Telstra has introduced a new range of NBN plans where customers won’t get locked in or stung with any contract exit fees.
While Telstra’s NBN plans have technically been “contract-free” for quite some time now, you’d get hit with a prorated modem fee if you left within your first 24 months. This is equivalent to $9 multiplied by each month left in your two-year term.
With Telstra new Upfront range of NBN plans, you’ll just return your modem to Telstra if you leave within 24 months. You can still keep it, but you will need to pay a $200 non-return fee. This is the same second-generation Smart Modem you get with other Telstra NBN plans, and it still gets you 4G backup at 25Mbps if your NBN carks it.
Telstra’s Upfront NBN plan range will continue to coexist along with its older NBN plans for the time being. Pricing is identical, starting at $80 per month for NBN 25, but there are a few differences. The most important is how the plans are billed. Instead of getting an invoice with a two-or-so-1week payment period, you’ll be billed instantly and will pay for the upcoming month upfront.
In addition, not all features are currently available on Telstra’s Upfront NBN plans. You can only get plans as fast as NBN 100, with NBN 250 coming shortly and NBN 1000 early next year. Most extras cannot be bundled onto Upfront NBN plans yet, including Wi-Fi boosters, game optimiser, and Xbox All Access. Game Pass Ultimate is available, however.
Professional installation is not available, and you also can’t transfer an existing phone number to a Telstra Upfront NBN plan if you still need a landline.
If you want to try out a Telstra Upfront NBN plan, they’re all currently available for $1 for your first month. You can check them out here.
Upfront plans will eventually be your only NBN option from Big T, and a Telstra spokesperson told us the company plans to move over existing NBN customers to Upfront plans mid-to-late 2022.
Alex Choros is Managing Editor at WhistleOut, Australia’s phone and internet comparison website.