Telstra internet plans and deals

Telstra internet services are available to most Australians and geared towards those in metropolitan areas. Most Australians can sign up for either a Telstra NBN fixed-line or mobile broadband plan. Additionally, Telstra also offers 5G home wireless internet, cable and even older ADSL2+ to eligible homes.

If you live in a metropolitan area, there’s a good chance you can sign up for an NBN fixed-line plan with Telstra. This includes homes connected to the NBN via Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP), Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC), Fibre-to-the-Curb (FTTC), Fibre-to-the-Building (FTTB) or Fibre-to-the-Node (FTTN) technologies. Below is a list of the Telstra NBN fixed-line plans and the technologies that can access them:

• NBN 25/5: FTTP, HFC, FTTC, FTTB, FTTN
• NBN 50/20: FTTP, HFC, FTTC, FTTB, FTTN
• NBN 100/20: FTTP, HFC, FTTC, FTTB (selected), FTTN (selected)
• NBN 250/25: FTTP, HFC

Telstra also offers business NBN plans, including NBN 50/20 and NBN 100/20 options. Note that Telstra documentation also lists OptiComm fibre as a potential connection for eligible FTTP premises.

If you live in an eligible area, you may have access to Telstra 5G home internet. There’s only one plan available for eligible homes. See the link for a side-to-side comparison of Telstra 5G home internet plan vs Telstra NBN plans.

Telstra offers a range of data-limited mobile broadband plans in prepaid and monthly forms. Note that both prepaid and monthly mobile broadband plans are paid upfront. Prices vary based on the plan type (4G or 5G network) and the amount of data. Note that you’ll need a compatible SIM device (e.g. tablet, modem dongle or laptop) if you don’t purchase a Telstra mobile broadband plan with a modem.

A shrinking number of eligible homes can potentially sign up to a Telstra cable or ADSL2+ internet plan. Like Telstra NBN plans, cable and ADSL2+ plans come with a compatible modem-router as well as a home phone with unlimited calls to Australian numbers.

Telstra plans are typically feature-rich. While 5G home internet and mobile broadband plans are data-limited, all other Telstra internet plans have unlimited data. Telstra internet plans also typically don’t have a connection fee or a lock-in contract.

The main inclusion is a preconfigured modem-router for Telstra NBN, cable and ADSL2+ plans. Additionally, Telstra 5G home internet and mobile broadband customers on a monthly plan also get a preconfigured modem-router. Express postage is typically free for the modem-router.

Telstra NBN, cable and ADSL2+ customers have access to a home phone line, which includes unlimited standard calls to the following:

• Australian local numbers
• Australian national numbers
• Australian mobile numbers
• 30 minutes of standard calls to any country
• Calls to 13-numbers
• Calls to directory assistance

In terms of typical evening speeds (between 7:00pm and 11:00pm nightly), here’s what you can expect from Telstra NBN plans:

• NBN 25/5: 25Mbps download, 4Mbps upload
• NBN 50/20: 50Mbps download, 17Mbps upload
• NBN 100/20: 100Mbps download, 17Mbps upload
• NBN 250/25: 250Mbps download, 22Mbps upload

Those speeds may change depending on the NBN technology, particularly for FTTC, FTTB and FTTN homes for relevant plans. At the time of writing, the ACCC NBN data showed fast download and upload speeds for Telstra, plus fast webpage loading times (under three seconds) and low latency (under 13ms).

Telstra 5G home internet users can expect typical evening speeds of 336Mbps download and 44Mbps upload. Note that outside evening hours, speeds are between 50–600Mbps download and 10–90Mbps upload for Telstra 5G home internet.

ADSL2+ and cable speeds aren’t advertised but can reach a max of 24Mbps download and 1.3Mbps upload (ADSL2+), or 100Mbps download and 2Mbps upload (cable). Similarly, download and upload speeds aren’t advertised for Telstra mobile broadband plans but, depending on the price and type, they may include uncapped Telstra 5G speeds.

Despite having a data cap, monthly Telstra 5G home internet and mobile broadband plans don’t have excess data charges. Eligible Telstra mobile broadband plans are capped at 1.5Mbps speeds after the data allocation is exhausted. Telstra 5G home internet plans are capped at 25Mbps download speeds if you exceed the data limit.

Telstra isn’t a stranger to offering deals for its internet plans. Any current Telstra promotion on its internet plans will be listed below.

Telstra perks start with discounts for bundled internet and mobile plans. Outside of the included modem-router and home phone line for eligible plans, Telstra internet plans also included network-level cyber security. Additionally, Telstra users can access Internet Optimiser on eligible internet plans. This feature lets you track online activities, prioritise internet bandwidth, pause internet activity or even block devices, and reduce latency for gaming devices.

Telstra Plus is a consistent perk for customers who sign up to the program. Earn and redeem points as part of the Telstra Plus loyalty program, plus get access to discounted tickets and event pre-sales. Telstra also has a trend of offering shorter-term perks, including promotional pricing as well as subscriptions to popular services like Binge and Spotify. New customers can also take advantage of a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.

If you want premium inclusions, Telstra sells Fetch TV set-top boxes and channel packs, special offers for popular streaming services and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Telstra mobile broadband plans are compatible with international data-roaming packs.

Outside of prepaid mobile broadband plans, all Telstra mobile internet plans come with a compatible modem-router. For NBN, ADSL2+ and cable internet, it’s the Telstra Smart Modem 3, which is a dual-band WiFi 6 modem-router. The Telstra Smart Modem 3 offers wireless speeds up to 4800Mbps, has 4G backup (up to 25Mbps download and 5Mbps upload), plus one USB 2.0 port and four gigabit Ethernet ports.

Note that the Telstra Smart Modem is typically included with eligible plans for $0 but you have to return the device if you cancel your plan within 24 months (or pay a hardware fee).

Telstra 5G home internet comes with the Telstra 5G Internet Modem 2. This modem-router is a dual-band WiFi 6, which is compatible with the Telstra Smart Wi-Fi Booster for larger homes or those prone to wireless interference. Telstra mobile broadband plans have the most options and can be bought outright or paid off over 12, 24 or 36 months. Here are the Telstra mobile broadband modem options:

• Telstra 4GX USB Modem (monthly and prepaid)
• Telstra 4GX Hotspot (monthly and prepaid)
• Telstra 4GX Wi-Fi Plus (prepaid)
• Telstra 5G Wi-Fi Pro (monthly)
• Netgear Nighthawk M6 5G (monthly)
• Netgear Nighthawk M6 Pro 5G (monthly)
• Inseego MiFi X Pro 5G (monthly)

Telstra NBN, ADSL2+ and cable plans are available to eligible homes in metropolitan areas. Enter your address on the Telstra home internet page to see which types of Telstra internet are available at your address. Telstra mobile broadband and 5G home internet plans are offered on the Telstra mobile network, which is available to 99.5% of the population across 3G, 4G and 5G technologies. For an idea of Telstra mobile broadband coverage, check out the interactive map below. Keep in mind that the Telstra 3G network will be shut down in June 2024.

It’s a straightforward process to switch to a Telstra internet plan. Here are the steps to follow for a Telstra NBN, ADSL2+ or cable plan:

1. Select the Telstra plan that’s best for your home internet needs and click the orange ‘Go to Site’ button.
2. On the Telstra website, input your address to see tailored internet options. Confirm your plan by clicking on the relevant blue ‘Choose plan’ button.
3. Choose the relevant priority-assistance option, then ‘Proceed to checkout’.
4. Register for a Telstra ID (or sign in with an existing one), then follow the prompts to complete your plan order.

You may be asked to verify your identity, income and/or employment details during sign-up. It’s an almost identical sign-up process for a Telstra 5G home internet plan or mobile broadband plan, except they don’t have the priority-assistance prompt.