Telstra introduces account billing for Google Play purchases

Google Play
Cut up the credit card and give Telstra your money, Android users!

For Android customers reluctant to give Google their credit card details, Telstra has today announced that its Android customers can now charge app purchases back to their Telstra account.

The new payment system allows both prepaid and postpaid customers to charge purchases of apps, movies, books and magazines back to their Telstra account, without needing to worry about credit card details.

For pre-paid customers, purchases are taken away from available credit, while post-paid customers charges are added to the next bill.

There's a transaction limit of $20, so you may not be able to buy some movies to own or order 12 month magazine subscriptions using your Telstra account, but it should happily cover off most of the apps, books and magazines on the market.

How it works

Paying for apps via your Telstra account is surprisingly simple. After selecting the app you wish to purchase, click the "Accept and Buy" button, and then select "Bill my Telstra account".

There's a $100 monthly limit to protect post-paid customers from a massive shock come bill time, although if that number is a little small you can manually change it by contacting Telstra.

This is the first time Android apps have been able to be charged back to a Telco in Australia, although Telstra has a similar arrangement with Microsoft for Windows Phone and RIM for BlackBerry App World.

Having spent the past decade editing some of Australia's leading technology publications, Nick's passion for the latest gadgetry is matched only by his love of watching Australia beat England in the rugby.