How to get Telstra’s 5G home Internet plan free for the first month
Telstra launches its 5G home Internet plan to all, promising speeds up to 378Mbps. Is it worth it?
After much teasing and testing, Telstra has officially launched its 5G home Internet plan to all customers, with the first month free and a no-lock-in contract.
This means you pay $0 when you first sign up, and then $85 monthly from your second bill onwards.
You will be allocated 1TB (1,000GB) of data, which Telstra says is enough for "330 hours of HD Netflix streaming".
Check out the full plan details from Telstra here.
- Good to know: While Telstra's rolled out 5G to 75% of the Aussie population, it may not be available in your area just yet. Pop in your address on Telstra's website to see if you're eligible for its 5G home Internet plan.
What speeds can you expect?
Telstra's keeping it simple with just a single 5G home Internet plan.
You can expect average typical evening download speeds of 378Mbps during the busy hours of the day (7pm–11pm).
This is even faster than an NBN 250 plan, which offers a maximum speed of 250Mbps.
But keep in mind your download speeds can vary.
You could get anywhere between 50–600Mbps depending on factors such as your distance from the serving 5G mobile tower, where your modem is located and the number of users online.
Similarly, upload speeds can move around between 10–90Mbps.
What's the catch?
If the promise of the first month free sounds too good to be true, you can stop worrying.
There are no other costs that'll crop up such as set-up fees or modem costs.
- Keep in mind that if you do decide to leave before the 24-month mark, you will need to return the modem to Telstra within 21 days. If you don't, you will be charged a non-return fee.
How does it compare to Optus and Vodafone?
Based on speeds alone, Telstra comes out on top when stacked up against Optus and Vodafone.
Vodafone
Vodafone offers 2 plans, 1 with a maximum speed of 100Mbps during off-peak hours and the other with a "max 5G speed" advertised. There's no range available.
Both its plans are priced between $75 and $85 and come with unlimited data.
Optus
Similar to Vodafone, Optus also has a couple of 5G home Internet plans with unlimited data.
The lower-priced option will cost you $79 for 83Mbps typical evening speeds (maximum 100Mbps).
Its second plan is $89 per month for 6 months, then $99 per month after.
However, Optus is also offering $0 set-up fee and the first month free, just like Telstra.
But you will need to pay off the remaining cost of your modem if you leave before 36 months.
This will be $16 multiplied by the number of months left.
So, is Telstra's 5G home Internet worth it?
If you're after superfast speeds and get good 5G coverage at your property, Telstra's home Internet plan could be a good alternative to the NBN.
But more than that, you get the first month free. And you can leave whenever you want without worrying about the cost of the modem.
Just make sure to return it within 21 days.
To see more NBN alternatives, you can compare home wireless broadband plans on Finder.
