The most popular phone paired with Australia's biggest mobile network – here's how the match-up breaks down
What you need to know about Telstra's iPhone plans
Telstra currently offers plans for 8 models of Apple's iPhone: the iPhone XS Max, iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7 and iPhone 6s.
All plans feature a minimum term of 24 months and make use of Telstra's 4GX network. A range of data caps and international talk packages is available for each model of the iPhone, along with a choice of different colours and storage capacities.
In addition to the traditional style of mobile plan where you pay your handset off over the term of your contract, Telstra also offers a leasing option where you "rent" your iPhone instead of buying it. After 12 months, you can pay a $99 upgrade fee to get a new handset on the same or different plan. Because you don't get to keep your phone if you leave your contract, Telstra prices its leasing plans at a discount compared to its traditional plans.
As a bonus, all Telstra's iPhone plans come with unmetered access to live AFL, NRL and netball games through Telstra's sports streaming services.
What are the different Telstra iPhone plans?
Telstra offers six different plans for each iPhone handset, all of which include unlimited national talk and text every month. These start with the basic S plan and M plan that come with 2GB and 5GB of data a month respectively. The L plan steps things up with 20GB of monthly data and unlimited international talk and text to the 15 countries listed further below. The XL plan ups that to 30GB and adds 1GB of international roaming data, while the XXL plan bumps that to 50GB plus 2GB of roaming data; the Premium plan tops it off with 100GB plus 4GB of roaming data.
Starting with the L plan, Telstra is currently bundling in Foxtel Now subscriptions with its iPhone plans. On the L plan, you'll get 12 months of a single Foxtel starter pack; on the XL plan, you'll get two Foxtel starter packs; on the XXL and Premium plans, you'll get three Foxtel starter packs.
Countries included in Telstra's unlimited talk and text offer are: Bangladesh, Canada, China, Hong Kong, India, Lebanon, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, UK, USA and Vietnam.
How much do Telstra's iPhone plans cost?
Pricing for Telstra's iPhone plans depends on which handset you choose, with newer iPhone models and higher storage capacities attracting higher handset repayment costs. If you choose to lease instead of buying an iPhone handset, you'll be looking at a discount of around $10 a month on most of Telstra's plans.
Since Telstra's iPhone plans are only available on 24-month contracts, it's important to remember that you'll be slugged with an early termination charge if you want to cancel your service before the two years is up. This charge is calculated based on how much time you have left on your contract.
Should you exceed your monthly data limit on any of Telstra's iPhone plans, you have an option depending on which plan tier you opt for. For the lower tier S and M plans, you'll typically be charged an additional $10 for 1GB of data usage. Telstra will continue adding blocks of 1GB of data at $10 each, valid for that month only. However, you can opt instead to pay an additional $10 per month upfront for Telstra's "Peace of Mind" data plan, which gives you unlimited data usage, but at seriously capped speeds of just 1.5Mbps. For the higher tier plans, Peace of Mind data is the default, although you can arrange with Telstra to instead go onto the $10/GB pricing if speed is truly important to you. For the top tier Ultimate plan, there's no speed limiting or data limitation at all.
Pros
- Access to one of the fastest mobile networks in Australia. Telstra's 4GX network boasts speeds up to six times as fast as regular 4G, and its iPhone handsets are fully compatible with 4GX.
- Plenty of data. With data caps ranging from 3GB a month to a whopping 160GB a month, or even unlimited data, it's easy to find the right cap to suit your online lifestyle.
- Extras galore. Not only do all Telstra's iPhone plans come with unmetered access to Telstra's live sports services, many plans now enjoy a complimentary 12-month subscription to Foxtel Now for watching the latest and greatest TV shows.
Cons
- Costly. Even the oldest iPhone handsets will set you back a hefty chunk of cash each month, especially if you want a sizeable data cap.
- 24-month contracts only. You're locked in for the long term unless you want to pay a steep early termination charge.
- Leasing isn't as great a deal as it should be. Considering you're forfeiting the nearly $1,000 an outright iPhone goes for, the $240 you save leasing over 24 months instead of buying isn't really worth it.
I already have a substantial bundle plan with Telstra , I am looking for a basic I phone ( 5s or similar) with the lowest plan ( like being offered on web site of Telstra $15 per month) – I am retiring soon so just want a simple phone & plan with no gadgets ( like 2 GB is plenty & unlimited calls & text) ????
Hi Con,
Thanks for contacting finder, a comparison website and general information service.
You may compare the mobile plans that we have in this page. You have the option to choose the phone, the provider, the plan type, and the usage per month.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Judith
Hi I have had a Telstra pre paid for some years are there any prepaid offers with data roaming to New Zealand
Hi Narelle,
Thanks for your question. We’ve put together a guide for roaming on pre-paid plans, and for data roaming costs in New Zealand specifically, you’ll probably want to look at Optus’ pre-paid plans, as they offer low-cost data alongside reasonable call and text charges.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Matt