Telstra has upped the data allowances on its plans and thrown free Presto streaming into the mix for new customers in a bid to win over consumers “ahead of one of the year’s hottest smartphone launches”.
According to Telstra, the move is “unprecedented” and will be available to new customers signing onto a new plan from April 9. Bonus data is only valid for use in Australia, but it will be added every month for the life of their contract.
Customers who sign up for Telstra’s AU$95 Mobile Accelerate Plan will receive a bonus 3.5GB of data per month, bringing their total up to 6GB, while those signing up for the AU$130 per month Mobile Accelerate Plan will get a bonus 7GB of data, bringing their monthly allowance up to 10GB.
Customers coming on to a Mobile Accelerate BYO Plan will also be eligible for a monthly data bonus ranging from 1.5GB for the AU$45 plan, up to 7GB for the AU$95 plan, while Mobile Accelerate Casual Plans will get a bonus of 1.5GB up to 7GB depending on the monthly plan value. There’s also bonus data across the life of the plan for small business customers.
As an added sweetener, Telstra is including a 6-month presto subscription on every new Mobile Accelerate Plan and Business Easy Share Plan from April 9. Telstra owns 50 percent of Foxtel, which operates the Presto streaming service, leaving the telco in a good position to offer the service as a value add on its own plans and products.
It’s been a busy few weeks in the smartphone space, with Telstra announcing its new plans on the same day as Samsung announced pricing for its new flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge.
Telstra’s competitors have also been busy preparing for a growing battle for the customer dollar, with Virgin Mobile announcing data rollover on its plans at the start of the month, allowing you to take unused data with you from one month to the next.
The full details on data inclusions at the different price points across Telstra’s plans are available on the Telstra website.