Television has come a long way in the past 25 years, and these days we’ve got more choices than ever when it comes to finding great shows to watch. Some of the best that TV has to offer are available through Telstra, free, or at a reduced monthly rate for Telstra customers.
Can you get a Seniors/Pensioners TV plan with Telstra?
It’s been several years since we last saw special discount plans and packages for seniors and pensioners from Telstra – only a basic home phone line is eligible for a small discount on calls made. And while that sounds like a bad thing for those who are hoping to save money, prices have been dropping hugely over the past few years.
The home phone is now just one part of a bundle of services you’ll likely want in your home, including streaming TV and the broadband internet that delivers it. And the great news is that with all Telstra internet plans, the home phone line is included free of charge, with unlimited calls within Australia. That’s a great reason for seniors to choose Telstra for internet right there.
Or you might opt for Foxtel satellite TV – also available through Telstra, with more choices and more channels than the old Seniors Plan offered, at prices that represent far better value.
TV bundled with broadband
If you’re looking to get set up with everything you need for both communication and TV entertainment, then Telstra’s range of entertainment bundles might be a great fit as a complete solution. The key to these bundles is that they come with a home phone line included – with no extra cost for line rental, and unlimited phone calls to all Australian phones (including mobiles).
If you’re someone who makes a lot of phone calls you’ll already know that when you add the line rental and calls together, the bill can get quite sizable. With these bundles, you can call to your heart’s content – anywhere in Australia, even to mobile phones – and not get billed an extra cent.
Telstra gives you a choice of two options – streaming or satellite. Telstra’s entertainment bundles gives you combines all the big streaming services like Netflix, Kayo, BINGE, and Stan, as well as letting you rent movies instantly via Telstra TV Box Office, with an internet plan. Alternatively, you might opt for the satellite option, which gives you a full-featured Foxtel setup with the Foxtel Plus channel pack and either the Sports HD or Movies HD packs as well.
All bundles come with a fast and reliable Telstra home broadband connection and everything you need to get connected, including the Telstra Smart Modem with a 4G backup to make sure you stay connected.
Best Internet Streaming Plan
Foxtel TV plans with Telstra
If you’re already happy with your home phone and internet and you’re just looking for solid value from premium satellite TV, then Telstra’s got a whole range of packages that fit the bill perfectly. As we mentioned above, what used to be the Foxtel Seniors’ Plan was replaced some years ago by greatly discounted pricing across the board, and Foxtel from Telstra takes that even further with their bundles for new customers.
The new Foxtel Plus base channel pack comes with all Foxtel from Telstra services, and it now contains some of the most popular premium channels amongst its expanded selection of 54. The best of British drama from BBC First and UKTV, the latest US and Australian drama from Fox One and Fox Showcase, along with the best of classic TV, news, music, documentaries, and more.
With Foxtel from Telstra, though, you can then add either the Sports HD or Movies HD pack to that bundle for only an extra dollar a month – giving you either 12 channels showcasing the best of premium live sport including AFL and NRL, or 11 channels of non-stop movies.
At only $50/month for either of these bundles – including Foxtel’s brilliant new iQ5 set-top box which lets you record all your TV, including free-to-air – it’s a brilliant price for such a vast range of TV channels.
You also get the new voice remote control with your iQ5 box, which lets you effortlessly search for what you want to watch, whether it’s all the movies by a favourite actor, or finding a movie by speaking a famous line from it – the iQ5’s smarts do the rest. It’s a great way to find exactly what you want to watch without the hassle of typing in a search or looking through page after page of what’s streaming on Foxtel.
What other channel packs does Foxtel offer?
Foxtel greatly streamlined its channel packs last year and that means there’s more of your favourites included by default than ever before. But you can also go with the Premium bundle, which combines the Sports HD and Movies HD bundles and adds the Kids’ channels. Or go all-out with Platinum, which includes every channel Foxtel has to offer, adds the ability to watch in multiple rooms at once, and even throws in a full Netflix subscription (which you can stream on the iQ5 box thanks to its built-in Netflix app).
You’re getting a great range of channels no matter which bundle you go for, but if you’re looking for the full range, it’s more affordable than it’s ever been. Here’s a rundown of all the Foxtel channel packs and what they contain:
Full list of Foxtel channels by pack
Foxtel Plus:
Channels included – Showcase, FOX8, Foxtel One, BBC UKTV, Universal, Arena, Comedy, Crime, Classics, British, TLC, W Channel, BoxSets, Real Life, Real Crime, Real History, Famous, ID, Discovery, Turbo, Lifestyle, Lifestyle Home, Lifestyle Food, FashionTV, Boomerang, Cartoon Network, Dreamworks, Animal Planet, FOX Sports News, Sky 1, Sky 2, Sky Thoroughbred Central, Racing.com, CNN, Al Jazeera, CNBC, MSNBC, Sky News, Sky News Election Channel, Sky News Weather, Sky News UK, FOX News Channel, Bloomberg, CGTN, CGTN Documentary, NHK World, MTV Hits, Club MTV, MTV 80s, CMT, Nick Music, TVSN, Expo, Aurora, GOOD, Daystar, SBN, VEVO 2K, VEVO ’90s, VEVO Pop, VEVO Retro Rock
Highlights – House of the Dragon, Game of Thrones, Colin from Accounts, FBOY Island Australia, Succession, Euphoria, True Detective
Sport Pack:
Channels Included – FOX CRICKET, FOX LEAGUE, FOX SPORTS 503, FOX SPORTS 505, FOX SPORTS 506, FOX FOOTY, FOX SPORTS MORE, ESPN, ESPN2
Highlights – NBA, US Open Golf, NRL, AFL, MotoGP, F1, Cricket, Supercars, UFC
Movies HD Pack:
Channels Included – Movies Premiere, Movies Action, Movies Comedy, Movies Drama, Movies Family, Movies Greats, Movies Hits, Movies Romance, Lifetime Movie Network
Highlights – Oppenheimer, Barbie, Anyone But You, Five Nights at Freddy’s, John Wick: Chapter 4, Gran Turismo
Other streaming options
Getting a Telstra internet service also makes it easier to sign up for streaming services such as Foxtel Now, BINGE, Kayo Sports, and Apple TV+. Best of all, customers using their Telstra accounts to sign up to these platforms get freebies.
Foxtel Now
One other option worth considering is especially handy if you’ve chosen the Telstra TV broadband bundle mentioned above. Foxtel Now is the streaming version of Foxtel, delivering the same premium channels to you via streaming. You can sign up to Foxtel Now direct on your Telstra TV box and have it seamlessly added to your Telstra bill – and with no installation or waiting time for setup, it can be a much more versatile option that also saves you money.
Foxtel Now starts at $25/month for the Essentials Pack, which delivers some of Foxtel’s most popular premium channels for less than it costs to get them via satellite. New customers can try the service with a 10-day free trial. Combined with Telstra’s reliable, unlimited broadband it can be a great option for TV that doesn’t break the bank. It’s even free for one month if you’re a Telstra postpaid customer.
Kayo Sports
If you’re an existing Telstra customer, or even thinking about becoming one, you can watch all the sports streaming you want with Australia’s favourite sports streaming app, Kayo Sports. Telstra often runs promotions allowing sports fans to subscribe to Kayo for cheaper monthly plan fees. You can also sign up directly to Kayo Sports, which still offers a 7-day free trial.
BINGE from Telstra
Telstra is also offering BINGE. You’ll get the streaming TV service free for 3 months – another way Telstra are making it worth your time and money being a Telstra customer.
Get Rewarded with the Telstra Plus loyalty program
Telstra introduced its first loyalty rewards scheme, Telstra Plus, and it’s proven to be a hit with customers. The way it works is simple – membership is free, and you earn 10 rewards points for every dollar you spend on your Telstra bill. You get access to discounted movie and sports tickets, early access to concert and arts tickets, and your accumulated points can reward you with some very useful gifts.
If you’re a Telstra Plus member, it gets even better – you can score a free Telstra TV from the rewards store (Gold members only) and discounted Telstra TV Box Office entertainment. There aren’t any catches – it’s completely free as a reward for being with Telstra.
Great value for money
No matter how you choose to get your TV from Telstra, it’s never been better value than it is right now. With excellent bundles, premium TV with lots of choice and of course, a home phone if you want one, Telstra’s making sure you can get the entertainment you want while saving money. You can also check out some of Australia’s streaming offers below to score a great deal today!
Last audited 1 September 2024