Our verdict: While it's great that you can access the full Telstra 4G network on JB Hi-Fi's mobile plans, most of your options will have you locked into a 12 or 24 month contract.
Retail giant JB Hi-Fi sells a small set of mobile plans, which are actually powered by Telstra. All plans share a set of terms and conditions from Telstra and use Telstra's customer care team too.
The biggest draw of JB Hi-Fi's plans is the big gift cards that come with them which can be used to, for example, purchase a new mobile handset. There's up to $1100 available, but keep in mind that you'll need to pay the gift card amount back if you leave your contract early.
JB Hi-Fi could be right for you if:
You want access to the full Telstra 4G network. JB Hi-Fi's plans offer total access to the Telstra 4G network covering 99.5% of the population, plus potential 5G Telstra access on select plans.
You want international roaming on your plan. You'll be able to get 1GB of data and unlimited talk and text overseas in selected countries for $10 a day on Telstra's International Roaming Day Pass.
You're looking for unlimited data. Once you hit your cap, you can keep browsing at a capped download speed of 1.5Mbps. You won't be charged any extra fees for this.
You'd like to rollover unused data. JB Hi-Fi's prepaid plan offers data rollover up to 200GB.
But watch out for a couple of things from JB Hi-Fi:
All postpaid plans come with 12-24 month contracts with hefty early termination fees. Make sure you're committed for the long haul before signing up.
While its plans are powered by Telstra, it doesn't have all the regular features of a Telstra plan. For example, you won't get international inclusions for calls and texts made from Australia.
Payment is by automatic direct debit only (Telstra AutoPay).
JB HiFi's plans offer decent value for what they are, but there are no budget options for customers who want less than 60GB per month.
Good to know: All of JB's plans can be considered good value, coming in at under $1 per GB. The value is only weighed down because you're stuck on a contract on most plans from 1-2 years.
Things to watch out for:
All postpaid plans come with a 12- or 24-month contract. If you cancel your plan early, you'll have to pay out 50% of your remaining plan fees. If your plan included a gift card, you'll also need to pay back the value of it. This is calculated by dividing the cost of the gift card by 12 and multiplying that by the remaining months of your contract.
Coverage
JB H-iFi gives you access to the full Telstra 4G mobile network, as well as the 5G network depending on which plan you're on.
You'll get identical coverage to a plan from Telstra, with a 4G network that covers 99.5% of the population.
5G availability depends on your location. The Telstra 5G network reaches 80% of the population, mostly in metro areas. You'll also need a 5G-capable handset to access the Telstra 5G network.
Customer service
JB Hi-Fi shares the same customer support team as Telstra. You can:
Ring up the customer support line between 8am and 7pm AEST, Monday to Friday.
Send a message in live chat (although you might have an extended wait for a response).
Notify Telstra on its social media through Facebook or Twitter.
Send an email if you're not worried about a fast response.
Bonus features
JB Hi-Fi has a few extra features on its plans, though not as many as if you were to purchase your plan directly from Telstra.
❌ No excess data charges
If you go over your monthly data allowance on its postpaid plans, you won't be charged for extra data. Instead, you'll be able to keep browsing at a reduced download speed of 1.5Mbps until the next month.
Only 5 other mobile providers in Australia offer this feature.
🌏 International roaming
JB Hi-Fi customers on contracted plans get access to the Telstra International Roaming Day Pass when overseas, which offers 1GB and unlimited talk and text for $10 per day.
If you need extra data, you can purchase an extra 1GB of data for $10.
🎁 Bonus JB Hi-Fi gift cards
Some of JB HiFi's plans come with a gift card you can spend in-store.
Be warned though – if you cancel your plan early, you'll get to keep the gift card but be forced to pay back the gift card's original value divided by 12, times the number of months remaining on your contract.
✈️ International calls and texts
JB Hi-Fi's prepaid plan comes with 300 minutes of international calls to Zone 1 destinations and 100 SMS & MMS messages to any country.
⚡ Data rollover
Its prepaid plan also comes with data rollover up to 200GB if you recharge your plan before its expiry.
Which rivals are giving JB Hi-Fi mobile a run for its money?
For cheaper Telstra access:
Boost Mobile also has access to the full Telstra 4G mobile network at much lower prices.
For cheaper 5G:
SpinTel has access to the Optus 5G network for as little as $40 a month for the first 6 months, along with 80GB of data.
For cheap big data:
You can get up to 100GB from Circles.Life for just $45 a month, with more cheaper options available.
Ready to sign up to JB Hi-Fi?
Unfortunately, JB Hi-Fi mobile plans are not available for purchase anywhere online. You'll have to ring up the JB Hi-Fi sales line or go in-store to buy the plan you're after.
Otherwise, stay on Finder and keep comparing mobile plans to find one that works for you.
What if I want to keep my current phone number? JB Hi-Fi doesn't share any information about number porting being available, but you should be able to transfer an existing number over. Most transfers should take between 24 and 48 hours.
Sam Baran is a writer for Finder, covering topics across the tech, telco and utilities sectors. They enjoy decrypting technical jargon and helping people compare complex products easily. When they aren't writing, you'll find Sam's head buried in a book or working on their latest short story. Sam has a Bachelor of Advanced Science from the University of Sydney. See full bio
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