Telstra are standardising old plans and pushing me from a Go Mobile Plus BYO Online plan ($49 -$10 -$5 = $34/m) - which I believe many OzBargainers are on - to the Mobile Plan Small ($55/m) with a $15 discount* (= $40/m) " and even then the $15 discount is only for 12 months.
Is anyone else in the same boat? Any advice on what to do - suck it up, churn, complain etc?
Do any of them use the full network? I know there's not much difference but we do spend some time in country areas.
Boost are the only other provider with full Telstra network access.
Their Anytime Plus $300 for 240Gb plan is cheaper ($25/month) and has more inclusions (equivalent of 20Gb/month) than your current plan.
You can frequently get a starter pack cheaper too for the first year.
Thanks for that. Even the $200 (8Gb) might suffice. Is the data limit a hard stop or are further charges incurred? The CIS isn't clear, though the absence of usage charges I guess suggests a hard cut off.
@DingoBlue: Sorry I have no idea, but I think it's a hard limit. You can buy data packs to adddata but they're pretty expensive.
Probably cheaper to just recharge another 12 months or switch to one of their month by month plans.
I'm on a grandfathered 80Gb 12 month plan and that amount of data far exceeds my requirements per annum, so the data inclusion is for all intents and purposes "unlimited" for my needs.
My 12 months expires in December and I have 54Gb remaining (ie in 7.5 months, I've used only 26Gb).
When you say country - how far from any rural town are we talking about? Use the MVNO coverage maps to see.
I don't think it gives access to 4gx
No idea what Telstra's definition of 4GX is, but Boost have geographic access to the full Telstra 4G/3G network.
There is (or at least was) a speed restriction to the data connection, but it's certainly not noticeable to me.
Just did a speedtest at the dining table and got 114mbps down, 18mbps Up, Indicated Signal strength of 3 of 5 Bars.
I wish my NBN connection was capable of even half that!
How badly do you need to be with Telstra?
Have you tried a Telstra MVNO like Aldi, belong etc?
This is standard practice. We are phasing out all old plans and making sure everyone is on the new.
This really is not standard practice for Telstra. It's a very recent change of practice and widespread transformation program. Telstra's ASX announcements confirm that Telstra is going through transformations to simplify their product offerings. Only not too long ago Telstra had people on tonnes of grandfathered plans and they couldn't have cared less if people remained on them. Telstra is now forcing almost everyone on a current in-market offer, indifferent to forcing customers to pay more.
This comes after a period of particularly intense competition in the mobile market ending and the various offerings are now more expensive. No doubt that this comes to fund investment in 5G, yet Telstra has (for the first time I can recall) limited those who can access the new network to those paying more for their service. I expect in time Telstra will be forced to change its ways as 4G congestion needs more people on the more efficient networks. By way of comparison, look at how eager Telstra was to push people to 3G 850 ("NextG") and 4G.
This all follows more recent changes, mirrored by other providers, to remove handset subsidies.
Even Alumni discount is removed on Upfront plans. Again, significant changes.
It's particularly poor form for people who have a longer period device contract with a discount associated for continuing while Telstra increases the service price. The upfront system also represents a significant change for Telstra - one with significant limitations, yet Telstra wants to charge people top dollar.
Unless things change, I'll be moving out as contracts come up.
That's interesting I got moved across to the $55 but only given a $10 a month discount for 12 months.
My current discounts are
* $10 Monthly Mobile Credit (this was the offer at the time)
* $5 Valued Customer Bonus (I can't remember this one exactly but I recall having to chat and specifically request it from the billing team)
So I guess they have considered both
Thanks for that. Looking back on mine now I was previously on the BYO $49 with a $10 Monthly Mobile Credit discount so that makes sense.
It might be worthwhile me having a try at pinching the extra $5. It always seems to depend on what consultant you get.
I recently contacted Telstra and they were trying to push me to one of the newer plans. I was only enquiring if it is possible for us to keep our existing Go Mobile $49 plans but get the data increased. As the person started explaining that it would be better for me to move to one of their current plans, I realised I will lose all discounts. Our current plans include a complementary $10 overseas calling pack in addition to other discounts.
Prior to COVID, I could easily work around the automated voice system by saying I wanted to cancel and they would just connect me to their call centre in Adelaide. The staff in Adelaide generally seem to have more powers to make adjustments/offer discounts. However, that trick doesn't work any more. I just keep getting connected to their call centre in the Philippines and they just keep saying no to any requests.
I have 4 mobile services with Telstra:
If I decide to move to a newer plan, the last person I spoke to said that they can only retain the $5 valued customer discount. I will lose everything else :(.
I understand you may not need nor want this, but you get an extra 30GB of Data and 30 minutes of overseas calls for an extra $6pm (for the first 12 months) so not a terrible deal. Sources: Telstra Upfront Mobile Plans, $49 Go Mobile Plus BYO Online Plan
I would however be pushing for the $15 discount to be permanent.
Not sure on OP's situation but I was on the same plan for many years and over time they kept chucking in free data, so I got to 30GB for $34/month before they pushed me on to the new plan like they are doing with OP.
Just be aware, the new Upfront plans do not support Esim!
I almost activated a new service with Telstra before finding out they do not support esim.
My work SIM cannot be converted to esim so I need my personal one to be esim.
That's quite weird. I wonder if there is some licence fee or cost they are trying to avoid.
Also not sure why they're called "upfront". Is that their way of saying unlimited and capped but not unlimited and not capped?
No, it’s just that now you pay in advance. So more like a prepaid I guess.
What the hell, that is ridiculous.
Just be aware, the new Upfront plans do not support Esim.. YET
50 bucks a month is excessive. Definitely move to an MVNO.
We're all in the same boat. Telstra are taking away "deals" left, right, and centre. I'm not planning on going anywhere, none of the MVNO's offer 5G or the full coverage gamut.
Not 5G, but if you don't have a 5G capable handset and don't plan on having one for a while yet, full 3G/4G coverage can be had with Boost.
I've use 5G regularly, need a single number across multiple devices, and don't have the desire to plan hop or bother with recharging. That's not to mention that when two of my friend switched to Boost, their call quality went down the dunny. Needless to say they switched back when their month of credit ran out.
Just leave and wait for the JB Hifi deal and come back in, no reasons to stay or continue with them directly. The practise to push the customers to a more expensive plan, more data is scrutinising by ACCC.
They pushed me and my wife on to that plan probably 6-9 months ago (I'm surprised you're still on it tbh as there was another post about it at the time on here somewhere).
Needless to say we left and went with Woolworths prepaid but Boost was considered.
I'd stick with Telstra if the small plan included 5G but there's no selling point beyond that.
Just switch to a new provider that uses the Telstra network