OzBargain's favourite Telstra plan is running again, and this time it comes with a whopping $500 gift card (use how you please).
Look like this deal is running until Christmas Eve. Link HERE to the Critical Information Summary.
I did it back in late Oct when I purchased my Pixel 4 for $199. Had to go on the $65 plan for 12mths. Came back the next week and changed to the $45 plan.
Did you end up paying anything extra? Any of your terms and condition says you can't? They might have updated.
So over 24 months, for an iPhone 11 64GB this would effectively be $95 a month for 60GB of data (on Telstra). Is that correct? Assuming that you can continue on $65/60GB a month post the first 12 months.
( ($1199 - $500) + (24 x $65) ) / 24 = $94.12p/m … your math sounds right to me.
You will get another 400-500 bucks after 12 months. Switch back to optus for 30 days and port back in as a new customer.
Or just switch to boost after 12 months
You would be wasting money staying on this plan though, could switch to pre paid and spend $20 a month for the second year.
If you are on Boost Mobile currently, you are eligible to port in to this as a new customer, correct?
no
No
Port out.
No
Telstra plans are so ridiculous. The Prepaid plans all have unlimited international calls to included countries (my wife is from New Zealand) whereas the postpaid plans do not. Why would you give extra perks to prepaid customers that you do not give to postpaid customers?
Register for an ABN and apply for a business plan with JB. It is an extra $10/month but may be worth it if you use it often enough.
It's an offence to obtain benefits through an ABN if you are not operating a business. You probably won't be caught but something to keep in mind.
I'm calling BS, reference?
Why do you need international calls anyways? Everyone uses whatsapp to make international calls nowadays
The product exists. People use it.
What if I have bad data reception and want to make an emergency call overseas?
What if I'm calling my great grandmother overseas and she isn't a tech guru?
What if my wife is in hospital and I want to call a landline?
She doesn’t have to be a tech guru 😂 when you call someone over whatsapp you get a very similar screen to answer the phone 😂😂
@behindmyego: My grandmother's telephone doesn't have a screen. It's going to suck for her using Whatsapp on her home phone
@Pigsy3: 😂 if you have a bad reception you’d have a bad reception on calls as well so it won’t matter much. Anyways it wouldn’t be a priority for me as I’m from overseas myself too
Why not just get rid of phone numbers altogether?
Why would you use national calls anyway? Just Whatsapp everyone.
Is there any away to downgrade $65 to $40 something on Telstra live chat?
It's a $65 @ 12month plan/contract with no device attached, no likely not.
The deals to be had relate to phone deals from the seller, JB.
The other thing I did was port my main Telstra number across to the new plan a month later through the chat. Way easier and quicker than porting out before, probably cost a bit more but I was already on the Pixel deal from heaven so I didn't care.
That’s genius. How much did you pay extra to move your main number to the new JB Hi-Fi plan if you don’t mind me asking?
Im waiting for $45/m plan with $200 gift card promo, can't justify paying $65
If you need anything from JB HiFi, you pay an extra $240 over 12 months for an additional $300 in voucher.
Something to consider. :)
Yep if you want Telstra 12 month plans
Guys I am with Optus now, (it would be nice if someone can say something about my current plan)
70Gb internet (free call and text, 400 mins international call) and a Samsung galaxy watch 46mm (have connection between my phone number and watch so I can pick up called using my watch, (I forgot what is the name of this service), and I pay $59.40 every months.
Is my current plan good or better to change? Can I even port out from Optus in this plan?
I am unsure if JB HiFi plans will support Telstra 'One Number'. You may have call and ask. As far as I'm aware though, this service is usually added for $5pm.
Oh that is a good point to think about it, yeah it costs $5pm.
I am unsure if JB HiFi plans will support Telstra 'One Number'.
They do. you can add it on the Telstra 24x7 app
this service is usually added for $5pm.
Correct
Can yo change the plan to $50 plan after you signed up by phoning Telstra directly? This is in effect a BYO SIM plan.
Yes. Whether you get charged the $390 ETC is another question, however, and your results with online chat may vary.
I often question the value of this deal when it comes up.
With $500 gift card, it effectively brings the monthly rate to ~$23 /mth. Also you are limited to a jb gift card which doesn’t have the same convenience and benefits as cash.
You can get a boost mobile yearly sim for $300 with 240gb which works out to be ~$25 / mth. And that’s a standing offer. I was able to get one on special for $250 a couple of months back. This has added benefits of included free international calls to 30 selected destinations which jb plan does not.
Sure the jb deal has 60gb a month but if u don’t really use that much data then the boost mobile alternative might be better. Plus you don’t get data roll over so the boost is better in that respect if you can manage your yearly allowance well. Both use the Telstra network.
Be interested in the OzB community thoughts.
I agree, I would prefer $39 with say 20gb and $200 voucher.
JB plan allow esim and Telstra one number.
With Telstra chat, you might be able to get $10 port in discount, or ETC removed
you get more Teltra plus points ( you are paying $65 ). this is a really minor benefit.
Sure the jb deal has 60gb a month but if u don’t really use that much data then the boost mobile alternative might be better.
Correct, if you do then JB might be better.
Plus you don’t get data roll over so the boost is better in that respect
how is that?
You are effectively paying more to get the voucher though.
I.E:
pre paid (optus parent) $15 a month with 45gb data = $180 for 12 months.
JB $65 a month with 60gb minus $500 voucher = $280 for 12 months.
So if you want to save money, then you can buy cheaper plans.
you are effectively paying more to get into optus
I.E:
prepaid boost (Telstra network) with 60Gb = $135 for 12 months.
We all have different needs
So 20gb days per month as opposed to 60? Big difference for me
I often question the value
Telstra are Australia's most expensive, lowest value communications provider that works all the time to defraud it's customers.
They should never have been privatised. The only people that benefited from privatisation were the owners of the business.
Not true. Us long standing shareholders have suffered also.
Pretty reasonable argument.
I don't think Boost has access to the full Telstra network though, which might be an issue in more remote areas - although this may have changed?
One other downside is the loss of Telstra level customer service - although I can't remember ever having major mobile issues where I've had to deal with Telstra.
I don't think Boost has access to the full Telstra network though
you are wrong, it does.
I do not know if this is still the case. The last deal, I was able to use live chat and got it down to $55/pm. Gave them a false story that I was advised to use; "I was told I'm eligible for the $10 credit discount for porting. Yet I don't see it on my contract." I was given a ref# and to msg them once I get the bill. I did and they applied the discount.
Boost doesn't have 4gx and it rounds up data to the nearest mb.
So some differences exist, it just all depends on the use case
Doesn’t the good guys have the same deal going?
yep but with more data and voucher is for a phone only.
Bugger - Anyone know if they can or do match this deal?
I need a $500 GG voucher - I've already bought my fridge from JB with 5% off gift vouchers…
Dont forget to add this as a work related expensive at EOFY - which will be legitimate for most people.
'most people'? That's misleading and probably shouldn't be advised.
If you use a mobile for work, but work don't supply one it's easy enough to work out the % of the time in each day/week you do use it (even if it's just for people to contact you) and claim that.
I'm going to be claiming 12hrs a day, 5 days a week, 48weeks in the year for both my plan and new phone.
Students too. As long as someone is working (even with a work mobile supplied), you will sure use a certain % of the mobile service for work related data/call.
12 hours of mobile for work a day???
@Tehcookiemonsta: In % of work/study related use. Ozbargain might count.
If the connection is used 4 hrs a day, and one of that is for work/study. It is 25%. The % is not based on 24 hrs/day.
@Tehcookiemonsta: Start at 9am, but need to be reachable from 7 for changes to job schedules, access to tradify app etc, and it's not uncommon for my work to stretch well past 5pm.
It's not about me being on it 12hrs a day, it's about being able to be contactable etc. Without a phone or phone plan, that is not possible.
@2024: @spiderboy this page explains how you can calculate the deduction https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Income-and-deductions/Ded…
@prhino: Yep thanks, all info I already knew.
Any 4 week period I can print my bill, highlight the work calls (which can easily account for a period of at least 12hrs a day without any personal calls).
My earlier post was a little light on info, but it is basically what I said.
The phone is also a work expense, which is worked out the same way (% of work use is claimed as a deduction).
Have been claiming them for years, not my first rodeo. :)
I thought they might have changed it which is why I asked.
@2024: @spiderboy I think you're misinterpreting the guidelines, but whatever. Good luck, and just hope you don't get audited.
iPhone XS 64GB @ $1099 makes for only $599 plus $65/m for an AMOLED IPhone with heaps of data on Telstra for 12 months.
Pretty decent deal I recon. I’d that that over the iPhone 11 any day of the week!
If you can price match at Good guys you will get more data.
Aren’t they the same plans on offer?
you can get 80gb with good guys.
You'll also be locked in for 24 months vs 12 months. :)
Great deal
Can you port in a Optus data sim phone number?
60Gb per month
60GB Data a month.
It's 60GB/month, not 60GB/year.
Depending on your data needs and whether you are
concerned about network quality… I’ve used all 3 major carriers, working in SYD CBD live in the west, Telstra is the most reliable one, and due to my long commute, I do need have a large data plan to consume.
I know a lot of people changed from this 12-month plan to M2M from the previous JB Hifi deals, has anybody been hit with ETC in doing so? I changed mine and wasn't charged any ETC.
when did you do this?
no ETC for me on the pixel 4 changeover
Could you elaborate a little more by changeover?
I'm about to sign up to an iPhone 11 plan, but highly considering signing up to this first, getting some gift card goodness then switching it to the iPhone 11 Plan which is more expensive. But have since been told I'd be slammed with ETC's if I did that.
When there was the first Pixel 4 deal from jb hifi. I got the pixel 4 and changed over to M2M the next day.
Just got the deal with the S10E, how'd you change without ETC fees? In store or live chat/
Exactly. I remember 4-5 years ago there were so many phones came with plans which you only had to pay for the plans and the phones were worth more than $500.
10 odd years ago $30/m 24m plan gives you a "free" phone worth $500-600.
Pixel 3a for $49 extra upfront makes this deal decent I think.
It's better to get the s10e for $99.
That's a better specced phone for sure but my needs are battery first and camera second and Pixel 3a wins on both. Tom's Guide battery test, which is just streaming web pages over LTE, S10e gets 9 hours and 41 minutes and Pixel 3a gets 11:59.
@dazweeja: 3a doesn't win both at all unfortunately, 3a only has a single camera, no optical zoom, no macro, no wide angle, and terrible video quality. S10e gets macro, wide angle and normal with variable aperture, and great video quality. Battery wise the S10E exynos got a large update shortly after release that greatly improved it's battery life, where I could barely get through a day with the S10e, it now easily gets through a day. Long term the S10e is a better choice due to specs and ability alone. Battery tests are very subjective also, given GSMArena mentioned in their video that the 3a wouldn't get them through a day, while the review of the s10e they said did.
@dazweeja: Seems S10E is the peoples choice for best phone camera! https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/ebo77m/mkbhd_the_b…
there is always someone who doesn't believe in climate change…why? because they can't be bloody bother about reading scientific evidence.
I have a kogan sim waiting for me to port and I have been waiting for this deal.
But now I am waiting for my 50k telstra plus points for activating direct deposit.
Waiting, waiting.
Once I cash those points, I am definitely gonna churn and burn. I hope this is still available then.
Waited too long, usually need to be ported out for 30 days (unless you get lucky and they skip the check).
By that time the deals run and done.
Need the crystal ball to take advantage, or do what I did port out and hope they pop up often.
I waited 1.5months on vodafone, worst time ever.
Yeah I am absolutely dreading my month away from beloved Telstra.
I'm currently with Kogan
My plan doesn't end till Feb or March
Can I purchase this now, leave it in my drawer and activate it once my Kogan Mobile expires?
No, it's activated and you start paying straight away. It's not a prepaid sim.
Thanks for letting me know. Looks like I have to hover around and wait for a similar deal early next year !
I have a Telstra pre paid phone i recently smashed. so im looking to upgrade.
No need as such of a JB gift card. From the comments it sounds like this plan isnt as good as some others out there.
What are some alternative offers people know of? I'm hesitant to go on a plan as pre-paid has always worked for me. Plans in the past i feel i have been stung on data (whether telstra, optus or vodafone) and 60 per month bills have turned into 100 plus whereas pre-paid i dont have that issue.
Also does anyone know what kind of phone is included in the 65 per month?
No phone, unless you buy and Iphone 7 (32gb) or any other phone with the $500 gc. I don't know if they are still selling but you can get s10e for an extra $99 (so $65x12 and $99 upfront)
Welcome to OzB, do you work for JB btw?
I did it a few months ago, Considering the Terms and Conditions haven’t changed what says you can’t?
Of course finding a JB happy to move you is the other difficulty.