This was posted 8 years 8 months 17 days ago, and might be an out-dated deal.

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  • expired

2x 100GB of 4G Telstra Mobile Data for $104 (Requires Sending SMSs)

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2x 100GB of 4G Telstra Mobile Data for $104 (Requires Sending SMSs)
Go to Deal
nicois on 08/08/2015 - 17:31 whirlpool.net.au (4489 clicks)
Last edited 21/08/2015 - 10:35 by 1 other user

Edit: looks like transferring of credit from MBB using 1258888 has NOT been disabled but I am leaving the deal marked as expired as some people are reporting trouble.

Want to get some serious 4g data for use in your dual-sim chinese android devices? Want to stop paying landline fees for ADSL? Don't mind expending a bit of elbow grease? Well, this is for you.

Telstra has a very convoluted set of offers and they have made it hard for their customers to understand the best way of using their offers. I have selected just one specific scenario here. There is a lot more information around for other tricks, if this whets your appetite.

OK, here are the steps. This works at the moment, no idea how long it will last:

  1. Buy two telstra SIMs for $2 each and activate them as Mobile Broadband SIMs. (Alternatively, Telstra livechat can switch a starter pack across for you if you prefer, and you will keep the $30 credit I believe)

  2. Purchase a $50 recharge for each SIM. You now have 12 months' validity on 5Gb of data.

  3. Each day for the next four days, do the following ten times from each Mobile Broadband SIM. You can either put the SIMs in a normal phone, or your MBB device may let you send SMSs via its web interface.

- SMS 1258888 with the word 'transfer'
- enter the phone number of the other MBB SIM
- select $1
- press '1' to confirm

After this, you will have an additional 20Gb of data on each SIM, giving you a total of 25Gb on each. The $50 credit on each is now reduced to $40 (as the 40 transfers cost $0.25, or $10 in total, in each direction).

  1. Do the same as step 3, but as you have $40 instead of $50 credit, you will only get 32 transfers in each direction, yielding an additional 16Gb on each SIM, bringing the total to 5+20+16=41Gb.

  2. Rinse and repeat. Eventually you will run out of credit, and each SIM will have a touch over 100Gb credit.

Remember you will only have 12 months to use it up!

Variations:
- use $140 top-up instead of $50, which will give you 280Gb on each SIM, plus a 2 year expiry.
- if you don't need 100Gb on each SIM, use the 1258888 method to transfer excess funds back to your mobile prepaid account and spend the money on the android play store.
- use something like iMacro for Chrome to help automate the SMS sending
- use something like Tasker on android with this to automatically send SMSs back to the other device.

Mobile Mobile Broadband Plan Prepaid Mobile Plan SIM Card Telstra

Related Stores

Telstra
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closed Comments

  • MrMaxwell on 09/08/2015 - 00:59

    The loop hole would only be closed if the number of users doing this increases to such a rate that it needs to be closed.

    I don't see to many people doing this…even if posted on the front of Oz Bargain (which Telstra folk have already read and had a chuckle).

    • HardQuiz on 09/08/2015 - 01:57

      Yet, it's a gamble

  • happychappy1 on 09/08/2015 - 03:33
    +1

    This isn't as good as using discounted starter packs to transfer money into a data SIM. You're spending real money. Plus, with the starter pack, you get some credit already if you activate them on the Freedom offers AND you get to actually spend the credit on Google Play, etc. Note that if you're actually using 200GB per month, then this isn't cheaper than a fixed line broadband connection.

  • i-Tight on 09/08/2015 - 07:35

    What telstra mobile stick would pepole recommend getting????

    • cim85 on 09/08/2015 - 08:21
      +1

      I purchased a Netgear(Telstra) 785s MBB modem - on special from Officeworks for around $80 with 5GB of data - has the new 4GX frequencies and works well. There is a more expensive 790s version that runs a bit quicker.

  • traz on 09/08/2015 - 08:13

    good while it lasted, can't c2u out of data pass anymore.

    • congo on 09/08/2015 - 08:15

      Expired? I just got my 2 $2 SIM :-(

    • danyool on 09/08/2015 - 08:38

      C2u or SMS out per Op?

    • Wiser on 09/08/2015 - 08:46

      Did you try?

      • traz on 09/08/2015 - 11:43
        +1

        I tried to use sms and the website and neither allow me to c2u out of data pass.
        Is it only mine?

        Edit: Sent c2u to datapass still getting myself 500mb though.

  • [Deactivated] on 09/08/2015 - 08:30

    I feel sorry for the casual users who use this method in moderation. It's more than likely telstra will adjust the 500mb per $1 to 50mb per $1 if people abuse it like in this case.

    • nicois on 09/08/2015 - 08:42
      +2

      What you really mean is that you feel sorry for sharing this deal with others.

      Those who knew about this deal were not using it 'in moderation'. What you mean is that fewer people were taking advantage of it, so from Telstra's perspective there was less of an effect.

      I posted this here because I prefer to see more people get some advantage, even if it is 'only' 20-50gb, rather than hoard it all to a few people with hundreds of gb or possibly terabytes of credit.

      • [Deactivated] on 09/08/2015 - 14:40
        +2

        sorry..may i ask how long have you been doing this?
        with the Telstra prepaid glitch and gaining 400gb on 4 sim cards?
        And how come now you've decided to come out to share with everyone?

        Just curious to know why now and not back then?

        • Metz on 09/08/2015 - 17:11
          +3

          He has harnessed enough data, so came out to be hero and gain some clicks, in the mean time to do his best to kill the SMS method so he could benefit from people using his app.

  • blueonion on 09/08/2015 - 09:27

    any way of getting that kinda data on an actual mobile phone prepaid sim (for those without dual sim phones) ?

    • sween64 on 09/08/2015 - 12:43

      No. Your best option is to put a Data Pass SIM in a second device (either a wifi hot spot or mobile phone acting as a wifi hot spot).

  • chinezejew on 09/08/2015 - 09:39
    +1

    Ive been using my kmart 50c and coles $1 sim purchases.

    I have a 4Gwifi broadband device. And a Galaxy S5.
    A mate of mine is totally in love with his Y330 Huawei due to its dual sim capabilities.

    SIM A freedom plan -($220 calls and 1.3b data)
    SIM B data only -(3gb 30days)
    1. Creditme2u from Sim A to Sim B $1 for 10times (adds 30days and 5gb to sim B)
    2. Txt 1258888 from sim B to Sim A $10. (Sim a balance $27.50 after 1st day)
    3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for until you run out of transferable $.

    So with 2sims (costing less than $2)… i get approx 220min of calls for 30days… and heaps of data for long enough.
    At the end of 30days, i port out of telstra to any other company with free sim (or pay $2), then port back into freedom plan telstra.

    In summary, i have paid no more than $3 a month for telstra 4g premium service.

    My2cents

    • sween64 on 09/08/2015 - 12:45

      Do you ever port out and back on a weekend?

      • chinezejew on 09/08/2015 - 12:56
        +1

        Never. I process a port before 9am on a weekday. and it is usually done by 1130am. then i port back to telstra and telstra is again active the same day by.

  • cdaddy on 09/08/2015 - 09:50

    So what do I register the sims as? Pre paid broadband?

    • fickre on 09/08/2015 - 11:02

      yes, prepaid mobile broadband for 365 days period (assuming you buy $50 voucher).

    • chinezejew on 09/08/2015 - 10:11

      Wait… those who have neg me…
      Do you have a method to transfer $value out of your mobile broadband device now??

      Google play store… sigh

        • snvl on 09/08/2015 - 11:49
          +2

          "Ruin it for everybody" funny

  • lostn on 09/08/2015 - 10:02
    +2

    How long do you think before Telstra closes this exploit?

    100GB is a lot of data to use within one year. It's more than I can use. I'm just going to buy lots of $5 discounted $30 sims and use one a month, which is $60 for a year's supply. More than enough for me.

    • sween64 on 09/08/2015 - 12:46

      Is that through the Cash Rewards deal?

      • lostn on 09/08/2015 - 17:21

        Yes.

  • dmpiq on 09/08/2015 - 10:28

    So just to confirm before I activate my 2 x $50 SIMs, is this deal expired?

  • Click_It on 09/08/2015 - 10:29

    So just to confirm, this 'deal' is dead?

    Minor bummer for me, but I do feel for the guys who knew about this for months quietly enjoying it and now burnt. Just wish I was one of those guys - I will be spending 4 months distance living where this would have been an amazing help to me. Oh well, time to find more 3GB bargains.

  • CCDee on 09/08/2015 - 10:43
    +20

    Nicois
    "I have seven MBB sims with about 400gb total. Five I have locked in with a 12 month expiry, one with 24 months, and one I am topping up every day so only has a 3 day expiry (but 150gb data)."

    You went about this all the wrong way.

    You milked it for yourself, then went for a hero move to get some clicks.

    If anything, we need to understand that our community should promote sharing to the extent that it maximises benefit to the OzB community. All this did was completely plunge telstra's "effective" $/GB rate to the extent they are now required to intervene.

    Other similar deals include things like price errors where the sale price is below a retailer's cost price. If you have 20 customers who have bought an item $10 under cost price, management may well decide that the PR in not cancelling 20 orders, reassigning staff to refunds and eating the loss is more beneficial than refunding compared to when that figure becomes say 200 orders and trying to absorb $2000

    Please think before posting

    • nicois on 09/08/2015 - 12:07
      -7

      We are talking Telstra here, and a number of features which they have been explicitly aware of for a number of months. The most they can do is disable the 500mb data bonus, they cannot rescind what was given to us over the months, somehow claiming they didn't know. I have live chat transcripts showing their knowledge of it.

      Yes there is always the risk that as more people use it, that Telstra decides this strategy is not worth continuing. But that has always been a risk. The only question was how many people would benefit before it halts. I would prefer to see more people benefit.

      • lostn on 09/08/2015 - 17:25
        +2

        The only question was how many people would benefit before it halts. I would prefer to see more people benefit.

        Wouldn't you have achieved that if you posted the 'deal' much sooner? Or did you wait until you got your fill first, just to make sure Telstra doesn't shut it down before you get all you needed?

      • kima on 10/08/2015 - 04:09

        they cannot rescind what was given to us over the months

        don't be so sure. they can do it and I wouldn't put it past them. then you will be forced to fight them about it if they do.

    • cdaddy on 09/08/2015 - 13:03
      +1

      1gb probably costs Telstra 10 cents if that

      • samfisher5986 on 09/08/2015 - 15:27

        Its not the cost of data, its the congestion you create by using that data.

        • happychappy1 on 09/08/2015 - 15:37
          +1

          Who's actually going to go out of their way to use it? Most likely, people will just stick to their usual routine - but knowing they have it there "just in case". So for Telstra, it's a win, since you're using credit while undertaking these kinds of schemes.

        • samfisher5986 on 09/08/2015 - 22:51

          @happychappy1:

          I would go out of my way to use it… so there you go.

  • [Deactivated] on 09/08/2015 - 10:48
    -6

    I love how OP is acting like he's some sort of hero….?

  • DrStinge on 09/08/2015 - 10:54
    +11

    The entitled are out in full force this morning against OP who was trying to share something with the public.

    It was already on a public internet forum - your point is invalid.

    • chromium on 09/08/2015 - 11:42
      +6

      One thread on WP as opposed to ozbargain is nowhere near the same. This will get "ozbargained" now

      • DrStinge on 09/08/2015 - 12:03
        +4

        We Ozbargain plenty of deals from plenty of companies everyday - why is this an exception?

        If the deal is actually expired I lament for the few that used it often but I don't regret OP posting it for the greater good. If you do then you should neg all deals that have the option of and ultimate end up as expired purely out of principle.

        • 11112007 on 09/08/2015 - 12:11
          +3

          Technically this isn't a deal. Its exploiting a loophole in one. The OP did nothing wrong. However the lifespan of this 'deal' was significantly reduced being on the front page of this site compared to a single thread on WP.

        • chromium on 09/08/2015 - 15:12
          +2

          As already stated, this isn't a deal.

  • cdaddy on 09/08/2015 - 11:27
    -4

    Dosent work anymore

    • [Deactivated] on 09/08/2015 - 13:30
      +2

      Mate, it's 1.30pm Sunday August 9, and it definitely works.

      Let's be honest here.

  • Splashtash on 09/08/2015 - 11:33

    Still works for transferring credit - i can't confirm if u recharge for $50 for 12 months though

  • Killerbala on 09/08/2015 - 12:06

    About to buy $50 vouchers. Is the exploit still active ? Anyone

    • nicois on 09/08/2015 - 12:09
      +2

      You can always do a smaller recharge if you want and try out the 1258888 method with very little outlay. The $50 recharge cements the data expiry date, that's all.

  • daxington on 09/08/2015 - 12:22

    is the $10 limit reset at midnight, or 24 hours after reaching the limit?

    • sween64 on 09/08/2015 - 12:48

      Midnight AEST.

      • shalala on 09/08/2015 - 18:11

        I am sorry for the negs. Fat finger on a tiny screen…..

  • Splashtash on 09/08/2015 - 12:29
    +1

    Midnight - I did 20 lots between 2 sims around 11:50 then more after midnight

  • pt360 on 09/08/2015 - 13:04

    Is this deal still working?

    • nicois on 09/08/2015 - 13:11

      I suspect some people are saying its not working as they want to dissuade others from using it.

      It was certainly working a few hours ago.

      If you are hesitant or suspect the 'deal' might stop in the near future, simply transfer $10-$15 to each SIM and start there. You will accumulate 5gb on each SIM each day and you can inject more money as you go. Once you want to 'lock in' the expiry date put the $50 on. Even if you don't get the full value of the deal, you will be paying very little for your GB.

      • kima on 10/08/2015 - 04:14

        it periodically wasn't working a few times when they were saying it because I tested it. but some are getting a message when they do it wrong or are slow and assume its not working rather than thinking they are doing it wrong

  • joozbragain on 09/08/2015 - 13:08

    Can I do this with a phone that has only one sim card slot and just text the number over and over?

    • nicois on 09/08/2015 - 13:12

      Haven't tried sending money to myself. Easy enough to try out. I will have to wait until tomorrow before I can do any more.

    • kwchaz on 09/08/2015 - 13:17
      +1

      That's what I've been doing, then I will swap back. You will reach a point where you will have to swap the cards more often (i.e., at first you can do loads, then eventually you will only have $5 on each).

  • [Deactivated] on 09/08/2015 - 13:33

    It doesn't work anymore.

    My Pre-Paid BigPond Unmetered
    Error
    Sorry, this feature is not available on this offer.

    • kwchaz on 09/08/2015 - 13:40
      +1

      We are all using Prepaid Broadband Pass (latest 'plan'), not 'bigpond unmetered'. No idea what that is.

  • [Deactivated] on 09/08/2015 - 13:59
    +5

    Nicois, since you're so nice to show everyone this exploit,
    how about you tell us about YOUR app that you're using to transfer the Google Play credit into real money?
    I'm sure everyone wants to know what you do to get real money from google play

    Also to mention Nicois has decided on Whirlpool, after doing this exploit with the data pass, he's gonna stop doing it altogether since he already has 4 sims with about 400gb each already and has been doing it for some time and only decided to show everyone now :)

    • ozhunter on 09/08/2015 - 14:08

      What makes you think he is getting real money from this?

    • bongom on 09/08/2015 - 14:25
      +5

      Hey Nicholas Farrell, Did you create a new account to make this comment about your Play Store App?
      https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nikkell.pa…
      Gutsy move putting you contact details on show?

      • [Deactivated] on 09/08/2015 - 14:31
        +2

        That app needs updating to show this in the description :)

        "You make money, I make money, Telstra makes money. Win win win for all"

    • Metz on 09/08/2015 - 19:53
      +6

      He has been doing this long enough without disclosing the exploit, only disclosed when the SMS method is discovered. His motive is quite clear, he wanted to kill the ability to transfer with SMS, especially when he could have benefited from his app if this method is stopped with people stuck with lots of credit.

  • cdaddy on 09/08/2015 - 14:11

    Will be interesting what Telstra says about this tomorrow morning. Surely if they go deleting the data the consumer watchdog will come into play

  • morphio on 09/08/2015 - 14:13

    Quite tempted to try this!

  • Mallaca51 on 09/08/2015 - 14:16

    i've followed the instructions and have only receieved an extra 4 gb from 10 transfers. I used my mbb homepage to send the sms' and hotswapping out after 10. Im wondering why I can only do 10 a day or can i just get the entire 40 done with now?

    also if anyone has any clue how I can do this little combination unlock from ZTE then I'll be going down on you forever.
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/198960#comment-2963238

    So I dunno as of 9/8 they may have adjusted the balance of MBs you get.

    • cdaddy on 09/08/2015 - 14:25
      +1

      You can only do $10 per day

      • Mallaca51 on 09/08/2015 - 14:30

        ah, i see, thanks.

  • murkywater on 09/08/2015 - 14:30

    I was lucky enough to already be using Telstra as my main sim. Been transferring credit over like crazy through m.telstra.com, #100#, 1258888. $10 limit is separate on all.

    One thing I've noticed is that the expiry is being pushed out by 5 days every time I creditme2u to my sim. So I don't even have to recharge $50, by the time I'm done my expiry will be way way out there.

    :)

    • cdaddy on 09/08/2015 - 14:53

      "$10 limit is seperate on all"

      Are you sure abouts this? Pretty sure they just calculate that you can't send more than $10 from 04xxxxxxx not on what method you use

      • murkywater on 09/08/2015 - 14:55

        uhm I've just transferred like $40 from my sim, so I'm 100% sure. m.teltra.com doesn't seem to be limiting me at all atm, weird…

        • cdaddy on 09/08/2015 - 14:58

          Interesting, Is your sim the Broadband one?

        • murkywater on 09/08/2015 - 19:07

          @cdaddy: Nope, Simplicity and Freedom. They changed the m.telstra.com website, doesn't seem to have a limit anymore.

        • cdaddy on 09/08/2015 - 19:13

          @raven2000: ahh ok. I was wondering about the m.telstra site. Cause with the broadband you can't transfer credit through it

        • murkywater on 09/08/2015 - 19:19

          @cdaddy: Yeah, only works with the mobile plans.

  • [Deactivated] on 09/08/2015 - 14:49

    Just a warning: Online activation failed with 2 sims I just purchased, one before it worked (accidentally got a nano though, so needed 2 different ones). Seems there's some limit to how many you can activate at once online.. On the phone now to Telstra.

    Edit: Opened a live chat to do the second, 10th in queue… Great.

    • cdaddy on 09/08/2015 - 14:51
      +1

      Just ring. It's the opposite now days live chat takes forever whilst phone you get on straight away.

      • [Deactivated] on 09/08/2015 - 15:27

        Did one on the phone and doing the second on live chat now, was easier this way because I could get 2 activated at once.

  • User_153999 on 09/08/2015 - 14:55
    +8

    Can the bright shine fellow member who notified Telstra about this step foreword and introduce him self to be awarded the ozbargain rat of the year?

    • rodinthink on 09/08/2015 - 15:57

      Once you go public, there is always a PSYCHO who purchase 3x (2 x 100GB) deal first , and then report it to Telstra so that everyone else don't get the deal.
      This type of "joy when seeing people suffer because of OZregret (regret for not checking OZBargain regularly)" could be called Schadenfreude
      Extremely selfish and you could say one of the most scum people on the earth that deserved to be totally banned from OZbargain (can't even access OZbargain)

      • kima on 09/08/2015 - 18:43

        there is a lot of that type on ozbargain. a lot of takers that never give anything back. some are even saying the one that posted this had the same sort of motives.

        ozbargain will never block that type though. that's most of their traffic

  • outofdateyesterday on 09/08/2015 - 15:00

    So is it still working or not?

  • DEvok on 09/08/2015 - 15:42

    It seems everyone everyone is confused if it's working or not, best to have it marked as expired, which it is. also it is better if this was moved to the forums.

    • nicois on 09/08/2015 - 16:05
      +1

      I marked it as expired as the 1258888 transfer failed for me an hour or so ago.

      If it works for others then great but better to play it safe.

      • Splashtash on 09/08/2015 - 16:10
        -1

        turn phone on and off>.>

        • kiriakoz on 09/08/2015 - 16:13
          +1

          irish accent have yer tried turning it off and on again?

      • DEvok on 09/08/2015 - 16:16

        I have the feeling it must been stopped for the ones they found out that have been abusing it as it entirely not working, that I would not know cause I personally have not tried this yet.

  • Splashtash on 09/08/2015 - 15:45
    +1

    its a pity it doesnt work anymore :(

    • kiriakoz on 09/08/2015 - 16:13

      it IS a pity, well observed.

      • [Deactivated] on 09/08/2015 - 16:13

        Still works.. I literally just used this method?

  • daver on 09/08/2015 - 16:18

    aahh well back to uncharged\LTE850MHz weekend whers streaming netflix won't cost a prettypenny.

    • nagel on 09/08/2015 - 17:53

      Do you mean vodafone free data weekend that expires on the 16th?

      • daver on 09/08/2015 - 18:05

        That's it. Free 4G LTE gbytes via 850MH frequency. ( x6 months+ :))
        (+am grandfathered favourites pack $1.5/gb usage morelongterm)

        Still, tempted to test a $10 recharge.

  • DEvok on 09/08/2015 - 16:27
    +2

    Was literally eye candied yesterday and now since its prob debunked, let's move into the Next offers shall me?

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