Features and Services

3-Way Chat

Save time by getting two people on the phone so you can get organised quicker and relax faster!

3-Way Chat allows you to chat with two people at once. Also, one person can leave and another person join at any time, giving an even greater number of people access to the conversation.

Pricing

3-Way Chat is charged at 55 cents per successful use plus call charges at standard rates for each call joined into the chat. This feature is free of monthly subscription charges to most customers on HomeLine® Plans.

Availability

3-Way Chat is automatically available on tone phones in most areas throughout Australia.

Anything else I need to know?

While you are in a 3-Way Chat your Call Waiting will not work, but, if set, your Call Forward Immediate or Busy will still work.

Further information:

• Home Features User Guide (PDF, 1.85MB)
• Home Features User Guide (RTF, 260kB)

Abbreviated Dialling

Abbreviated Dialling lets you make calls by using just a one or two digit code. You can store up to 60 phone numbers, including STD and international numbers.

Abbreviated Dialling – 8 Number Memory

Eight stored numbers can be retrieved by pressing one single digit code – you can store your frequently dialled telephone numbers from 2 through to 9.

Abbreviated Dialling – 40 or 60 Number Memory

For more than eight numbers, a two digit code applies – from 20 through to 59 or 79.

Pricing

• Up to 8 storage numbers – $3.30 per month.
• Up to 40 storage numbers – $5.06 per month.
• Up to 60 storage numbers – $6.16 per month.

Availability

Abbreviated Dialling is available from tone phones in most areas throughout Australia. This feature is not currently available if you have a Digital Voice Service on the NBN.

Anything else I need to know?

• Feature Assistant (1 #) cannot be used as an Abbreviated Code.
• Abbreviated Dialling overrides Call Control, ie Call Control applies when storing the destination, but not when making calls using Abbreviated Dialling.

Further Information

• Home Features User Guide (PDF, 1.85MB)
• Home Features User Guide (RTF, 260kB)

Call Back (Busy)

No need to waste your time trying someone's number over and over again if their number's engaged. Call Back can save you time by letting you know when they're off the phone. It will keep trying a busy number for up to 45 minutes, and (provided you have a compatible phone) will alert you with a distinctive ring when the called number is free.

Pricing

Call Back costs 35 cents per successful use. Standard call charges apply. This feature is free of monthly charges to most customers on HomeLine® Plans.

Availability

Call Back is automatically available on tone phones with distinctive ring capability in most areas throughout Australia. This feature is not currently available if you have a Digital Voice Service on the NBN.

Anything else I need to know?

The busy destination will be monitored for 45 minutes. Call Back will not work for all calls, eg. calls to some business numbers, Operator Assisted Services and international destinations and to phones on some other carriers' networks.

A maximum of five Call Back calls can be arranged at any one time. Call Back requires a tone phone, preferably with distinctive ring capability.

Further information:

• Home Features User Guide (PDF, 1.85MB)
• Home Features User Guide (RTF, 260kB)

Delayed Hotline

Delayed Hotline allows you to call a particular phone number without dialling. You just pick up the phone, wait four seconds and the number is dialled automatically.

Pricing

Delayed Hotline costs $3.30 per month. Calls made using Delayed Hotline are charged at applicable rates.

Availability

Delayed Hotline is available from tone phones in most areas throughout Australia. This feature is not currently available if you have a Digital Voice Service on the NBN.

Further Information

• Home Features User Guide (PDF, 1.85MB)
• Home Features User Guide (RTF, 260kB)

Anything else I need to know?

• 000 cannot be stored as a Hotline number.
• Delayed Hotline overrides Call Control, ie Call Control applies when storing the destination but not when using Delayed Hotline.

Directory Assistance

Reverse charge calls - Australia Direct®

Effective 4 December 2012

Australia Direct Reverse Charge lets you make reverse charge calls from approximately 60 International Calling destinations. To make an International Reverse Charge call, dial the access number for the country you are in and follow the prompts.

The cost of the call is charged to the person you’re calling. Access numbers and charges are listed in the table below. In some countries you may need to pay local charges.

Features and Benefits

• no payment required at the time of call in most countries¹ (refer to the table below for details) convenient, particularly for emergencies
• helps avoid language barriers and problems with foreign currency and phone systems
• calls can be made from most fixed phones, payphones or mobiles
• calls can be made to Telstra fixed network services in Australia and Australian mobile services.

Pricing

Australia Direct Reverse Charge calls to a fixed line

For each successful connection, there’s an operator service fee ($4.25) plus a charge for the duration of the call. This is charged to the person you are calling. These calls are charged at different rates, depending on the originating country, in one-minute increments with a minimum charge of three minutes duration.

Australia Direct Reverse Charge calls to a mobile

Calls to mobiles cost $6 per minute and are charged in increments of $6.

Manage your calls and costs

To help minimise your costs, we limit the amount of time and money you can spend on each call. You can use these limits to your advantage.

Once the charge for your call to a fixed line reaches $55, we'll stop the meter and let you talk for up to 30 minutes, no matter what country you're in.

An Australia Direct Reverse Charge call to a mobile will be limited to seven minutes. This would usually cost $42.00, but we will only charge you $30.

We’ll warn you 30 seconds before your call is going to end.

For further information call 1300 362 162 or download the Australia Direct® Reverse Charge Brochure (PDF, 118KB).

Select the country you're calling from:

Reverse charge calls – National

If you need to make a call – but don’t have the right change or have run out of credit on your mobile – you can make a reverse charge call. If the person you are calling accepts your call, the call is charged to their account.

How to make a reverse charge call

Call 12550 or 1800NoCash™ (1800 662 274) from any Telstra fixed line, payphone or Telstra mobile phone within Australia. You won’t incur any charges for making this call. Pre-Paid mobiles with a zero credit balance can also make a reverse charge call.

You cannot make a reverse charge call to an InContact service or a payphone.

Telstra Reverse Charge calls cannot be made to non-Telstra Fixed Network services.

How to accept a reverse charge call

We will always ask you if you are prepared to accept a reverse charge call. If you are prepared to accept the call, press 9 and we will bill the charge to your account.

Pricing

Only successfully connected reverse charge calls are charged.

For each successful connection, the person you are calling is charged a call connection fee, plus a usage charge based on the duration and/or destination/origin of the call.

Fees for reverse charge calls to fixed lines

Fees for reverse charge calls to mobiles

If you are a post paid mobile customer, we will add the charges for the reverse charge call to your bill. If you are a pre paid mobile customer, we will deduct the charges for the reverse charge call from your account balance. You will be advised of the charges via SMS at the time they are applied. In addition, if you have insufficient credit to reach the charge cap, the call will terminate after your credit limit is reached. For National Reverse Charge calls to mobiles, charges will be applied in increments of $5 (for example, a 1 minute call is $5 i.e. connection fee plus 1 minute; or a 2 or 3 minute call is $10; or a 4 or 5 minute call is $15 etc).

For a mobile service with itemised billing, a separate call charge record will appear on your bill for each increment that is charged (e.g. a 4 minute national reverse charge call will appear as three charges of $5.00).

Message Fees

If the person you are calling is unavailable, you may be given the option to leave them a message. Messages can be a maximum of 1 minute in duration and, if accepted, the person you are calling will be charged as follows:

If a message cannot be accepted there is no charge. Please note that delivery of a message is dependent on a number of factors, such as whether the call is answered by an answering machine, whether the recipient answers the call within the retry periods, or whether the recipient accepts the charges to receive the message.

Send an SMS from a home phone

You can send SMS messages from a compatible home phone to most Australian mobiles and fixed phones¹. Perfect for those times when you’re at home and your mobile is out of battery or just isn’t handy.

Pricing

It costs just 1c per message, per recipient, to send an SMS from a compatible home phone.

Availability

To send text messages from your home phone, all you need is a SMS capable telephone connected to your compatible home phone service. If you do not have a text message capable telephone, you can still receive text messages via our existing Talking Text technology. You can purchase a text message capable telephone from Telstra Shop Online or your closest Telstra Store or partner.

Getting Started

All you need to get started is a compatible Telstra handset connected to your eligible home phone service. You can choose from any of the following:

• T1000C SMS
• TELSTRA T-HUB
• CR2000 MKII

You can buy any of these phones from Shop Online or your nearest Telstra Store or dealer.

Talking Text

With Telstra Talking Text you can send and receive text messages (SMS) from your compatible home or business phone – similar as you would from a mobile.

To send text messages from your home phone, all you need is a text message (SMS) capable telephone connected to your compatible home phone service landline.

If you do not have a text message capable telephone, you can still receive text messages via our existing 'Talking Text' technology.

So you can now let family and friends know what's happening with you, arrange to meet, or just stay in touch when you have a few minutes to spare.

Pricing

It's free to receive text messages on your home or business phone and there are no additional rental fees for the service.

A 25 cent charge applies for each text message you send (and subject to text message character limit) even if it is not received.

The cost of a text message originating in Australia and sent to an international number is 35 cents (GST inclusive).

Availability

To send text messages from your home phone, all you need is a text message (SMS) capable telephone connected to your compatible home phone service. If you do not have a text message capable telephone, you can still receive text messages via our existing Talking Text technology. You can purchase a text message capable telephone from Telstra Shop Online or your closest Telstra Store or partner.