Our verdict: Telstra’s internet plans are feature-packed and offer some of the fastest speeds around. However, its premium prices might not suit all budgets.
If you're looking for a premium, feature-packed internet plan, Telstra has you covered. It boasts reliable speeds, a strong brand reputation and a free home phone line with unlimited calls on all NBN plans.
But this comes at a price as Telstra's plans are some of the most expensive around.
While Telstra's NBN plans are its core internet product, the telco giant also offers home wireless broadband and data SIMs too.
About Telstra
Telstra is Australia's largest telecommunications and technology company, offering a full range of communications services.
It was formed in 1975 as a government-owned company and became privately operated in 2006.
Telstra made high speed broadband available to the public through its cable service in 1996 and launched BigPond (an internet service provider) in November of the same year.
In 2000, Telstra launched ADSL broadband and NBN plans in 2012.
"I've been a Telstra internet customer for 5 years and I very rarely have an issue with speed or connectivity. It's so reliable and holds up to the demands of a busy family of 5 with two adults working from home plus tween/teenage children with high data usage. I've never had a surprise bill. The My Telstra app is a great user experience and I love that every time I pay my bill I accumulate Telstra Plus Member points. I've purchased an iron and Woolworths gift voucher this year using points."
Kate Boddington
Finder crew member
What do Australians think of Telstra NBN?
3.9/5 overall for Customer Satisfaction — lower than the average of 3.93
4.2/5 for Trust — higher than the average of 4.08
3.82/5 for Customer Service — lower than the average of 3.93
Telstra's plans come with the kind of bells and whistles you expect from a premium provider.
This includes a modem with 4G back-up (only a handful of providers offer this), included phone line with free calls to Australian numbers and maximum speeds across almost all its NBN plans.
However, this comes at a cost as Telstra's NBN plans are usually among the most expensive in their respective speed tiers according to the plans in Finder's database.
Keep in mind: Telstra NBN plans cost about $10–$30 a month above the average price on Finder.
Telstra also doesn't charge any set-up fees for standard installation if you sign up online.
Watch out for:
Telstra's NBN modem is compulsory to purchase when you sign up for an NBN plan. If you cancel your Telstra service before 24 months are up, you can return it for free if it's in good condition. Otherwise it will cost you $200.
Telstra's 5G home internet plan uses its 5G network and promises average download speeds of 336Mbps, much faster than its NBN 100 or NBN 250 plans.
This is great value, so long as you can get consistent speeds. This isn't always guaranteed when using a mobile network for your internet connection.
It has a data cap of 1000GB, whereas other providers offer unlimited data on their home wireless plans. It's still a generous allowance though, as Telstra believes it will allow you to stream HD videos for 350 hours, which works out to be around 11 hours a day during a month.
If you exceed your 1000GB for the month, your download speed will be slowed to 25Mbps and your upload speed to 5Mbps.
Watch out for:
A modem is included for new customers who stay connected for 24 months. If you cancel before 24 months, you must return the modem in good working order. If you don't return your modem or it's not returned in good condition, you may be charged a non-return fee of $400.
You will need to live in an area with sufficient Telstra 5G coverage to purchase the plan.
Unlike most mobile broadband providers that offer under 200GB a month, Telstra is one of only a few providers in Finder's database that offers big data caps on its Upfront plans of up to 400GB.
These plans come with 5G access too, making them strong choices for portable and fast data.
If you go over your data allowance before the month is out, your speed will be capped at 1.5Mbps.
If you want prepaid mobile broadband, Telstra has that too, but the speed is capped on some plans at 150Mbps.
Telstra also has long expiry data plans which work out a little cheaper than its 28-day prepaid plans, though its Upfront data plans still present the best value overall.
Telstra offers the option to buy a portable modem along with your data plan, which you can pay off in 12-, 24- or 36-month instalments. Some are just the size of a small dongle to help you get internet on the go.
Performance
In September 2024, Telstra came second (out of 12 providers) in the ACCC Measuring Broadband Australia report. It delivered maximum speeds 102.3% of the time during the busy hours of the day (7pm–11pm), which was Telstra's best ever result in the report.
With Telstra's score of over 100%, that means it always delivers the advertised speeds on its plans during busy hours of the day.
Why this matters: The ACCC report helps consumers see which NBN providers are reliable in delivering their advertised speeds.
Telstra has ranked consistently in the top 4 in these reports since December 2020, meaning it's one of the more reliable providers out there when it comes to speed.
Customer service
Telstra makes it easy to get in touch with its support team. You're able to:
Call up the customer support line. Technical support is available Monday to Friday, 7am to 11pm AEST, while if you have billing and account enquiries, you can call Monday to Friday between 8am and 7pm AEST.
Head into a Telstra store and chat in person with someone there.
Send a message via the My Telstra app.
Live chat on the Telstra website.
Send a message on the Telstra Facebook or Twitter social media pages.
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) covers complaints data from phone and internet customers. In the 2023 Annual Report for the financial year ending June 2023, Telstra:
Had 40.42% of all complaints, which was the most out of all providers. But considering Telstra is the most popular broadband provider according to Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker, this is not surprising.
Saw a 35.7% decrease in complaints from the previous financial year.
Bonus features
Telstra's plans come with a bunch of bonus features that help it stand out.
4G back-up modem
All Telstra NBN plans come with the Telstra Smart Modem 3.
If there's an NBN outage in your area, you'll be switched over to 4G mobile data as a back-up within a few minutes. The speed is capped at a maximum of 25Mbps download and 5Mbps upload. You also need to be in a 4G coverage area.
30-day satisfaction guarantee
If you're a new Telstra home internet customer and aren't happy with your service within the first 30 days, you can request a full refund of any fees you've paid and cancel the connection with no obligations.
Free home phone line
Telstra is one of the few providers that not only give a home phone line with all NBN plans, but also provide you with unlimited local and national calls at no extra cost. You also get 30 minutes of standard calls overseas.
Telstra Plus rewards
Telstra customers get benefits and earn Telstra Plus reward points whenever they pay their bill. These points can be used towards discounted tech, appliances, concert tickets and more.
How does Telstra compare?
As the NBN 50 plan is the most popular internet plan in Australia, Finder has gathered together some of the major providers so you can see how Telstra compares to them on this speed tier.
If you've settled on a Telstra plan that suits you, you just need to go to Telstra's website to enter your address to finalise your purchase. This will tell you if the plan you want is available at your address.
What if I'm moving house? If you're already a Telstra customer, you can book a move and it'll handle it all for you. Telstra advises that if you book your move before 1pm Monday to Friday, you'll get your service connected within 2 business days.
You should give your current provider some warning in case there's a notice period for cancelling your old service. You don't want to get stuck paying for 2 services. That's even though Telstra says it will notify your old provider if you switch.
Telstra's cheapest NBN plan costs $89 a month. It comes with unlimited data and a typical evening speed of 25Mbps.
If you're an eligible Health Care Card or Concession Card holder you can get a $65 Starter Internet Plan with 50GB of data and unlimited standard calls to local, national and Australian mobiles.
This is cheaper than the Basic Upfront Internet Plan, which costs $89 a month, but gets you unlimited data.
No, Telstra customers do not get free Netflix. On some internet plans, you may be able to get a free trial subscription to BINGE or Spotify, but not Netflix.
No, Telstra modems are included with its internet plans if you stay with it for 24 months. If you leave before then, you'll need to return the modem in good condition or be charged a fee of between $200 and $400 depending on your internet plan.
Yes, Telstra has 5G internet. You can get it on either its 5G home internet plan or via one of its mobile broadband plans. Keep in mind to access 5G internet, you'll need a 5G-compatible device and to be in a 5G coverage area.
Telstra customers do not get free Foxtel included. There is currently an offer from Telstra where you get free Foxtel Now for one month.
You can cancel your Telstra internet plan by calling 13 22 00, messaging it or visiting a Telstra store. Keep in mind, when you cancel, your service will be disconnected immediately and you won't be refunded any money you've already paid. You'll also need to pay out any remaining hardware or accessories in full when you cancel.
Mark Neilsen is a writer at Finder, specialising in streaming, broadband and mobile. He looks for deals on all those services and keeps you abreast of any changes to see what's worth it for you. He has over 20 years' experience in print and digital media and while at Finder, Mark’s expertise has been featured in Yahoo Finance, The New Daily, Ad News, Tech Guide and news.com.au. In his time at Finder he has done over 300 articles on streaming, mobile and broadband. In his time away from Finder he is trying to get through the watchlists of the 11 streaming services he is currently subscribed to. See full bio
Mark's expertise
Mark has written 53 Finder guides across topics including:
If I’m about to lose my free Telstra tv box. Is there a better offer anywhere else. Because I’m thinking why should I stay if I’m losing Telstra tv box
i have no understanding of the nbn or what to look, my internet. all i can understand it is going up to $105 as from the first of next, month
Finder
MarkOctober 12, 2023Finder
Hi Sharyn,
You could read our guide to comparing NBN plans to see if you could find another provider that works out to be cheaper and also suits your needs: https://www.finder.com.au/broadband-plans/nbn
Hope this helps.
The page we are on gives you an overview of plans that include a landline phone. If you just wish to get a landline phone, you may need to contact the provider directly to check if this plan is available. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
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If I’m about to lose my free Telstra tv box. Is there a better offer anywhere else. Because I’m thinking why should I stay if I’m losing Telstra tv box
Hi Chris, it depends on what speeds you’re after and your budget. You can check out our round-up of the best NBN plans this month: https://www.finder.com.au/best-nbn-plans or look at some strong internet deals on offer: https://www.finder.com.au/news/eofy-internet-and-nbn-deals-2024. Hope this helps!
i have no understanding of the nbn or what to look, my internet. all i can understand it is going up to $105 as from the first of next, month
Hi Sharyn,
You could read our guide to comparing NBN plans to see if you could find another provider that works out to be cheaper and also suits your needs: https://www.finder.com.au/broadband-plans/nbn
Hope this helps.
Can I get 5g in Timboon 3267 – new conection
Hi Darryl,
According to Telstra’s coverage map, Timboon does get 5G coverage: https://www.telstra.com.au/coverage-networks/our-coverage
But if you were interested in getting Telstra’s 5G internet, you can enter your address to double check it’s definitely available: https://www.telstra.com.au/internet/5g-home-internet
You can also check out your other options for 5G home internet here: https://www.finder.com.au/broadband-plans/5g-home-internet-plans
Hope this helps.
Are there any discounted plans for pensioners??
Hi Lynette,
Telstra don’t currently offer discounted plans for pensioners. There is one brand, Flip, who do offer discounts for pensioners.
This article might be useful:
https://www.finder.com.au/broadband-plans/nbn/nbn-plans-for-seniors
Hope this helps!
only require a landline phone as am elderly
Hi Roger,
Thank you for reaching out to finder.
The page we are on gives you an overview of plans that include a landline phone. If you just wish to get a landline phone, you may need to contact the provider directly to check if this plan is available. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie