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Telstra Customers Face Price Hikes for Phone and Internet Plans
Starting July 1, Telstra customers will notice an increase of $3 to $5 in their monthly phone and internet plans, prompting widespread backlash from its user base. This adjustment will affect most postpaid mobile, mobile data, and home and small business internet offerings, an announcement that has irked many long-time subscribers.
Customer Reactions
Many customers have expressed their dissatisfaction online. A long-term customer, who has been with the provider for over 25 years, voiced frustration, stating, “You’ve just lost me as a customer." Another pensioner highlighted financial constraints, saying, "I CAN’T afford this increase." Complaints continued, with many customers lamenting that the price hikes haven’t been accompanied by improved services. One user remarked on the repetitive nature of these increases, commenting, "We were only talking about how they put prices up, not so long ago."
This latest announcement follows a series of price hikes, notably a $4 increase for prepaid users in October and additional increments for postpaid customers in August. Competing telco, Optus, has also announced plans to increase its mobile prices, indicating a broader trend in the industry.
Breakdown of Price Changes
The price adjustments will see various plans increase monthly costs as outlined:
-
Mobile Plans:
- Mobile Bundle (25GB): from $52 to $57
- Basic Plan (50GB): from $65 to $70
- Essential Plan (180GB): from $75 to $80
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Data Plans:
- Data Bundle (10GB): from $10 to $15
- Small plan (30GB): from $25 to $30
- Medium plan (100GB): from $58 to $65
- Internet Plans:
- Basic plan (25 speed): from $89 to $93
- Essential plan (50 speed): from $105 to $109
- Premium plan (100 speed): from $110 to $113
While the majority of plans will see increases, Telstra noted that certain premium and small business internet tiers will actually decrease in price. For example:
- Premium 100/40 speed Small Business plan will drop from $140 to $125.
- Ultrafast plan (1000 speed) will decrease from $150 to $139.
Telstra’s Justification
The telco has indicated that these changes are necessary to boost the performance and reliability of its mobile network. According to Telstra group executive, Brad Whitcomb, the company aims to invest an additional $800 million over the next four years to enhance infrastructure. This investment is expected to lead to improvements in network reliability, data speed, and customer experience.
Whitcomb stated, "Some customers will start to notice improvements to their speeds and overall experience from later this year." Future plans include launching satellite to mobile messaging capabilities, providing connectivity in areas without mobile coverage.
Additionally, Telstra aims to adapt to increasing data usage as more Australians incorporate smart devices into their daily lives. Whitcomb reassured users of enhanced security measures and local support during outages.
Conclusion
As Telstra prepares to implement these price increases, the response from customers indicates a growing frustration with the telco’s pattern of escalating costs without delivering corresponding enhancements in service. The coming months will be crucial for Telstra as it seeks to balance infrastructure investment with customer satisfaction amid a competitive telecommunications landscape.
