Mobile Lease Plans

If you’re on a lease plan, your upgrade options depend on what stage of your lease you’re at and what condition your phone is in. If your phone is in good working order, you can upgrade it after 12 months for a one-off fee of $99, or $0 after 18 months, when you return your phone to us and take up a new, eligible 24 month phone + service plan. 

If your phone is damaged, additional fees apply. See the section ‘What if I damage my phone?’ to learn more. If you have Mobile Swap Assure, you’ll pay a flat fee of $190 to upgrade your phone, anytime, regardless of damage, when you take up a new, eligible 24 month phone + service plan and return your old phone.

What to do before returning my phone?

When taking up a new 24 month eligible phone + service plan, you’ll need to do the following before returning your current phone:

1. Back up your phone to ensure you have all of your personal information.
2. Remove any device tracking on your phone and turn off Google Smart Lock or Find My iPhone.
3. Remove your SIM and factory reset your phone.

How do I return my current phone?

When you place your order online, we’ll send you a postage-paid satchel, along with instructions. You’ll need to return your phone in the satchel to us within 14 days from the date that you sign up (or within 30 days if you took up a lease plan before 22/08/17).

The phone you return must be the phone that you originally leased with your plan. If your leased phone was replaced under warranty or insurance, you’ll need to provide proof of replacement.

A phone in good working order is one that is fully functional as intended and is not physically damaged, except for normal wear and tear, as reasonably determined by us. It must also have all locking features disabled.

When assessing your phone, check that: 

• it turns on and off;
• it can make and receive calls and connect to the internet;
• it has a fully functioning battery;
• the touchscreen functions as intended;
• the screen has only minor scratches or scuffs, if any;
• there is no liquid damage;
• the screen shows no signs of discolouration;
• you can slide the ‘slider’ across the screen to unlock the phone;
• there are no signs of rust, corrosion or damage to other components like the headphone jack, SIM card slot or connection port;
• the screen and casing have no cracks, splits or fractures;
• it has no missing, disassembled, customised or non-original parts;
• all activation and device locking features are disabled (i.e. Find My iPhone on iOS devices); and
• the IMEI is not blocked.

If you don’t take up Mobile Swap Assure and your phone is damaged during your lease, you can either:

• get it repaired by Telstra or the phone manufacturer (fees will vary depending on the nature of the damage. You won’t be charged if it’s covered by warranty or Australian Consumer Law); or
• pay a damage fee when you upgrade after 12 months or when you return the phone to us. 

Minor damage 

If you upgrade or return a damaged phone, a fee of $229 will apply for minor damage – such as a cracked or split casing; or a cracked, chipped or discoloured screen.

Major damage 

For major damage, such as the phone not powering on (even when connected to a charger); liquid damage (i.e. pink/red water indicator has been activated); or the phone is disassembled or has missing, customised or non-original parts, the amount you’ll pay depends on how long you’ve been in contract at the time you upgrade or return the phone. You’ll pay:

• $499 if you’re 12-18 months in contract 
• $399 if you’re 19-24 months in contract 
• $299 after 24 months in contract.  

These fees are in addition to any early termination charges and accessories charges, if applicable. We’ll help you assess the condition of your phone at the time.

At the end of your lease, you have three options. You can:

• return the phone in good working order. If the phone is damaged, additional fees will apply; or 
• buy the phone at the fair market value (to be advised at the time); or 
• continue to pay the monthly payment for your device and plan (including any Mobile Swap Assure fees) for up to 6 months. After which, you may either return the phone in good working order (fees will apply if the phone is damaged) or buy the phone at the fair market value (to be advised at the time).