This is mentioned as part of the Woolworths catalogue deals in this post https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/244960. I thought it was worth posting separately owing to the popularity of these deals. Many people seem to use them for Google credit, as I do. (I may actually pass on this one and wait to see if an even cheaper deal comes up in the next few months as I still have quite a few left that I bought at $1 and $5 in Coles specials in the last year or so.)
They didn't jack up the prices, I personally found Telstra very good value. Its almost free if you usually spend money on Play Store
I mean they started off with $5 and get lots of people hooked, and then slowly increased it to $10, and now $15.. still good value because I spend it on play store.. I just like to think back to the $5 days..
I know what you mean. I bought 6 on the $1 promo
The one I saw at HN states for tablets . I dont know if it can be activated in a phone ?
They're all the same.
hey nocure, are you sure they can be used to activate a freedom plus plan on a phone? I might stock up if they are all the same.
I'm pretty sure…it's just a sim, you choose how you want to use it when you activate…try one first just to make sure.
@nocure: Thanks dude. I got this response from HN live chat. I guess she's just bluffing - 'Nadia
4:21 pm
I am pretty sure about it 100% if their network catches you using it in a mobile phone they will disable the APNS for data and send you a warning and bar your account'.
Nadia's smoking the good stuff. There is no difference between tablet SIM cards and phone SIM cards.
What a load of rubbish. They could just make it so they can't be activated on mobile plans if they cared. Also pretty sure ≠ 100%, which is it Nadia? They're going to disable it, send you a warning and bar your account? They didn't even send people a warning when CreditMe2U was going through as a recharge and giving the $10 recharge credit back did they? But for using a tablet sim in a mobile they will do all of the above? Also, what is the point of the warning once it's been disabled and your account barred? Poor dear, I wonder if she actually believes what she's saying.
I have used one sim card that is for tablets. Don't worry. It is perfectly same and working.
I can select phone plan.
I thought ppl only bought these nowadays for the Google Play value?
Anyone have issues when trying to activate their new sim card and transfer the credit to an existing prepaid number?
I've been told by Telstra phone employee that they do not do it anymore and the only way to transfer credit to an existing number is using the me2u function where you can only transfer $10 at a time.
Didn't know there was (or used to be) another method. Obviously I'm late on the scene. I use credit me2u. Yep - you do lose $1 of value from the card you're transferring from (if transferring to prepaid) as you can only do $10 at a time as you say - plus the transferring card gets charged 25c each time.
Do you know if when you transfer the credit over you can then use that credit to subscribe to Freedom Plus? I know you'd only get $29 of value (i.e. $1 short of the $30 option) but if you were to use 2 starter packs to get $30 across could you then subscribe to Freedom Plus that way?
No,only recharge directly for freedom plus
Wow. Get paid $1.50 (Rebatr) and receive 3Gb of data (+voice etc)
Please could you elaborate on this ?
1) Buy $15 Telstra starter kit
2) activate it
3) download Rebatr app and spend the $30 recharge credit on the app
4) they give you a 55% rebate on the money you put through the app which means if you spend the full $30 you get $16.50 ($1.50 more than you bought the kit for) real money in your PayPal account
5) use all the data and call credits
However an optional step would be to CM2U the recharge credit to another service and spend it from there to avoid having to wait for carrier billing to activate.
I'm confused about step 5.
After you spend the $30 credit on the app, can you still use the data and call credit?
@Durant: Yes. That is what makes it such a good deal. The $1.50 profit isn't worth all the hassle, it's getting all the free data and calls, especially for people in areas with fixed broadband that would otherwise be stuck paying Telstra $160 for 25GB.
@Durant: A $30 Telstra starter kit (commonly on sale for $5/$10/$15) includes the following inclusions for 28 days (https://www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/prepaid-mobiles/30-…):
The last one, Telstra recharge credit, can be used for buying extra data packs etc etc or importantly it can be used in the Google Play store to buy apps and IAPs. You can spend the entire $30 Telstra recharge credit in IAPs on day 1 and then still have 28 days to use your Telstra call credit/texts/data.
Why are you being downvoted?
Incorrect info or because you let the cat out of the bag.
@pauper: the latter. No community spirit when it comes to Telstra recharge credit. Happens in every thread about this topic. People think the Rebatr app will be pulled by Google Play for breaching T&Cs. Google Play have pulled similar US-based apps because some hackers generated a whole bunch of phony Google Play vouchers and used apps like this to convert those phony vouchers into cash.
@PBG: I don't entirely understand it..
I get the selfish perspective about not wanting it to be known, but on the other hand you have others who kick up a fuss when people don't "share" (e.g. buying 10x of an item when they're clearly going to resell some).
Imo they are not too dissimilar.. people don't like people buying 10x of an item because it means less of it gets around for the good price, and ultimately "depletes the supply". Those who are worried about this app being pulled is largely the same logic. They're worried because the more demand there is, it won't exactly deplete demand but it will "raise unnecessary awareness" so people just want to keep it to themselves.
What gives?
It's hard to say that it's the same group of people who behave this way, but if it is, it's very hypocritical and selfish (to criticise those who buy 10x to resell, yet tell people to keep apps like Rebatr hush hush).
Something like this. Not everyone knows about Rebatr (clearly as evidenced here) so from a selfless, community point of view, there's nothing wrong with sharing it. We're all "supporting" an app that is against the ToS anyway so even if it gets pulled, we should accept it and be glad that we were able to benefit from it temporarily.
@illumination: totally agree. Besides, what people don't understand is that Google is in it to make money. While people use Telstra credit they are making money. The apps they've pulled have been when hackers used phony Google vouchers to extract Google's own cash. Nothing to do with TOS.
Do the anti-community-spirit OzBargainers think if we don't mention it on this forum that the hackers of this world won't ever find out about Rebatr? Like the hackers can generate phony Google play vouchers buy aren't smart enough to use the search function in the Google play store?
Or are they confused and believe that Google pulled the other cashback apps because of Telstra credit abuse?
@PBG:
One of the apps pulled(and dev account banned) was nicois's, one of the original apps that did this, and had nothing to do with phone google play vouchers, was mainly a way to extract value out of telstra recharge credit. He was aussie based, and I'm still not exactly sure why his particular app was pulled and banned when others are still out there.
@Kenb0: nicois' Payback app/CM2U system was not pulled by Google - it was Telstra who initiated the shut down (refer https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/198370?page=1#comment-3521…). How do you know nicois' Google development account was banned?
Also, I understand nicois' app/CM2U system was specifically targeted because of the $10 top-up glitch. nicois was claiming hundreds of $$$ each month from Telstra by abusing this glitch. The other Telstra cashback apps have not had the same abuse (most probably because Telstra closed that hole before these apps were launched). I'm still yet to see anyone specifically point to the Google TOS that says any Telstra cashback app is not allowed. People comment "against Google TOS" but has anyone even read Google's TOS to confirm this?
The PayPal cashback apps in the US that were shutdown were due to phony Google vouchers being abused.
I hope the current Telstra cashback apps aren't shut down anytime soon. Wonder if it's wishful thinking on my behalf?
@PBG:
Nicois mentioned this in whirlpool that his dev account had been banned, quote "I have had my android developer account terminated". He never went into detail as to exactly why or what reason was given.
That link you sent is to do with his web service, and as I understand it, Nicois also had an app which was used to cashback from Telstra recharge credit so they're two different things. Both to do with excess recharge credit, but as far as I understand it, two different things. I don't know if both were shut down by Telstra, by Google or whatever, just that the app is now gone, and Telstra seems to have shut down his web service(as he stated).
I'm not sure if there's anything specifically in the TOS that would explicitly deny apps like this, but I can't imagine, from a layman's point of view that something like the cashback apps that would be allowed to persist if people started complaining about them(eg. maybe Telstra). Just my uninformed opinion however.
@Kenb0: Thanks for letting me know about Whirlpool. I don't frequent there so I've never seen that one. Yes that thread I linked to was originally for the CM2U system however it later intermingled with the payback app also.
Yep, I've been doing this for the past few months. Having to purchase a $2 non-Telstra SIM to transfer out and in again brings it to a net loss of $0.50, but that's better than paying $30/month for a recharge.
If you buy these for $10 (regularly on sale) then using Rebatr and a $2 sim you are profiting each month. Plenty of us here on OzBargain doing it.
What is Rebatr?
@Durant: It's a Google Play store app that allows you to convert Telstra recharge credit into cashback. Search OzBargain for "rebatr" and there are a few comments/posts about it. Then go to Google Play store and search for "rebatr". Combine it with the discounted starter packs. Enjoy :)
Plenty of us here on OzBargain doing it.
Not for long if you keep talking about it. The information is mentioned plenty of times on both whirlpool and here no need to mention it in every thread.
@PBG:
Has anyone actually recently being credited through the rebatr app. Never got my last payment from them, this was at the time the payback app was pulled.
@Normie: I got my last one 24 days ago from Rebatr. Haven't put another through since then.
How long ago was your IAP? Within the last 24 days?
@PBG:
I give up on those cashback apps, the first one was shut down, rebatr didnt pay up twice, the second only the week before last so recharge dollars I could have spent on apps evaporated into thin air. I'm not sure that ozbargain should be facilitating members propagating what is in effect a scam to be honest, as they're clearly not legitimate bargains at all.
This is great value. Good option for those who missed the Boost deal (I believe it's over?) - also uses Telstra's 4G network.
$15 is not good enough. $5 please!!
P.S. Still have the starter kits from previous deals which can last me for another 1.5 years.
Same, but I have enough for 1.5 years for three phones (mine, partner's and tweenage daughter)
Wait until the end of the financial year. I'm quite hopeful we'll see deals for $10 or less.
Any possibility to use the Telstra credit for in app purchases?
LOL. Ask chill :)
No stock in Tuggeranong Hyperdome ACT, checked first thing
Checked Tuggeranong Hyperdome ACT a few more times since… still no stock.
Tried Majura Park ACT this morning, after waiting 10 mins for someone to serve me (she was smoking outside while there is a queue of people waiting and she was getting called for on the PA by other staff), told no stock either.
I give up.
No stock in Ashfield, Burwood, Merrylands NSW. Had the same problem last time Woolworths had this item on promotion… I wonder if they actually ever stock these bad boys…
Try your local Harvey Norman - save $5
Tried HN in melbourne CBD with no luck..
I was told by Woolworths Top Ryde that the item had been deleted :\
This is after waiting over 2 months to exchange a pack that I was sold activated and returned.
Hopefully we have more of these deals D:
Stock now where. Instead of the Kit they have a card saying "Take me to the counter" and then you are informed that it's not in stock :(
Started off low, get people hooked and then they slowly jack up the prices..
Yet.. i'm still going to buy them… Telstra has played me feel like a drug addict..