Introduced as part of the telco's T22 strategy, Telstra - which marks one year since the launch of its 5G network - says more than four million services are active on the plans which removed excess data charges in Australia and lock in contracts.

Telstra Consumer and Small Business Group Executive Michael Ackland said the changes being introduced from 1 July “acknowledged the lives of Australians had fundamentally changed in recent months”.

“We know now, more than ever, with many of our daily routines quickly moving online for learning, work and entertainment, it is critical our customers have access to more data, and reliable, high quality connectivity both in-and-out of the home,” Ackland said.

“That is why we are announcing that from 1 July, consumer and small business customers will benefit from a data increase of up to 30GB depending on their plan, with 5G access included on our medium plan and above.

“As a result of the extra data, the monthly retail price of most plans will rise by $5 and we will be progressively migrating customers over to the new plans over the next three months by offering them a credit to help offset the increase for the first 12 months if they upgrade before 30 September. Eligible customers will be contacted by Telstra about this offer before this date. Customers have the choice to move up and down between these plans to suit their budget and data use because there are no lock-in contracts.

“Since we launched Australia’s first 5G network just over 12 months ago, our customers have really embraced more data intensive uses of their mobile connection such as streaming services, video conferencing, virtual reality and mobile gaming.

“That is why following the conclusion of the 12 month 5G free trial period on 1 July 2020 we have decided not to charge a separate fee for 5G, and will now be including 5G access for customers on our medium plan as well as our top two tier plans.”

According to Ackland, Telstra is “leading the way” in ensuring our customers have access to all the benefits of 5G technology.

“We’re bringing forward $500 million of capex from the second half of FY21 into calendar year 2020 to increase capacity in our network and further accelerate the roll out of 5G. We have 47 cities and regional towns across Australia now able to enjoy Telstra 5G and over 1,000 suburbs more than 50 per cent covered by Telstra 5G,” he said.

“Along with the launch of the new mobile plans, Telstra is offering post-paid consumer customers access to sign up to Foxtel’s new entertainment streaming service Binge and get a minimum of three months on us, as well as extending our customer offers for Kayo, as the world of sport kicks off again.”

Ackland said existing Telstra Plus loyalty program members can “enjoy even more Binge with Gold members receiving an additional 9 months on us (12 months total), Silver members will get an additional 6 months (9 months total) and Bronze 3 months (6 months total)” - and in addition, Telstra is also “increasing its loyalty program points earn rate, meaning Telstra Plus consumer customers will enjoy more benefits and be able to redeem rewards even faster”.

“Customers who have and maintain at least one of the refreshed Medium, Large or Extra Large mobile plans will receive Telstra Plus Accelerator, a 50 per cent increase to their points earn rate, from 10 points per dollar spent, to 15 points per dollar spent,” Ackland said.

“More than two million customers have taken advantage of the Telstra Plus loyalty program, introduced in April 2019, which provides customers with points they can exchange for discounts on the latest devices and accessories, and with small business customers also benefiting from extra value on the medium plan and above, and a “bonus for our business customers purchasing multiple connections.

Ackland said that Telstra also recognised that this has been a difficult year for many Australians and that there are families who have found it challenging to access high quality connectivity. “That’s why we’ve also taken another look at how we can better support Australians who are managing financial hardship,” he said.

Telstra lists its financial hardship measures as:

• Removing late fees for customers who are on direct debit, to ensure they are not stung twice for a direct debit dishonour.
• Allowing small business owners and consumers to suspend their services online if their circumstances change or they simply need to reduce their spend. They are able to cancel at a later date or re-start their service at no cost. Small business owners are also able to access free call forwarding services.
• Continuing with our new affordable ($30) mobile post-paid offer with unlimited calls and texts and no excess data charges for customers eligible for a healthcare card.
• Extending the timeframe eligible low-income customers can apply for our Connected Family Internet Offer to 30 September and providing families with a dedicated hub of information to help them get connected and stay connected: https://www.telstra.com.au/staying-connected/family.