Media Release, 17 July 2012


100 years since the Post Master General introduced the automatically connected telephone call and Australian switchboard operators started hanging up their headsets, the fixed line phone has evolved again with the launch of T-Hub® 2.

Launching today, T-Hub 2 is a combination home phone and tablet that will keep the family connected, organised and entertained.

Brian Harcourt, Executive Director, Telstra Wireline Products said T-Hub 2 takes the best features from the original T-Hub and adds a powerful Android™ platform and an all-new design.

“As the next step in our connected home strategy, T-Hub 2 caters to what modern households need in a home phone, offering a smarter way to make calls, manage contacts and access handy internet services like live weather updates and social networking sites.

“T-Hub gives Telstra customers unique fixed line features including hands-free calling from a tablet and voicemails displayed as a list so owners can see who called and jump to the messages they want to hear most.

“Physically, T-Hub 2 has had a makeover with both the phone and tablet featuring curved lines and an elegant black and white finish. The 7-inch Wi-Fi enabled tablet sits upright in a charging cradle with stereo speakers so customers can enjoy high quality music. The tablet has a built-in kick stand meaning it can be used easily throughout the home.

“To ensure T-Hub 2 meets the needs of Australian families we enlisted the help of Telstra customers who trialled the device during its development. We also listened to feedback from owners of the original T-Hub. They told us call clarity, managing contacts, and access to applications were really important to them and we have focused on making these features high-quality and easy to use.

The home phone remains central to how Australian families communicate and the T-Hub 2 re-imagines a much-loved communication device, making it the smarter phone for Australian homes,” Mr Harcourt said.

T-Hub 2 is compatible with the National Broadband Network, making it easy for customers to transition with their home phone to high-speed broadband when their local area is fibre-enabled.

With T-Hub 2 households can:

  • Make handsfree calls from the tablet or via a cordless handset.
  • Update contacts using a touch screen keyboard and place calls with the touch of a button.
  • Plan and manage their day using a built-in calendar, weather widget and Yellow and White Pages® apps.
  • Stay entertained by watching YouTube® or using TuneIn radio which provides access to tens of thousands of local and international radio stations over the internet.
  • Access a great range of Android applications and games from Google Play™ to make T-Hub 2 an even more useful addition to the home.
  • Bring the connected home to life with the T-Share application which makes it easy to view and share videos, photos and music between T-Hub, T-Box® and DLNA certified TVs and PCs.

Pricing and availability:

T-Hub 2 arrives in-store on Tuesday 17 July.

It is available for $360 outright for customers with eligible services or can be purchased in conjunction with a Telstra T-Bundle® and paid off over 24 months for $15 a month.

T-Bundle customers also get unlimited voice calls in Australia from their home phone to up to four Telstra mobile services on their single bill, as well as unlimited local calls on most T-Bundle plans.

T-Hub 2 specifications:

  • Operating system at launch: Android 2.3.
  • Pre-installed applications: Internet radio, email, calendar, calculator, Facebook®, Yellow and White Pages®, T-Share, and TelstraOne for unmetered weather, news and sports.
  • Tablet processor and memory: TI OMAP Dual-core 1GHz processor with 1GB of RAM and 2GB of flash memory.
  • Voice calling: On PSTN or NBN.
  • Tablet screen: 7-inch WSVGA (1024mm x 600mm) screen.
  • Cameras: 1.2 megapixel front and 1.9 megapixel rear-facing cameras for video and taking photos.
  • Interfaces: micro USB 2.0, micro HDMI®, SD card, 3.5mm stereo audio jack
  • Connectivity: DECT, Bluetooth® 2.1 EDR, Wi-Fi b/g/n.
  • Standby time: 18 hours for both the tablet and portable handset.
  • Manufacturer: Technicolor

T-Hub 2 requires a BigPond broadband connection and a Telstra full service home phone.

100 years of the automatically connected telephone call:

On 6 July 1912, the Post Master General, the forerunner organisation to Telstra, introduced Australia’s first automated telephone exchange in Geelong, Victoria. The opening meant that a Geelong telephone subscriber could, for the first time anywhere in Australia, call another subscriber without the need of an operator. This was the first automated telephone exchange in the southern hemisphere and only the second in the British Empire.

Android, YouTube and Google Play are trade marks of Google Inc.  TuneIn is a trade mark of TuneIn Inc.  DLNA is a trade mark of Digital Living Network Alliance.  Facebook is a trade mark of Facebook Inc.  HDMI is a trade mark of HDMI Licensing LLC.  Bluetooth is a trade mark of Bluetooth SIG Inc.  ™ and  ® are trade marks of Telstra Corporation Limited.