Telstra unveils beefy 25 GB mobile broadband option

Telstra has quietly introduced a new 25 GB option at the top end of its range of postpaid Liberty mobile broadband plans.

The carrier's previous iteration of mobile broadband plans topped out at 15 GB.

The new top-end 25 GB a month plan, which was officially published Sunday but rumoured since late last week, costs $160 a month over 24 months or $165 a month over 12 months.

"We've introduced the new 25 GB plan in response to customer demand," a spokesperson for the carrier told iTnews.

The plan revamp also sees multiple product or member benefits canned, which had previously allowed customers with other Telstra services to claim discounts for bundling.

The multiple product benefit had been worth a $20 a month discount across all available mobile broadband tiers, while a member benefit had been worth a $10 a month discount.

The member benefit was awarded to customers that also had a fixed line phone service, while the multiple product benefit required a fixed line phone plus another eligible service, before the discount was applied.

Though the bundling discounts were now gone, customers on grandfathered Liberty mobile broadband plans could stay put and keep any bundling discounts they had.

"Customers can continue to stay on their existing plans and retain their discounts," Telstra's spokesperson said.

Minor shifts

The existing mobile broadband plan tiers — 1 GB, 4 GB, 8 GB and 15 GB — saw only minor variations in price, excluding the grandfathered discounts.

• A 1 GB plan previously cost $39.95 a month over 24 months. Users could pay $69 to contract for 12 months instead (pdf). Under the revamp, 1 GB is now $35 a month over 24 months or $40 a month over 12 months.

• The previous 4GB plan cost $49.95 a month over 24 months, or the flat $69 extra for a 12-month contract (pdf). The new 4 GB plan is $45 a month over 24 months or $50 a month over 12 months.

• The old 8 GB plan cost $59.95 a month over 24 months, with the same $69 flat fee to make the contract 12 months in duration (pdf). The new 8 GB plan is $60 a month over 24 months or $65 a month over 12 months.

• The previous top-of-the-range 15 GB plan cost $109.95 a month, with the same flat fee to make the contract run over a year (pdf). The new 15 GB plan is $105 a month over 24 months or $110 a month over 12 months.