Telstra NBN Plans Home NBN Bundles

Telstra NBN Plans

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So, after much waiting NBN Co has finally hooked up your street to the NBN? Excellent! May we be among the first to welcome you to the future -- kind of. Just don't look overseas and compare Australia's average internet speeds with Kazakhstan. Seriously, resist the urge to Google that to see if we're kidding. It's a depressing search result.

Anyway, now that you're finally allowed to merge onto the information “super-super” highway, you'll probably be keen to learn about fixed-line NBN plans. We're not going to sugarcoat it: there's a lot to know about them. But we've got you covered with all the answers to the most pressing questions...

What are the pros and cons of Telstra NBN plans?

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The good news here is that Telstra has made your choices easier by streamlining all plans down from six options to two. It's a binary choice now, consisting of either the "Essential Bundle" or the "Unlimited Bundle". It's also worth noting that whereas previously customers wanting to go no-contract had to pay a $240 upfront connection fee, they will now only pay a $99 connection fee. Telstra has been known to waive this from time to time, so keep an eye out for the latest promotions.

Let's take a closer look at Telstra's NBN plans. The Essential Internet Plan will set you back $75 per month with 200GB of data and offers a minimum speed of 20Mbps. Meanwhile, you can also get an Unlimited Internet Plan for $90 per month with (you guessed it) unlimited data and typical evening speeds of 40Mbps.

Some pros: both plans forgo lock-in contracts and both include a phone line and unlimited calls to Australian mobiles and standard lines. You also get Broadband Protect (online security to help keep your family safe) and the modem comes with a 4G mobile network backup to help you stay connected. In addition, you can get access to the Telstra Air public Wi-Fi network. 

Downsides: When Telstra streamlined all plans down to two, the company also split out all optional extras, like streaming subscriptions and smart home kits as stand-alone units to be added to any plan. This has made the current entertainment bundles pricier. Quick example: not too long ago you could get a bundle with an Unlimited plan, a Telstra TV, a Foxtel Now starter pack and a smart home kit for $124. Post-streamline, that same deal will set you back $149 once you bolt-on all of the optional extras.

What’s smart about the Telstra Smart Modem?

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Speaking as people who remember dial-up modems (and who still have PTSD flashbacks of that horrendous modem squeal), the Telstra Smart Modem Gen 2 is an impressive bit of tech. The obvious plus with it is that it offers more reliable home internet connection thanks to its 4G Back Up feature. Essentially, you'll be switched from Telstra's NBN internet network to its 4G mobile network if your Internet ever drops out. Even better, this function will use your home data allowance if that switcheroo ever has to occur. Smart, no?

• 4G Network Back Up can keep you online if the NBN stops working
• Dual band Wifi (2.4GHz and 5GHz)
• A pretty sharp looking design for a modem

Note that if you leave your Telstra NBN plan within your first 24 months, you'll have to pay out the pro-rated value of your modem. The Telstra Smart Modem is valued at $216. 

Is it easy to switch NBN providers?

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This all depends on your situation and whether you went with a lock-in contract. Telstra itself no longer deals in lock-in contracts but staying with them for a long period comes with benefits. For example, the Essential plan has a minimum cost of $1,899 if you stay for 24 months. Unlimited can have a minimum cost of $2,259 if you hang around for 24 months, too.

Beyond that, the process of pulling up stakes and going elsewhere isn't always pain free. In most cases you can keep your phone number when shifting service providers. (Just be aware that the usual timeframe to switch your fixed line phone number is 10 business days.)

NBN connections including Fibre to the Premises (FTTP), Fibre to the Node (FTTN), Hybrid Fibre Co-Axial (HFC) and wireless service transfers generally take around 30 minutes to go through. Hitching your wagon to a new service provider also means they'll have to send you out a new NBN modem router, too. Typically that's a free proposition.

What is a Telstra NBN Speed Boost?

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The first thing we need to make crystal clear from the get-go: Telstra doesn’t boldly advertise its NBN 100 speeds. This is because some investigation needs to be done on your home address/business premises – you'll need to connect to the Unlimited plan so that Telstra can test the speed at your address to see if it's viable before you can be upgraded.

That said, if the infrastructure supports it in your area you can attach this service to your order via the Extras section in Telstra's sign up process. Called “Premium Evening Speed (NBN Tier 100)”, this shot in the arm will set you back an additional $30 per month. In return, you should see typical speeds of around 80Mbps during evening hours and around 90Mbps in off-peak hours.

Read more about Telstra NBN speeds here. 

What is Telstra TV?

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Telstra TV is a little box that offers big entertainment (and it's also an optional extra for Telstra's NBN plans). All you need to do is plug this chunk of diminutive plastic into your smart TV and use the supplied wireless remote to get access to Netflix, Foxtel Now, live sport and catchup TV.

Some other key features include 4K HDR streaming, the ability to pause Live TV and you can stop / rewind free-to-air live TV for up to 30 minutes. If that isn't enough you can sync your Telstra TV with Google Assistant and then watch your favourite stuff on the go with the dedicated Telstra TV app.

What is Telstra Air and how do you use it?

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Basically, Telstra Air is Australia's largest Wi-Fi network. It's available at over 1 million Telstra Air hotspots across Australia, and millions of Fon hotpots overseas, for eligible Telstra broadband and mobile customers.

With Telstra Air, your home broadband can be used to create a home hotspot. Once setup, this gateway will broadcast separate Wi-Fi signals for other Telstra Air customers to use (though it's worth noting that the service limits the number of people who can use your home hotspot at the one time). We should also point out that, at the time of writing, Telstra Air doesn't draw from your home broadband data allowance (it used to).

Using Telstra Air at home is a cinch as it's basically preconfigured to be 'on' by default with your supplied Smart Modem. You can opt out of the service through Telstra's homepage, however, doing so will deny you any out-in-the-field hotpsots Air in Australia and overseas. If you do decide to be a part of the great Telstra Air collective, you can make use of it through your Android/Apple phone or tablet once you download and enter your subscription details into the official Telstra Air app.