Fact Checked
Whether you’re after an internet connection on the go, or you’re after a backup for when your home internet isn’t cutting it, there are plenty of providers offering mobile broadband plans.
As Australia’s largest telco, Telstra offers a selection of mobile broadband plans and devices to suit a range of user needs. Read on to find out more about Telstra mobile broadband, plans, devices and speeds, and whether these plans are right for you.
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Whether you’re after a SIM-only data plan or a plan bundled with a device, There’s a range of Telstra mobile broadband plans available to choose from. If you’re after Telstra 5G mobile broadband plans, you’ll be able to access 5G on all of Telstra’s mobile broadband plans — provided you have Telstra 5G network access and a compatible device.
If you’re after a standard month-to-month plan, there are three no lock-in plans at different price points and with different data inclusions. These plans have uncapped 4G and 5G speeds and you can also share data between up to 10 eligible plans. There are also no excess data charges, which means once you use up your data allowance, you can keep using your plan at the capped speed of 1.5Mbps.
These plans are available either as a SIM-only data plan, or you can bundle with your choice of modem or dongle, which can be paid off over 12, 24 or 36 months, or purchased outright.
The following table shows a selection of published Telstra mobile broadband plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
In addition to the standard month-to-month mobile broadband plans, Telstra offers a selection of prepaid mobile broadband plans. These plans are available on either a 28-day or 12-month expiry period and plans can be bundled with a prepaid dongle or modem (which you’ll buy upfront), or you can keep it as a SIM-only data plan.
All of these prepaid plans include access to the Telstra 4G and 5G mobile networks, but speeds are capped at 150Mbps.
While 4G network access is included on all Telstra mobile broadband plans, there are no set 4G-only mobile broadband plans on offer. However, many of the modems that Telstra offers to bundle with the month-to-month plans along with all the prepaid modems, are 4G compatible only, so if you choose one of those modems, you’ll only be able to use the 4G network.
If you want to see what kind of value-for-money you can get from a Telstra mobile broadband plan, the below table compares a range of mobile broadband plans from other providers.
The following table shows a selection of published 100GB and over mobile broadband plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
| Brand | Features | Max Data ** /billing period | Advertised Cost ^^ /billing period |
|---|
The following table shows a selection of published mobile broadband plans with 50GB – 100GB of data on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
The following table shows a selection of published mobile broadband plans with less than 50GB of data on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
| Brand | Features | Max Data ** /billing period | Advertised Cost ^^ /billing period |
|---|
Telstra offers a range of mobile broadband devices that can be bundled with a month-to-month or prepaid mobile broadband plan. However, the devices available will differ depending on whether you go prepaid or month-to-month.
Here are the devices available to bundle with a month-to-month Telstra mobile broadband plan:
These devices are available over a 12, 24 or 36-month payment period, or to buy outright, and you’ll then bundle with a month-to-month mobile broadband plan.
Telstra offers a much smaller range of devices to bundle with a prepaid plan, all of which are 4G only. You can choose from the Telstra Pre-Paid 4GX Hotspot, the Telstra 4GX MF833v USB or the Telstra Pre-Paid 4GX WiFi Plus.
Typically with mobile broadband, you should be able to reach download speeds of between 20Mbps and 100Mbps on a 4G connection, but faster download speeds of up to 1Gbps are now possible if you live in an area with 5G network coverage and have a compatible device. However, a range of factors, such as devices, networks and location, can impact mobile broadband speeds.
Keep in mind that the prepaid mobile broadband plans have speeds capped at 150Mbps, whereas month-to-month plans include uncapped speeds. So, if you want to take advantage of the fast speeds 5G is capable of, you might want to choose a plan with uncapped speeds.
Mobile broadband is a great option if you need access to the internet on the go, whether you travel for holidays, work or just tend to get out and about a lot — after all, that’s what it was designed for. However, it also makes a good backup for your home internet if you find that you regularly have issues with your home internet connection or if you have high internet usage needs and want to avoid congestion.
Telstra’s selection of mobile broadband plans and devices, along with the fact that you can choose month-to-month or prepaid, could make it much easier to find a mobile broadband plan to suit your needs. Of course, it helps to consider what you’ll be using mobile broadband for and whether a Telstra plan will work for you before signing up.
Emma Bradstock has been an authority on consumer phone, internet, technology and streaming markets in Australia for over five years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Media from Macquarie University and has over a decade of professional writing experience in print and digital media.
**Max. Data/Billing Period
The amount of data the provider has advertised for the billing period of their plan.
Billing periods usually range from 28 to 31 days, but can vary - contact the provider for the billing period costs and inclusions.
Actual product inclusions can be found on the provider’s website.
^^Advertised Cost/Billing Period
The advertised cost the provider has advertised for the billing period of the plan.
Billing periods usually range from 28 to 31 days, but can vary - contact the provider for the billing period costs and inclusions.
Actual product inclusions can be found on the provider’s website.
Referral Partners
By clicking on a brand, 'go to site', 'shop online', 'get quotes now', or 'see offer' button, you will leave Canstar Blue and be taken to our referral partner to compare. Canstar Blue may be paid for this referral. You agree that Canstar Blue’s terms and conditions apply to this referral.
Canstar Blue may earn a fee for referrals from its website tables, and from sponsorship of certain products. Fees payable by product providers for referrals and sponsorship may vary between providers, website position, and revenue model. Sponsorship fees may be higher than referral fees. Sponsored products are clearly disclosed as such on website pages. They may appear in a number of areas of the website such as in comparison tables, on hub pages and in articles. Sponsored products may be displayed in a fixed position in a table, regardless of the product's rating, price or other attributes. The table position of a Sponsored product does not indicate any ranking or rating by Canstar. The table position of a Sponsored product does not change when a consumer changes the sort order of the table. For more information please see How Are We Funded.
