From 16 September Telstra will help Australians switch to the nation’s largest and most reliable mobile network by offering credits of up to $450 when they incur contract breakage fees and trade in their old phone, and sign up to a new eligible 24 month handset payment and mobile plan.

For a limited time, Telstra will also give customers that ‘new phone feeling’ more often by including its Telstra New Phone Feeling® offer for no additional charge (normally $10/mth) when new and existing customers take up some of this year’s most desirable eligible smartphones on $70 or above Mobile Accelerate plans with a handset repayment plan.

With Telstra New Phone Feeling customers can get a new smartphone after just 12 months without having to wait for their 24-month contract to end. All they have to do is return their original phone in good working order and take up a new 24 month handset payment and mobile plan.

John Chambers, Executive Director, Telstra Mobile said: “We know lots of Australians really love getting their hands on the latest smartphone technology and we want to give them the chance to get that new phone feeling more often.”

“We also know many Australians are frustrated by their current mobile provider and we’re making it easier for them to trade up to a great mobile experience with great-value plans and the best smartphones on the network with more reliable speeds and fewer dropouts.”

More data or more calls – your choice

Telstra is also boosting its popular Choose Your Upgrade offer for a limited time, for new and existing customers signing up to a $70 or above Mobile Accelerate Plan. The offer gives customers the choice of either a data or voice upgrade so they can tailor their plan to the way they use their phone.

From 16 September customers who sign up to a new eligible Mobile Accelerate Plan will be able to choose between 1GB of extra data to use in Australia or $1000 worth of calls and MMS for use in Australian to standards Australian numbers, each month (all eligible plans already come with unlimited SMS).

All on the network with four times the 4G coverage area of any other mobile network in Australia

“Whichever Upgrade customers choose, they will enjoy the benefits of being connected in more places on Australia’s largest and most reliable mobile network,” Mr Chambers said.

“We know customers want a great quality data experience – rather than simply more data. That’s why we’re investing around $1 billion dollars in our mobile network this financial year so we can continue to offer our customers the speed, reliability and coverage they have come to expect from Telstra.”

Telstra is in the process of upgrading its mobile network, by rolling out new 4G services on the 700MHz band in selected areas – including in selected areas of Sydney and Adelaide later this month. Adding this new 4G band will offer customers with compatible devices in 700MHz coverage areas, faster 4G services that travel further and offer better in-building coverage, than Telstra’s existing 4G services. Customers with 700MHz-ready smartphones will benefit as soon as services are switched on in their area.

Choose Telstra offer

To switch to the Australia’s best mobile network and receive a credit of up to $450, customers can simply bring their mobile number to Telstra, select a new mobile and connect to an eligible 24 month handset payment and mobile plan, and trade in their old phone.

Customers will be offered a $200 credit on their Telstra mobile bill when they stay connected for 24 months, and if their device is eligible, up to $250 credit to trade in their old mobile, depending on the model and condition.

Connecting existing customers with the latest smartphone

Telstra is also making it easier for customers who are nearing the end of their contract to trade up to the latest smartphone technology.

Customers who are within the last three months of their contract concluding will have their early termination charges waived and are also eligible for Telstra’s trade in offer.

Example of how customers benefit from Telstra’s new Upgrade Offer

A customer taking up a new $70 Mobile Accelerate Plan (Min cost $1,680 over 24 months, Standard 2 Min call $2.38, excess data 3c per MB) can enjoy:

• A data upgrade, giving them 2.5GB (instead of 1.5GB) each month, if they choose the 1GB data upgrade. That’s an extra 24GB of data to use in Australia over 24 months.
• Telstra New Phone Feeling at no additional cost when taking up an eligible handset on a handset repayment plan.

OR

• An extra $1,000 worth of calls and MMS for use in Australian to standard Australian numbers, taking your total included value to $1,700 of calls and MMS.
• Telstra New Phone Feeling at no additional cost when taking up an eligible handset on a handset repayment plan.

About Telstra Trade In
Telstra Trade In allows customers signing up to a new eligible 24 month plan with a handset repayment, to trade in their old device. If their device is eligible and in good working condition, once processed, they could receive up to $250 for their old device, depending on the model and condition, directly into their bank account or PayPal account.

THE TELSTRA MOBILE NETWORK OFFERS OUR NEW 4G SERVICE IN SELECTED AREAS OF PERTH, FREMANTLE, ESPERENCE, MILDURA and MT ISA WITH 4G700Mhz CAPABLE DEVICES. YOU’LL AUTOMATICALLY SWITCH TO OUR FASTEST AVAILABLE 4G WHICH IS OFFERED IN IN ALL CAPITAL CBDS AND ASSOCIATED AIRPORTS, MANY SURROUNDING SUBURBAN AREAS AND IN OVER 300 REGIONAL AREAS OR 3G IN OTHER COVERAGE AREAS AROUND AUSTRALIA WITH A 4G CAPABLE DEVICE. CHECK COVERAGE AT telstra.com/coverage.

Typical download speeds of between 2Mbps and 50Mbps are available on our existing 4G service. In selected areas where our new 4G service is available, typical download speeds will be even faster on compatible devices. Speeds vary for reasons like location, distance from base stations, terrain, user numbers, hardware/software configuration, download source and upload destination.

Media contact: Steven Carey, 0413 988 640, media@team.telstra.com