Telstra introduces new plans and 12-month phone trade-ins

Every Day Connect plans are being put out for pasture next month with Telstra introducing new plans from March 4, along with the ability to trade-in your phone one year into your 24-month contract.

To be able to trade-in 12 months into your contract, you need to be on one of the new 24-month Handset Plans, which will be replacing the Every Day Connect plans and are priced at $55, $70, $95 and $130.

All include free SMS for domestic numbers, the lowest tier includes 500MB of data per month and $550 of monthly credit allowance for calls and MMS. The $70 plan has 1.5GB of data allowance and $550 of monthly credit allowance for calls and MMS, while the $95 plan has

The $130 plan tier remains the only one untouched compared to the current $130 Every Day Connect plan's offerings of unlimited calls, MMS and 3GB of data.

However, the new prices for the other plans are slightly cheaper than the current Every Day Connect plans, which are priced at $60, $80 and $100 - though it should be noted that if you want to opt in for the 1-year Telstra New Phone Feeling trade-in, you'll be paying an extra $10 per month on top of the new Handset Plans.

There are also some allowance differences - the budget $55 plan gets its data allowance slashed in half, though it is only $5 cheaper and the $95 plan gets a 500MB bump while it is also $5 cheaper for that tier. Credit allowances are lower for the two lower tier plans as well, reflecting the price you are paying.

BYO Accelerate Plans

Telstra has also introduced new BYO mobile phone plans, called Accelerate Plans.

Priced at $45, $55, $70 and $95, the plans will replace Telstra's current BYO plans, and you'll be able take it up for 12-month, 24-month or month-to-month contracts, which will now be known as "Casual Plan".

Monthly allowances is the same as those of the Handset Plans, corresponding with the relevant tiers respectively, except it should be noted that the budget $45 plan will not include unlimited domestic SMS on a month-to-month Casual Plan.

Again, credit and data allowances are effected similarly when compared to current BYO and no-contract plans - meaning the data allowance is 500MB lower for the lowest tier, but 500MB higher for the second highest tier - and end up being slightly better value for money as each plan is cheaper by $5 to $15.

The telco has lowered all excess data charges from 10c per MB and introduced $500 cap for excess data. The new plans also incorporate Telstra's Excess Voice Safety Net $130 cap for excess domestic calls and MMS.

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