Telstra Mobile Phone Plans

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Telstra operates Australia’s largest mobile network, claiming to cover one million square kilometres more of the country than the other mobile networks. A household name for decades, Telstra is probably the first brand that comes to mind when you think of mobile plans, and with good reason: according to the company, it provides around 22.5 million retail mobile services across the country.

While Telstra is known for its extensive coverage, particularly in regional areas, it’s not the most affordable provider out there. However, the telco does throw in some great extras with selected plans, so if you’re after a mobile service with all the bells and whistles, awesome data speeds, and a reliable network — occasional outages notwithstanding — you may find the extra cost worth it. If you want to find out more about Telstra’s phone plans read on a for a breakdown of mobile, postpaid and prepaid plans, including extras, network coverage, and more.

Telstra mobile phone plans: a guide

Telstra has a wide range of phone plans to suit a variety of phone plan needs. The telco has worked on simplifying its suite of phone plans in recent years to ensure there is enough selection for a range of different phone users, but without being too complicated. These plans can be split into two main offerings:

• Postpaid plans, which are available as SIM-only or can be paired with a phone payment plan
• SIM-only prepaid (available on short and long-term expiry periods)

The amount of detail and options on these plans will differ from plan to plan. For example, Telstra’s prepaid plans are available across different expiry periods with seven and 28-day plans, along with long-expiry periods of six and 12 months.

In comparison, Telstra offers just three postpaid plans, all of which are month-to-month and contract-free; customers can bring their own device and go SIM-only, or combine their plan with a new smartphone from Telstra.

If you are on the lookout for a new phone, Telstra offers a range of devices available to buy over 12, 24 and 36-month payment periods (some devices are even available to buy outright), including the latest Apple iPhones and latest Samsung Galaxy S series, along with plenty of other devices from a range of manufacturers.

Telstra has also been at the forefront of developing an Australian 5G network, and was the first telco to launch a phone plan bundled with a 5G phone in 2019. Since then, many phone manufacturers have released 5G models and the 5G network competition is heating up. While Optus and Vodafone are also rolling out 5G networks, Telstra was the first to go live and does carry a large selection of 5G devices including the 5G WiFi Home hub for your home broadband needs, and many 5G-compatible devices from Samsung, OPPO and more.

Jump to:

• What are the best Telstra mobile plans?
• What does Telstra offer?
• Telstra network and coverage
• Telstra plan features and bonuses
• Telstra postpaid plans
• Telstra smartphone plans
• Telstra prepaid plans
• Telstra mobile plans FAQ

What are the best Telstra mobile plans?

Choosing the best Telstra option for you depends on what you’re looking for in a phone plan. If you’re looking to cut down on your mobile expenses, Telstra might not be the right telco for you. But if you’re looking for a plan with lots of included extras, Telstra certainly does pack value into its phone plans.

If you’re considering a Telstra phone plan, the following table is a snapshot of the SIM-only postpaid phone plans currently on offer, all of which are available on a month-to-month basis with payment made automatically upfront rather than receiving that monthly bill. All of these plans are also available to pair with a Telstra smartphone — which you can find further down.

Let’s take a look at the postpaid month-to-month phone plans available from Telstra as published on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost from lowest to highest. Use our mobile phone plan comparison tool to see plans from a wide range of providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.

Telstra network and coverage

Telstra loves to talk up its mobile coverage, which is the largest in Australia. The company itself states that its mobile networks covers 99.7% of the Australian population, but with the caveat that this is when using an external antenna. Currently, the telco still operates its 4G network, including its extra-fast 4GX service on its 700MHz spectrum. Combined with a compatible mobile device, 4GX can supply speeds up to six times as fast as Telstra’s original 4G, and is currently available in more than 1,600 towns and cities (and counting).

As for next-gen technology, 2018 saw the launch of the telco’s 5G mobile network, which went live in 2019 and is rapidly expanding across the country. You can already pick up 5G devices on plans from Telstra, but with the roll out still ongoing, you might need to wait a bit longer to access the telco’s 5G mobile network. Currently, 5G access is available free to customers on its postpaid plans and select prepaid customers.

Telstra is also working to deliver reliable and extended coverage to customers in regional areas: rolling out mobile base stations in ‘black spot’ areas, offering coverage extension devices and satellite mobile options, and recommending ‘Blue Tick’ certified phones ideal for use in rural areas.

Below is a screenshot of Telstra’s current 4G and 5G coverage (4G in green and 5G in purple). More detailed coverage information can be found on the Telstra website.

Telstra mobile plan features and bonuses

All of Telstra’s plans come with the standard national talk and text, plus data use within Australia. But sign up for selected plans, and you’ll also get access to a bunch of awesome bonuses and extras, thanks to Telstra’s entertainment partnerships. Many of these entertainment extras are available with the majority of Telstra’s plans, so whether you’re looking for a new phone, a SIM-only postpaid or prepaid plan, many of Telstra’s deals include these extras.

• International calls and texts: Included standard calls to selected destinations are available on Telstra’s prepaid plans. Postpaid plans include unlimited standard international SMS (to any country) and 30 minutes of standard calls to overseas numbers.
• International roaming: Telstra offers International Day Passes in more than 70 eligible countries, the rate will depend on the destination. This pass gives you unlimited talk and text, plus up to 2GB of data per day, when activated outside Australia. Some plans include international roaming allowances.
• Entertainment: You can add a range of subscriptions such as Kayo Sports and Disney+ subscriptions to your Telstra account if you’re on a postpaid mobile plan. Telstra has offered other streaming services in the past so keep an eye out to see what your options are.

Telstra mobile plans

Telstra SIM-only postpaid plans

If you’re looking for a SIM-only phone plan (a Telstra mobile plan without a phone) for a smartphone you already own, Telstra has you covered — and with no lock-in contracts, you’re free to switch between plans or cancel without penalty. You’ll also pay for your plan automatically upfront, so no need to wait for that monthly bill. The telco has simplified SIM-only with three plan options, each including unlimited standard national talk and text, unlimited standard international SMS, 30 minutes of standard overseas calls, unlimited speed-capped gigabytes, and generous fast data inclusions. You’ll also be able to access bundle plans and earn rewards points.

All plans are free from excess data use charges. This means that once you’ve exceeded your full-speed data allowance, you’ll receive unlimited speed-capped data for the rest of your billing cycle. This data is capped at 1.5Mbps — fast enough for most web browsing and general social media, but not recommended for HD video streaming or bandwidth-intensive activity.

If you do use up your fast data, and find 1.5Mbps speeds a struggle, you can upgrade your Telstra mobile plan to a higher plan at any time.

Telstra smartphone plans

All of the above SIM-only plans are also available to pair with your choice of smartphone, on a 12, 24 or 36-month payment term. Telstra separates phone purchase plans from its actual mobile service, so you’ll no longer be locked into a single mobile plan for the duration of your phone payment period. Mobile plans are month-to-month only, and you’ll instead sign a contract solely for your device repayments. Monthly phone repayments will remain the same, but you’ll be free to switch between Telstra’s three postpaid plans on a monthly basis.

If you decide to cancel your Telstra service, you’ll simply need to pay the remaining balance on your smartphone, settle your final Telstra bill, then take your device and go. There are no further early termination fees or catches, and your phone is yours forever once you’ve made the final payment.

As for the phones you can pick up on a plan from Telstra, you’ll find a wide selection of phones from several big manufacturers. It’s easy to pick up a Telstra mobile plan with iPhones, a range of Samsung Galaxy devices, OPPO phones, Google Pixel, Nokia and even Telstra’s own brand of phone.

The following table compares a selection of 24-month Telstra 128GB iPhone 16 plans as published on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of their standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our phone plan comparison tool to compare plans from a range of providers.

Telstra prepaid phone plans

If you’re after a fuss-free, no-frills plan with maximum flexibility, then a prepaid plan could be right for you. Telstra has a small but comprehensive range of prepaid plans, over two categories:

• Prepaid Mobile: Generally, these plans offer the best included value over a range of expiry periods.
• Prepaid Casual: Plan with a long expiry period of six months and small data, talk and text inclusions.

Prepaid Mobile

These are Telstra’s standout prepaid plans, featuring unlimited texts and calls and generous amounts of data. Some plans even come with international call and text inclusions, plus continuous data rollover of up to 200GB. If you’re after a cheap-ish, no-fuss plan on Australia’s largest network, these could be worth considering. Some of these plans may only be offered as recharges, so you might need to purchase a SIM Starter Kit then top up with your preferred plan.

Getting support from Telstra

Need some help with your Telstra plan or service? The telco offers plenty of contact and support options, including:

• General customer support: 13 22 00 (multilingual phone support available)
• CrowdSupport online customer forum
• The Telstra Facebook page
• Twitter support: @Telstra
• Telstra 24/7 app for both iPhone and Android

Telstra mobile plans FAQ

If you still have questions about Telstra’s mobile plans, we have some answers below.

What mobile plan providers use the Telstra network?

If you’re interested in Telstra, but want to take a lot at your other options, the following smaller carriers also offer plans on parts of Telstra’s 4G and 5G networks:

• Boost Mobile
• ALDI Mobile
• Everyday Mobile
• Belong Mobile
• C Mobile
• Pennytel
• TeleChoice
• Think Mobile

Is Telstra a good deal?

If you’re looking for the absolute cheapest phone plans on offer, Telstra isn’t for you. The company markets itself on being the premium Australian telco and usually prices reflect that; however, if feature-packed plans, regional coverage and super-fast data is important to you, Telstra should tick your boxes.

Considering some of the extras that Telstra includes on its plans, such as entertainment bundling, it’s a great option for anyone who prioritises entertainment. Not to mention the elimination of excess data charges thanks to the inclusion of unlimited capped-speed data, so there’s no more need to worry about your data usage.

Finally, gadget lovers will appreciate the range of handsets on offer with Telstra mobile plans, and the option to pay off devices over a 12, 24 or 36-month period. Plans may be on the pricey side, but Telstra continues to offer plenty of incentives for customers who like their phone plans jam-packed with features.

Related articles

• The Cheapest Mobile Phone Plans
• Top Mobile Deals
• SIM Only Plans Compared
• Excess Data Charges Explained

About the author of this page

This page was written and is regularly updated by Canstar Blue’s Telco Editor, Tara Donnelly. Having spent over seven years writing for and editing telco comparison websites, she’s an expert in all things phone & internet, including NBN plans, wireless technology, the latest mobile devices and how to find the best deal for your family. She loves to highlight the next best deals, while also flagging the things you need to be aware of.

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