If you're looking for a premium, feature-packed internet plan, Telstra has you covered. It boasts reliable speeds, a strong brand reputation and a free home phone line with unlimited calls on all NBN plans.
But this comes at a price as Telstra's plans are some of the most expensive around.
While Telstra's NBN plans are its core internet product, the telco giant also offers home wireless broadband and data SIMs too.
Telstra is Australia's largest telecommunications and technology company, offering a full range of communications services.
Telstra's plans come with the kind of bells and whistles you expect from a premium provider.
This includes a modem with 4G back-up (only a handful of providers offer this), included phone line with free calls to Australian numbers and maximum speeds across almost all its NBN plans.
However, this comes at a cost as Telstra's NBN plans are usually among the most expensive in their respective speed tiers according to the plans in Finder's database.
Telstra also doesn't charge any set-up fees for standard installation if you sign up online.
Telstra's 5G home internet plan uses its 5G network and promises average download speeds of 336Mbps, much faster than its NBN 100 or NBN 250 plans.
This is great value, so long as you can get consistent speeds. This isn't always guaranteed when using a mobile network for your internet connection.
It has a data cap of 1000GB, whereas other providers offer unlimited data on their home wireless plans. It's still a generous allowance though, as Telstra believes it will allow you to stream HD videos for 350 hours, which works out to be around 11 hours a day during a month.
If you exceed your 1000GB for the month, your download speed will be slowed to 25Mbps and your upload speed to 5Mbps.
Unlike most mobile broadband providers that offer under 200GB a month, Telstra is one of only a few providers in Finder's database that offers big data caps on its Upfront plans of up to 400GB.
These plans come with 5G access too, making them strong choices for portable and fast data.
If you go over your data allowance before the month is out, your speed will be capped at 1.5Mbps.
If you want prepaid mobile broadband, Telstra has that too, but the speed is capped on some plans at 150Mbps.
Telstra also has long expiry data plans which work out a little cheaper than its 28-day prepaid plans, though its Upfront data plans still present the best value overall.
Telstra offers the option to buy a portable modem along with your data plan, which you can pay off in 12-, 24- or 36-month instalments. Some are just the size of a small dongle to help you get internet on the go.
In June 2024, Telstra came first (out of 12 providers) in the ACCC Measuring Broadband Australia report. It delivered maximum speeds 102.3% of the time during the busy hours of the day (7pm–11pm), which was Telstra's best ever result in the report.
With Telstra's score of over 100%, that means it always delivers the advertised speeds on its plans during busy hours of the day.
Telstra has ranked consistently in the top 4 in these reports since December 2020, meaning it's one of the more reliable providers out there when it comes to speed.
Telstra makes it easy to get in touch with its support team. You're able to:
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) covers complaints data from phone and internet customers. In the 2023 Annual Report for the financial year ending June 2023, Telstra:
Telstra's plans come with a bunch of bonus features that help it stand out.
All Telstra NBN plans come with the Telstra Smart Modem 3.
If there's an NBN outage in your area, you'll be switched over to 4G mobile data as a back-up within a few minutes. The speed is capped at a maximum of 25Mbps download and 5Mbps upload. You also need to be in a 4G coverage area.
If you're a new Telstra home internet customer and aren't happy with your service within the first 30 days, you can request a full refund of any fees you've paid and cancel the connection with no obligations.
Telstra is one of the few providers that not only give a home phone line with all NBN plans, but also provide you with unlimited local and national calls at no extra cost. You also get 30 minutes of standard calls overseas.
Telstra customers get benefits and earn Telstra Plus reward points whenever they pay their bill. These points can be used towards discounted tech, appliances, concert tickets and more.
As the NBN 50 plan is the most popular internet plan in Australia, Finder has gathered together some of the major providers so you can see how Telstra compares to them on this speed tier.
| Provider | Typical evening speed | Price | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telstra | 50Mbps | $105/month | |
| TPG | 50Mbps | $79.99/month | |
| Optus | 50Mbps | $89/month | |
| AGL | 50Mbps | $84/month | |
| iiNet | 50Mbps | $79.99/month | |
| Aussie Broadband | 49Mbps | $89/month | |
| Belong | 50Mbps | $80/month | |
| Tangerine | 50Mbps | $79.90/month |
If you've settled on a Telstra plan that suits you, you just need to go to Telstra's website to enter your address to finalise your purchase. This will tell you if the plan you want is available at your address.
What if I'm moving house?
If you're already a Telstra customer, you can book a move and it'll handle it all for you. Telstra advises that if you book your move before 1pm Monday to Friday, you'll get your service connected within 2 business days.
You should give your current provider some warning in case there's a notice period for cancelling your old service. You don't want to get stuck paying for 2 services. That's even though Telstra says it will notify your old provider if you switch.
For more details on the process, check our guide to switching broadband providers.
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If I’m about to lose my free Telstra tv box. Is there a better offer anywhere else. Because I’m thinking why should I stay if I’m losing Telstra tv box
Hi Chris, it depends on what speeds you’re after and your budget. You can check out our round-up of the best NBN plans this month: https://www.finder.com.au/best-nbn-plans or look at some strong internet deals on offer: https://www.finder.com.au/news/eofy-internet-and-nbn-deals-2024. Hope this helps!
i have no understanding of the nbn or what to look, my internet. all i can understand it is going up to $105 as from the first of next, month
Hi Sharyn,
You could read our guide to comparing NBN plans to see if you could find another provider that works out to be cheaper and also suits your needs: https://www.finder.com.au/broadband-plans/nbn
Hope this helps.
Can I get 5g in Timboon 3267 – new conection
Hi Darryl,
According to Telstra’s coverage map, Timboon does get 5G coverage: https://www.telstra.com.au/coverage-networks/our-coverage
But if you were interested in getting Telstra’s 5G internet, you can enter your address to double check it’s definitely available: https://www.telstra.com.au/internet/5g-home-internet
You can also check out your other options for 5G home internet here: https://www.finder.com.au/broadband-plans/5g-home-internet-plans
Hope this helps.
Are there any discounted plans for pensioners??
Hi Lynette,
Telstra don’t currently offer discounted plans for pensioners. There is one brand, Flip, who do offer discounts for pensioners.
This article might be useful:
https://www.finder.com.au/broadband-plans/nbn/nbn-plans-for-seniors
Hope this helps!
only require a landline phone as am elderly
Hi Roger,
Thank you for reaching out to finder.
The page we are on gives you an overview of plans that include a landline phone. If you just wish to get a landline phone, you may need to contact the provider directly to check if this plan is available. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie