yes, including the requests about wireless.
Let me address some of the specific issues:
There have been a number of queries about the gap between the 2GB and 50GB plans.
We conducted market research to identify what customers really wanted from our broadband plans. Our research indicated that customers were asking for better entry level plans (price and value), simpler plans (less plans, easier to choose), and better value for money (competitive prices, no more additional usage charges). The new 2GB, 50GB and 200GB plans deliver on all of these elements.
We also have a 25GB plan available as part of a Bundle, for customers who are looking for something in between.
There have also been a number of queries about the process for moving existing customers onto the new plans.
We will be moving existing customers on to the new plans over the coming months. However, if you would like to take up one of the new plans today, you can change your plan via MyAccount on BigPond.com anytime or feel free to call us on 13POND to discuss your options with a consultant.
Customers who are receiving a discount on their current plan will not lose their discount by taking up the new pricing. Once you’ve been moved onto the new plans, the discount will be applied to the new plan price for the remainder of your original contract term. However, if you want to take up the BigPond Broadband Offer, you’ll need to recontract on to one of the new plans and you will not retain your existing discounts.
Keep the feedback coming – it’s really useful.
‘We also have a 25GB plan available as part of a Bundle, for customers who are looking for something in between. ‘
this doesn’t make sense
currently, indivdual plans are – $49.95 for 50gb, $49.95 homeline reach $11 T-Box. add it all up – $110.90
Current $109 (also part of new bundles from 3 August) bundle is 25Gb + homeline reach+ T-box. that means, for $1.90 less we get 25gb less data.
Not sure which manager designed this, but they deserve telstra ‘Sol’ award.
I asked to be moved to the new 50GB plan 3 days ago, “My Plan” has the change scheduled to occur, however the scheduled date just rolls forward a day each day without any change to the service. Are these plans accessible by current customers as yet ?
Pete
I’m lost as far as your penultimate paragraph means to me. Most confusing to me is – what is the Bigpond Broadband Offer that means I would lose my discounts and need to recontract for a further 24 months?
I’m currently on the 25Gb Tactical Offer (I believe it’s called) $49.95 pm, although My Plan says it’s $89.95pm. Contracted to 3/2012.
If I do nothing, will I (eventually) be transferred to the 50Gb plan for $49.95? – since I am on contract, have a HL Plus phone plan and a post paid mobile. And, the contract continue until 3/2012?
If I change to the 50Gb plan – will my pm still be $49.95 and my contract continue until 3/2012?
Under what circumstances would I have to recontract for 24 months rather than continue until 3/2012?
@Rebekah
you said;
‘We value your feedback and will take it into consideration for future developments – yes, including the requests about wireless.’
Telstra keeps saying they ‘value’ our feedback and since January I have been hearing that same response about ‘consider for future developments’ which you would have been fully aware of if you did in fact ‘vale’ our feedback as I have mentioned that many times.
What you (Telstra) have again failed to do is actually answer any of our questions in relation to wireless, is it just too hard to do that? Are there just no answers? I would really like to know the answers if I may and if it is not too much trouble for you to spend a little bit of your time to advise wireless users what you are actually doing.
In your reply you have again like Narelle Charity totally ignored the questions and requests of wireless users, you have again brushed us aside with little reference and no reply. Why is that?
What will it take for you (Telstra) to care about and give some small time to wireless users and answer our questions and requests.
Please give us a reply with substance so we can at least know what and why.
Why is the feedback for wireless not as useful to you to be worthy of a reply?
GW
litapar,
The 50GB is ONLY $49.95 if you have 3 Telstra services so anyone who only has two (home phone + adsl) will get benefits with the bundle.
The bundle also includes call number display + if you have up to 4 mobiles on the account they ALL get $10 off plus free intra-account calls. So assuming you’re eligible for the $49.95 50GB price then you’ll get a combo reward for the 3rd service in the bundle bringing the total savings to $11.90 and for some people that could mean a lot.
The Bundle is a very effective cost reducing tool if you use it properly.
Pete, I moved from the Tac offer to the 200gb with no problems. Give Bigpond a call to sort it out?
JamesW, you will ONLY be eligible for 50gb @ $49.95 if you have both a full service home phone + adsl + foxtel/mobile. The Tactical offer only required a home phone.
Do you actually meet the eligibility for the 50GB @ $49.95?
@Rebekah
I noticed today you have a MORE DATA post for smartphones at http://exchange.telstra.com.au/2010/07/29/serving-up-more-data-you-can-use/
So why is there no MORE DATA for fixed wireless internet users?
GW
Midol at 8.03 this morning you told me:
“If you have a full service home phone + an additional eligible service you can take 6gb of wireless for only $10 more!”
Yes I was aware of this BUT – My fixed telephone, which is a fixed wireless system as Telstra can not provide me with a land line as it is to costly to upgrade the cable system, and my broadband, which of course is fixed wireless for the same reason, are on the OLD BILLING system and my mobile is on the NEW BILLINg system and Telstra tell me that I cannot migrate between systems, so NO DISCOUNT.
Further to this I have been told by Telstra that as I am an AGED PENSIONER and am in receipt of the Government Discount on my Telephone service I am not entitled to bundle my 3 services anyhow and will not receive the bundle discount and that is why I am not happy with the costing of the wireless plans against the cable and ADSL plans, pure discrimination.
And for those who say it was our choice to move where we did and we should have checked if services are available, yes it was our choice BUT we also did check for services and were told we could get ADSL+2 connected and had actually put in our application for the fixed line and ADSL+2 only to be told 6 weeks later, Oh we are sorry, there is no spare capacity in the village so we will give you a wireless system, for that I am happy but should have been told this right from the start.
Lets treat fixed wireless customers, who have no other option, at lease similar to the cable and ADSL customers otherwise it is DISCRIMINATION which the last time I saw it is actually against the law and contrary to Fair Trading.
@Mick
Have you tried posting your dilemma re discounts on Whirlpool as they have reps there that handle these account/discount issues because it is not your fault you are on 2 billing systems with Telstra it is the fault of their system .
I can understand your frustrations being an ex Telstra/Telecom/PMG employee as well as yourself and seeing the way things are now panning out.
Like I have on Whirlpool I have posted what I consider as reasonable alternative plans for what I think would be fairer when compared to ADSL and Cable. These would apply to those that cannot get any other fixed broadband access connection only, the existing price structure could be maintained for mobile/portable wireless connections.
What I wish for and believe is fairer;
750MB 24 months From $9.95
2GB 24 months From $19.95
10GB 24 months From $29.95
25GB 24 months From $59.95
50GB 24 months From $89.95
What I would settle for but believe could be improved on to be fairer;
500MB 24 months From $9.95
1GB 24 months From $19.95
5GB 24 months From $29.95
12GB 24 months From $59.95
25GB 24 months From $89.95
I realise many would still see even the second list is too much and that is fine if you think that. I have simply provided these as there are some that think I want like for like when in fact much less would be better than what we currently get.
I think what I have provided above is not unreasonable and it still provides a good gap between ADSL/Cable and wireless so that congestion is not too big of an issue.
These prices should be restricted to only those that are NOT serviced by ADSL or Cable and this could of course be verified by Telstra if they wish to verify eligibility. It also provides a similar price structure as their other broadband plans and encourages people to have multiple services with them to get those prices.
Again just my ideas and this is simply an extension of what I wrote in my FIRST post in this thread. If you have alternative plan ideas please feel free to suggest them.
Thanks for reading
GW
Hi,
Currently I am paying 59.95 a month for “Reach HomeLine and Broadband Bundle @ 59.95 per month” for this plan local calls are free and the only extra charges are for mobiles and national calls.I was wondering what would happen and what are the plan details (eg. call price, do i have to get a new phone plan, cost for mobile, etc) if I were to change to the bigpond elite 50gb. Because right now I am paying a base rate of 59.95 a month for unlimited free local calls and 12gb of internet usage.
Thanks,
Tasman
Mick,
If you have a split between the two systems then I fully agree, it’s not good enough and it should not adversely effect you.
It’s against the law to discriminate based on many things but not wireless vs cable. They are different mediums and will never be the same so stop striving for equality as it is not feasible. Technologically and economically.
Move your mobile to one of the business casual plans that are only in legacy and you’ll get your mobile moved to legacy? That’s a possible solution.
Bundles are ineligible with pensioner discount. The member/multi rewards are eligible. They do not clash and would not clash.
gwmbox,
Add $10 to those and make those prices the price with member & multi product discounts and I’d agree but only if you agreed to have a fixed wireless antenna installed on your house and so it’d only work off the one tower. Then that’d be viable.
I have had my plan changed to 50Gb but I am not happy because I have been changed from ADSL 2+ to standard ADSL & now I have a slow speed, I have been told will be fixed early next week. Thanks Telstra for stuffing up AGAIN, might be a fax to David Thodey’s office.
@Midol
They are From already so they do already include the discounts. I already have an external aerial at ‘my ‘ expense to be able to get wireless.
One tower however is not sufficient for this, there needs to be at least two available in case one goes down, this is to ensure continuity which is fair.
GW
Firstly, seeing I am on a $98 bundle with 25Gb of data on ADSL 2+ and free calls between all three phones, etc will we be getting the new limit and new pricing? (I did get a nice Gateway upgrade as the old one was too old and misbehaving).
Secondly for those dissing the comments on wireless. Western METROPOLITAN Melbourne in areas like Tarneit have no ADSL/ Cable access thanks to Government allegedly with ANY provider. Wireless broadband is given as the only alternative to dial-up. No compensation and no extra limits. So it is fait that disappointment on the disparity between delivery mediums.
Customers in low/medium economic areas cannot afford wireless prices. The Internet might be actually a medium that can provide some enjoyment. But to get any realistic use of the net you need decent data allowances for those without broadband access. My sister was there before ADSL/ 2+ so it’s not like she took up residence knowing too well that services like telecoms would be limited.
You just have to look after the paupers just as well as you look after the princes.
@Michael Maher
Why fax – web form here:
http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/contact-us/contact-office-ceo/index.htm
It’s Telstra Public Relations in reality but they usually can help.
ps anyone else find this two word “security code” a teeny weeny bit overkill?
gwmbox,
Why two towers? Us ADSL/Cable users don’t get the benefit of being connected to a “backup exchange” when the exchange goes down. We don’t have a “backup cable” for when our cable goes down.
Of course the external antenna expense should be yours. Just like my non-standard cable install set me back a few $$$.
BrentD,
You may get new pricing but the main benefit from a bundle IMO comes from combo rewards – that is $10 off each mobile and free calls between them.
They did release a nice bundle for an extra $30 which would net you another 75GB + unlimited std & telstra mobile calls.
So anyone at Telstra?
Any updates for wireless users yet?
GW
Mick I sympathise.
And to the other (in Telstra’s eyes) whingers, stuck on expensive wireless, I also sympathise.
It is quite simple though. Telstra would not have dropped the prices of fixed unless they had to. They have to, to gain as many customers on two years contracts as they can, in case the government wins the election and introduces the NBN.
In wireless they do not have an NBN hanging over their heads and competitors who are happy for Telstra to keep prices high, so they can keep there’s high as well.
This is the “fair”, level playing field, competitive system, supported by those who invest in Telstra.
Just a quick one for those who keep telling us whingers that this is all about ADSL and Cable and that the fixed wireless users should use the correct channels and go online and complain through the official channels.
Well last Wednesday I did over another problem I have with my 3gig service and the terrific results are just as I had expected, here it is now Monday and I have heard absolutelly nothing, except the standard system generated message that I have had before telling me that they are currently dealing with a larger than usual number of complaints and will get back to me in due course. If they cant handle what they have now why not put more people on? Oh yes thats right, that takes money away from the share holders so damn the customer they only bring in the money.
Thanks again for all of your comments. In relation to some of your specific issues:
Pete, we did identify a fault with our online Change of Plan system which resulted in a delay with the activation of some plan change requests. This has now been rectified and all scheduled plan requests submitted have now been processed and activated.
James, the BigPond Broadband Offer is for new customers taking up one of our new plans and existing customers who recontract to a new 24 month plan term on one of our new plans.
There are 3 components to the offer:
1) BigPond Broadband Member Benefit – Customers can receive a $10 per month discount off the monthly access fee which applies to customers with a Telstra full service fixed phone.
To be eligible customers must:
have a Telstra full service fixed phone (HomeLine® Budget and above), or sign up for one within 30 days of activating their broadband service; and
take up a new 24 month BigPond ADSL/Cable or Velocity plan.
The fixed phone and broadband services must be on a Single Bill with a combined monthly access fee of at least $59.00.
2) BigPond Broadband Multiple Product Benefit – Customers can receive an additional $10 per month discount off their monthly ADSL/Cable or Velocity access fee.
To be eligible customers must:
meet the eligibility requirements for the BigPond Broadband Member Benefit (see 1 above); and
have a BigPond Wireless Broadband service, a Telstra post-paid mobile service, or a FOXTEL from Telstra service.
The fixed phone, broadband and other eligible services must be on a Single Bill with a combined monthly access fee of at least $89.00.
3) Installation discounts
New customers can receive discounted pricing for self-install 1-port and Home Network Gateway modems if they meet the eligibility requirements for the BigPond Broadband Member Benefit. The Installation Benefits do not apply to existing BigPond customers taking up the BigPond Broadband Offer.
We will commence migrating customers to the new generally available plans and to special invitation only plans over the coming months.
You mentioned that you may like to take up the 50GB plan. You can do this at any time and you do not need to recontract. Prices start from $79.95 per month for this plan for 12 months (total minimum cost is $1,148.40 (based on the 50GB plan with a 1-port self-install modem).
However if you would like to take up the BigPond Multiple Product Benefit described above, the price for the 50GB plan drops to only $49.95 per month on a 24 month plan (total minimum cost for the $49.95 plan is $2,397.60 based on the BigPond 50GB Elite plan with a self install 1-port modem, HomeLine Plus and $20 Telstra post-paid mobile plan).
If you would like to take up one of the new plans today, you can change your plan via MyAccount on BigPond.com anytime or feel free to call us on 13POND to discuss your options with one of our consultants.
What are the implications for someone who is currently on bundle? I am currently on $98/month home phone and broadband plan. Does this new pricing mean I get more data allowance?
I have problem with my speed. I am meant to get the fastest ADSL2 but my download never goes about 220kbps. That is ridicules and even Telstra employees agree with me. If your speed is not up to scratch in my area, why do you advertise as being capable to provide ADSL2. I switched to Telstra because Telstra is the only provider in my area that provide ADSL2. I can tell you for sure: Its ADSL2 only by name not by service.
Hope someone gets back to me.
Jit
Hey Jitendra, I don’t claim to be an expert on broadband, but there are a number of factors that could be affecting your download speeds.
Personally, my download never goes over 200kbps, but that’s because I’m 6.5km from the exchange and there is a lot of noise on my telephone line that affect how fast my modem can sync at. I’m pretty sure if you ring technical support and explain your problem they would be able to look into the situation and explain to you why you are syncing at a certain speed. And no my broadband is not with Telstra, it affects all companies.
Rebekah – thanks for your reply to mmy questions; one more if I may:
You say “We will commence migrating customers to the new generally available plans and to special invitation only plans over the coming months.”
What plan am I likely to be migrated to, bearing in mind I am on the Tactical 25Gb plan for $49.95 pm?
@ Rebekah, gee thanks for trying to answer questions for wireless users – NOT! You have just ignored them all.
Here is some interesting figures from a fellow Whirlpoolian
This list shows the cost per GB for wireless, with the highest (worst) at the top. You can see here that Bigpond have 5 of the top 12 worst prices per GB followed by, you guessed it Telstra 3 of the top 12 worst leaving only 4 of the top 12 worst prices per GB to other carriers.
$/GB Company Price Quota (GB)
49.88 BigPond 19.95 0.4
29.95 BigPond 29.95 1
29.00 Telstra Business 29.00 1
20.00 Optus 20.00 1
19.00 Virgin Mobile 19.00 1
15.00 3 15.00 1
14.00 Virgin Mobile 14.00 1
13.32 BigPond 39.95 3
13.00 Telstra Business 39.00 3
11.66 BigPond 69.95 6
11.50 Telstra Business 69.00 6
11.00 BigPond 109.95 10
10.00 Optus 30.00 3
10.00 Optus 100.00 10
10.00 Vodafone 15.00 1.5
10.00 Optus 20.00 2
10.00 Crazy Johns 15.00 1.5
9.89 Telstra Business 89.00 9
9.67 3 29.00 3
9.67 Virgin Mobile 29.00 3
8.89 Optus 80.00 9
7.95 Telstra Business 159.00 20
7.50 Optus 30.00 4
7.50 Optus 60.00 8
7.25 Vodafone 29.00 4
7.25 Crazy Johns 29.00 4
7.20 Telstra Business 360.00 50
7.14 Optus 50.00 7
6.86 Telstra Business 480.00 70
6.50 3 39.00 6
6.50 Virgin Mobile 39.00 6
6.22 Telstra Business 560.00 90
6.13 3 49.00 8
6.13 Virgin Mobile 49.00 8
5.90 Virgin Mobile 59.00 10
5.80 Crazy Johns 29.00 5
5.00 Telstra Business 600.00 120
4.90 Vodafone 49.00 10
4.90 Crazy Johns 49.00 10
4.88 Vodafone 39.00 8
But of course we are paying for a ‘premium service’ so that must justify the massively over priced plans…. Sorry but that is not a valid excuse now…
GW
My dad received a $512 bill from Bigpond for using 3Gb last month. He is on a $30 plan and only used internet to check emails occassionally.
I told him it must be a billing mistake and asked him to call Telstra. Which he did but apparently it was not a mistake. It was a plan that Telstra sold to him about a year or two ago. He wanted to write a complaint but the Telstra call centre refused to give him a name , number or address to lodge a complaint.
He is not internet savvy. It turns out that he was sold a 200 Mb plan with very high excess charges. I can’t find the plan anywhere on Bigpond website.
How is this possible? Is there a consumer protection law that bans this predatory tactic?
$512 for 3Gb is ridiculous. What is the best course of action other than the court system?
I turned off the wireless because I knew he was a light user. I suspect a Telstra tradesman reconfigured the router, switched on wireless with no password and neighbours started using his internet access.
ARE YOU REALLY LISTENING???
You say you are listening??WHY can’t we have the courtesy of a reply, what is the point in saying that you are LISTENING? I do not object to paying a little more for a faster service, than other wireless providers, but 100% more, for less data, is way over the top by anybodies standards, gwmbox and others could not have put this “GROSS INIQUITY” any clearer, so at least TELL us that we have been heard, and this is being looked into.
@Rebekah
It is now the 9th of August and STILL no reply from Rebekah on the wireless users requests.
Can I ask Rebekah are we just not that important to you or is it simply a case of you know we (at this stage) have no alternative so you sit back and snigger and ignore us.
While I could go to Dial-up or Satellite as possible other alternatives the fact is that they are not comparable alternatives. For one dialup is dialup – need I say more? Satellite is woeful at best, yes I have used it before and no I will not use it again.
I hear that there may be some new plans in September for wireless? Any truth to that and can I ask is fixed versus mobile being looked at? What about bundling?
We are now shaped again with 14 days to our next reset and that is also after we did a plan swap to get more pro-rata quota which gave us 13GB for the month – as you can see even that is not enough!
Please do not keep ignoring us, please consider that we too want to enjoy the benefits of having a full speed Internet connection, please include us when you say ‘everyone’, please take note we are Australians too with families. Please have the decency to answer our requests and not just ignore them.
GW
Good on you GW Telstra really needs a bomb under it these days. If they can not provide ADSL to you then as long as you are in a 3G coverage area they should give you wireless on a comparable data allocation & cost. Seems that Telstra is not what it was a few years ago.
Rebekah,
I am sure that you are fully aware of the urgency that your Bigpond wireless broadband customers have expressed,both in taking time to respond to your stated desire to listen and respond, to their real frustrations, and feed back, regarding these promises, and in your acting capacity to listen and inform valued customers, is this just a PR exercise and BS on your part ?? or do they also treat you as speed hump and mushroom. you
Why is it Telstras responsibility to go above and beyond the governments broadband guarantee?
Why do you not place the same pressure on any other provider to put towers in your area?
Don’t say you do as 100% of your effort is focused at Telstra which is evident on whirlpool.
Good on you guys, I totally agree we’re all being ignored.
I think it’s at a point where Telstra won’t do anything unless they have to. I’d love to see another wireless company move into our territory then it may force Telstras hand. Imagine Vividwireless moving in with one of their 4g unlimited wireless plans for $79 per month… Bye bye Telstra…
Listen to what we’re all saying and do something about the plans before it’s too late….
Julian
@ Midol;
You can do what you have to or do what you should. If you stick to the easy option and plausible deniability of decent service then customers who have a right to fair and equitable access miss out- many in poor economic areas.
As for other providers. Why grizzle about Optus etc here? Except for third party data buyers ( and why would you use the?) Telstra has the best opportunity for the best coverage.
If Telstra are using Six Sigma, the the wireless discrepancy and landline broadband shortfalls fall way outside the accepted principles of Six Sigma.
@Midol
If all that Telstra had to do was meet the Government Guarantee then the most you would have for ADSL is a 3GB plan, but they do not as they can and do provide far more. Why can the same not be provided for wireless.
I have sent requests (several) to other ISP’s and also to my Member of Parliament to try and get more for areas like ourselves, but at this stage that is not likely to happen until the NBN arrives – if it arrives at all.
Yes my focus is on Telstra at the moment because they are the only ones that can and are able to provide me a service. I acknowledge and appreciate that and I have done so repeatedly, however what we are asking is for a better value set of plans and a lot more quota just like ADSL and Cable get more and more. Before you say it I am not after like for like, though it should be, I’d settle for 1/5 of what is available to ADSL and Cable. How is that not reasonable?
I suspect Midol you are taking advantage of the 200GB’s available to you at less than what I have to pay for 10GB wireless, am I correct?
I (and others) are just asking for a fair go for those that are not serviced by fixed line services and have to use wireless as our fixed service…
Thanks
GW