Telstra deploys Matrixx for real-time data usage alerts

Telstra has deployed a new solution based on Matrixx technology that will allow it to provide near instantaneous alerts to customers when they reach specific data usage thresholds.

Australia’s largest telcos were required to start alerting customers when they had reached 50, 85 and 100 percent of their mobile voice and data quotas by September 1 last year under a revised Telecommunications Consumer Protection (TCP) Code.

The code specifies that telcos are required to send the alerts within 48 hours of users reaching the thresholds.

In order to respond to the changes, Optus adapted its internal systems to keep tabs on continuous mobile data sessions in six-hour or 100 MB increments; Virgin Mobile moved from calculating usage costs monthly to at the end of each data or voice session; and Telstra started accounting for long mobile data sessions in increments of 117MB. 

Telstra today said it would now offer real-time mobile data usage alerts to customers on personal plans within seconds of reaching 50, 85 and 100 percent of their monthly data allowance.

The telco has purchased a software solution from data service solution provider Matrixx - a company which Telstra Ventures recently invested an undisclosed amount into  - which delivers real-time records of data consumption back to Telstra's billing system.

Telstra's director of mass market mobile, Scott McGibbony, said the deployment of the Matrixx tool was the next evolution in Telstra's efforts to track large batches of data for customers and enable them to better monitor their monthly spend.

The telco is progressively rolling the tool out to its several million personal use customers before the end of the month, to align with billing cycles.

McGibbony said the telco had targeted personal use customers first as data usage tended to be more of a pain point for this category. Business customers will also receive the service in the future but Telstra declined to provide a a timeline for that rollout.

Telstra will also update data usage information within its 24x7 app, Telstra One app, My Plan Manager and My Account services within 15 minutes or within 30MB increments of use, down from 48 hours.

The telco will also begin alerting customers who go over their monthly allowance at the point of every extra $50 worth of data they spend.