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Telstra internet review

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.

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Pros

  • Extra features like Telstra Plus rewards
  • NBN modem with 4G back-up
  • Free home phone line on all NBN plans
  • Fast, reliable speeds on NBN plans

Cons

  • More expensive than other providers
  • Flat fee for modem non-return if you leave before 24 months instead of paying off how many months are remaining

Compare Telstra internet plans

Name Product AUFBB-INT Data allowance Typical download speed Price Hid Compare Box!
Telstra Upfront Internet Basic
NBN
Month-to-month
  • Month-to-month
  • $0 modem if you stay connected for 24 months T&Cs apply
Unlimited Data
Data
Unlimited Data
25Mbps
nbnâ„¢25
Speed
25Mbps
nbnâ„¢25
$89
per month
$0 setup fees, $289 min. total cost
Price
$89 per month
$0 setup fees, $289 min. total cost
Telstra Upfront Internet Essential
NBN
Month-to-month
  • Month-to-month
  • $0 modem if you stay connected for 24 months T&Cs apply
Unlimited Data
Data
Unlimited Data
50Mbps
nbnâ„¢50
Speed
50Mbps
nbnâ„¢50
$105
per month
$0 setup fees, $305 min. total cost
Price
$105 per month
$0 setup fees, $305 min. total cost
Telstra Upfront Internet Premium
NBN
Month-to-month
  • Month-to-month
  • $0 modem if you stay connected for 24 months T&Cs apply
Unlimited Data
Data
Unlimited Data
100Mbps
nbnâ„¢100
Speed
100Mbps
nbnâ„¢100
$110
per month
$0 setup fees, $310 min. total cost
Price
$110 per month
$0 setup fees, $310 min. total cost
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Name Product AUFBB-INT Data allowance Typical download speed Price Hid Compare Box!
Telstra 5G Home Internet
Home wireless
Full Telstra network
Month-to-month
  • Month-to-month
  • $0 modem if you stay connected for 24 months T&Cs apply
1000GB
Data
1000GB
317Mbps
Speed
317Mbps
$85
per month
$0 setup fees, $85 min. total cost
Price
$85 per month
$0 setup fees, $85 min. total cost
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Name Product AUFBB-INT Data allowance Price
Telstra Upfront Data Plan Small
Mobile broadband
Full Telstra network
Month-to-month
  • 5G/4G network
  • Month-to-month
  • BYO device
30GB
Data
30GB
$25
per month
$0 setup fees, $20 min. total cost
Price
$25 per month
$0 setup fees, $20 min. total cost
Telstra Prepaid Mobile Broadband 25GB
Mobile broadband
Full Telstra network
28 Days contract
OFFER: 30GB/recharge for the first 3 recharges, then 25GB/recharge. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply
  • 5G/4G network
  • 28 Days expiry
  • BYO device
25GB
Data
25GB
$39
per 28 days
$0 setup fees, $39 min. total cost
Price
$39 per 28 days
$0 setup fees, $39 min. total cost
Telstra Upfront Data Plan Medium
Mobile broadband
Full Telstra network
Month-to-month
  • 5G/4G network
  • Month-to-month
  • BYO device
75GB
Data
75GB
$58
per month
$0 setup fees, $58 min. total cost
Price
$58 per month
$0 setup fees, $58 min. total cost
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Name Product AUFBB-INT Data allowance Typical download speed Price Hid Compare Box!
Telstra NBN Fixed Wireless Basic
NBN
Month-to-month
  • Month-to-month
  • $0 modem if you stay connected for 24 months T&Cs apply
Unlimited Data
Data
Unlimited Data
23Mbps
nbnâ„¢25
Speed
23Mbps
nbnâ„¢25
$89
per month
$0 setup fees, $89 min. total cost
Price
$89 per month
$0 setup fees, $89 min. total cost
Telstra NBN Fixed Wireless Essential
NBN
Month-to-month
  • Month-to-month
  • $0 modem if you stay connected for 24 months T&Cs apply
Unlimited Data
Data
Unlimited Data
55Mbps
nbnâ„¢75
Speed
55Mbps
nbnâ„¢75
$105
per month
$0 setup fees, $105 min. total cost
Price
$105 per month
$0 setup fees, $105 min. total cost
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Telstra internet review: Our verdict

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.
Kate Boddington's headshot

"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

Based on Telstra NBN scores in Finder's 2024 Customer Satisfaction Awards.

Read a more detailed review on


money icon

Value for money

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.

speedometer icon

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 icon

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 icon

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.

ProviderTypical evening speedPriceLearn more
Telstra50Mbps$105/month
Read review
TPG50Mbps$79.99/month
View plans
Optus50Mbps$89/month
View plans
AGL50Mbps$94/month
View plans
iiNet50Mbps$84.99/month
View plans
Aussie Broadband49Mbps$89/month
Read review
Belong50Mbps$85/month
Read review
Tangerine50Mbps$82.90/month
View plans

How to switch to Telstra

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.

phone

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.

For more details on the process, check our guide to switching broadband providers.


Frequently asked questions

Compare other products from Telstra

Jason Loewenthal's headshot
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Jason Loewenthal as part of our fact-checking process.
Mark Neilsen's headshot
Written by

Utilities writer

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:
  • Entertainment streaming
  • Sports streaming
  • Broadband
  • Mobile

More guides on Finder

  • Telstra Internet speed test

    Think your Telstra Internet is running slow? Run a quick speed test to make sure you're getting the speed you've paid for.

  • Telstra mobile broadband

    Be online 24/7, wherever you are in Australia with a Telstra mobile broadband plan. Compare the different plan options now.

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23 Responses

    Default Gravatar
    ChrisJune 19, 2024

    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

    Default Gravatar
    SharynOctober 4, 2023

    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

      AvatarFinder
      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.

    Default Gravatar
    DarrylMay 16, 2023

    Can I get 5g in Timboon 3267 – new conection

    Default Gravatar
    LynetteMarch 15, 2023

    Are there any discounted plans for pensioners??

    Default Gravatar
    RogerDecember 7, 2018

    only require a landline phone as am elderly

      AvatarFinder
      JohnDecember 11, 2018Finder

      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

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