Every telco's COVID-19 assistance package [UPDATED]

Anula Wiwatowska - Offsite Editorial Lead

Last updated 17 April 2020

As the global pandemic COVID-19 breaches Australia’s shores, we’re being advised to socially distance, self-isolate, and quarantine. With much of the nation being urged to work from home, and schools and universities preparing to shift to online learning, our telcos are recognising how important it is for us to stay connected.

Over the past week, Optus, Telstra, and Vodafone all announced bonus data inclusions for postpaid and prepaid customers, with some providers offering unlimited calls along with unmetered access to health websites.

Aussie Broadband has also announced NBN plan upgrades to assist in Australia’s work from home efforts, and it is almost certainly only a matter of time before we see other providers following suit.

Read on to see what your telco is doing to assist during the COVID-19 crisis.

Optus
Telstra
Vodafone
Aussie Broadband
Superloop
amaysim
Activ8me
Circles.Life
Boost Mobile
Foxtel
SkyMesh

We will continue to update this page as more information comes to light.

Optus

Postpaid Mobile

Once off data add-on of 20GB in April 2020.

Prepaid Mobile

10GB bonus data on a $40 recharge for use during the recharge period.

New measures as of March 24th

Users will be able to put their current plan on hold if there is no current need for the service.

Late payment fees, disconnections, and credit collection activities will be waived until April 30th

Available from: March 20, 2020
How to redeem: Through the My Optus app

See the full article here

Telstra

Postpaid Mobile and Mobile Broadband

25GB of bonus data to be used within 30 days of activation.

Prepaid Mobile

10GB bonus data on a $40 recharge for use during the recharge period.

Broadband

All broadband plans to be upgraded to unlimited data until April 30th.

Landlines

Eligible pensioners will be able to make unlimited local, national, 13/1300 calls and calls to mobiles.

Financial Hardship

Customers receiving the JobSeeker payment can get $10 per month discount on their bill, or $20 per month for multiple services.

An entry level $30 plan, with 2GB data and unlimited talk and text is available to those with an eligible Health Care or Pensioner Concession card.

Available to activate until: June, 2020
How to redeem: Through the Telstra 24x7 app

See the full article here

Vodafone

Postpaid Mobile

5GB bonus data at max speeds for use in April, 2020.

Data overages to be charged at $1/GB, down from $10/GB

Prepaid Mobile

3GB bonus data on any recharge value for use during the recharge period.

10GB bonus data via SMS opt-in, with a 30 day expiry

Talk and Text

All plans will be upgraded to include unlimited calls to standard national numbers until June 30, 2020.

Online Access

Unmetered access to a range of official health websites through your Vodafone connected device.

Postpaid tablet or mobile broadband customers

Data overages will be charges at $1/GB between March 31st and May 5th, 2020

Overdue bills

Vodafone is not charging any late payment fees, suspending services or chasing debt collection for overdue accounts. This will continue from 26 March until 30 June.

$10 mobile plan downgrades

Postpaid customers on Red and Red Plus plans, who are experiencing financial hardship can apply for a temporary plan reduction to $10 per month.

Plans include 3GB data, unlimited talk and text in Australia.

Applications open through vodafone.com.au between April 20th - May 20th.

2 months free mobile service for registered healthcare practitioners

Existing customers working in healthcare will be able to apply for two months free prepaid or postpaid mobile service.

Applications are not open yet.

Available: Initiatives have differing expiration dates, please take note of the specific assistance package and contact Vodafone if you have further questions.

How to redeem: Credits will be automatically applied to all accounts by March 27
To SMS opt-in for bonus data on prepaid services text BOOST to 1263. Must be redeemed by April 30, 2020.

See the full article here Read more about $10 plan Learn more about healthcare workers bills

Aussie Broadband

Data Limits

All plans will be upgraded to include unlimited data between the hours of 6:00am and 6:00pm

NBN Speeds

NBN 12 customers will be upgraded to NBN 25 speeds at no extra cost.

Available: Indefinitely
How to redeem: Changes will be automatically applied to eligible customers.

See the full article here

Superloop

Broadband

All broadband plans will be upgraded to include unlimited data.

Available until: April 30th, 2020 - for the time being
How to redeem: Changes will be automatically implemented.

See the full article here

amaysim

Mobile Plans

$10 plans will receive 10GB bonus data.

$20 plans will receive 20GB bonus data.

$30 plans will receive 20GB bonus data.

$40 plans will receive unlimited data.

All plans will be updated to unlimited talk and text.

Available until: April 15th, 2020
How to redeem: Changes will be automatically implemented.

See the full article here

Activ8me

SkyMuster NBN

All SkyMuster NBN customers will receive an additional 15GB of bonus data, each week for the next 3 months.

Available between: The next 3 months, beginning March 23rd.
How to redeem: Changes will be automatically implemented.

See the open letter here

Circles.Life

Mobile Customers

A free 300 minutes of international talk for all customers, for use within April, 2020.

Available for use between: April 1st and April 30th, 2020
How to redeem: Changes will be automatically implemented.

Boost Mobile

Current Mobile Customers

5GB bonus data for $40 and $50 plans

10GB bonus data on $70 plans

Available from: March 30th, 2020 and valid for 1 pay cycle
How to redeem: Changes will be automatically implemented, and are only applicable to existing customers.

Foxtel

Broadband and NBN

All customers will be bumped up to unlimited data until May 31st.

Pay TV Subscriptions

Foxtel and Foxtel Now subscribers will have access to TV channels and on demand libraries across Drama, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Documentary, and Kids categories until May 31st

Sports subscribers will have access to all ten movie channels until June 30th.

Available from: March 26th, 2020
How to redeem: Changes will be automatically implemented, and are only applicable to existing customers.

See the full TV channel article here See the full Sports upgrade article here

SkyMesh

Sky Muster & Fixed Wireless NBN

All customers will receive 10GB of relief data every Monday, from March for Fixed Wireless and March 23rd for Sky Muster subscribers.

The Sky Muster network has been increased by 40% to help avoid congestion.

Available from: March, 2020
How to redeem: Changes will be automatically implemented, and are only applicable to existing customers.

See the full details here

Anula Wiwatowska

Offsite Editorial Lead | Instagram

Anula is the Off-Site Editorial Lead for WhistleOut Australia, and an award winning tech journalist. She has been writing about the Australian telco industry, and consumer technology for over five years, and has been known to tell her Uber driver which phone they should upgrade to next.

Read full bio