Control your Telstra TV by voice with new Google Assistant commands

Telstra has announced a new integration between Telstra TV and Google Assistant that will allow customers to turn on their Telstra TV, launch apps, pause and play live and streamed content using voice commands. The integration works with both Telstra TV 1 and Telstra TV 2 devices and is available to set up and use today.

You can set up Google Assistant voice commands for your Telstra TV using any Google Assistant enabled device. That includes Google Home smart speakers, third party smart speakers with the Google Assistant and many newer iPhones and Android smartphones with the Google Assistant app installed. 

To set up commands, you will need to make sure you have the Google Home app installed on your phone and then follow the app commands to pair your Telstra TV to Google Assistant. 

Once set up, you can use the following commands to control your Telstra TV:

• To turn on: "Hey Google, turn on Telstra TV"
• To launch a streaming app: "Hey Google, launch Netflix on the Telstra TV"
• To launch live TV (Telstra TV 2 only): "Hey Google, play Channel 7 on the Telstra TV"
• To pause: "Hey Google, pause the Telstra TV"
• To play: "Hey Google, resume the Telstra TV"

While these are the only voice commands you can currently use with Telstra TV, Telstra says there are more Google Assistant skills on the way including the ability to search for specific TV shows and movies across Netflix, Stan, Foxtel Now, BigPond Movies, 7plus, 9Now, Tenplay, ABC iView, SBS on Demand, AnimeLab and Docplay.

In the future, Telstra says, customers will also be able to set up custom routines controlled by a single voice command. For example, you could program your Google Assistant to turn on Telstra TV and dim your lights (if you have smart lightbulbs) when you say "Hey Google, it's movie time".

Get a free Google Home Mini from Telstra

It seems that not only does Telstra want you to control your Telstra TV by voice, the telco also wants you to have a smart speaker to do it with. Telstra is giving out free Google Home Mini speakers with all home broadband plans as well as with any Android smartphone bought from Telstra either prepaid or on a postpaid contract.

That includes the Alcatel U3 phone which is currently selling through Telstra prepaid for $39. Considering the Google Home Mini retails at $79 outright, that's a pretty good deal. But note your Alcatel U3 will be locked to Telstra.

The Google Home Mini promotion will run from now until December 25, 2018 or while stocks last.

If you're signing up to a broadband plan with Telstra, as well as the Google Home Mini you can also get your hands on a new Telstra TV 2 by signing up to Telstra's $99 streaming bundle. The plan comes with unlimited data, NBN 50 speeds (if you're on NBN) and a 24 month free subscription to Foxtel Now which includes one starter pack, usually valued at $25 per month.

Alternatively, if you're already on Telstra broadband or don't want to sign up to the streaming bundle, you can buy a Telstra TV from the telco outright for $192.

Jacqui Dent

Editorial Strategist

Jacqui Dent is an Editorial Content Strategist at WhistleOut Australia, where she writes about mobile phone plans, NBN plans and everything in between. Over her ten-year career, she has worked to provide informed advice to the public, first in the sphere of writing and now in the world of consumer tech. Jacqui has also written about consumer telco products for Business Insider, Pedestrian and the 50Up Club.

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