Telstra adds data packs to prepaid Freedom deal — but there's still a nasty sting!

telstra
Telstra’s announced the data pack scheme for its newer “Freedom” branded prepaid mobile plans. Unfortunately, that’s where the good news stops.
I noted a couple of months ago when Telstra announced its “Freedom” plans that there wasn’t a whole lot of “Freedom” on offer, specifically noting out the fact that you couldn’t use recharge credit to buy data packs, something that the previous Cap Encore offering permitted.
Time had passed, and I put through a query to Telstra as to what was happening, especially as at least one Fat Duck Tech reader was informed that data packs would shortly be on sale.
From what Telstra’s told me, this is indeed true, but it’s not quite the good news that users of the older Cap Encore plans might have hoped for.
Specifically, you’ll shortly be able to purchase what will be called “Data Top Up Recharges” if you’re on the Freedom plan, costing $5 for 250MB, or $15 for 1GB of data.
That actually doesn’t sound too bad by Telstra’s usual rates, but there’s a couple of catches. Each recharge only works within Australia, which is to be expected, but each recharge also only lasts for fourteen days.
I guess the idea is that you’ll use up your allocated “Freedom” data, and then buy a recharge at that point. However, this is where it’s particularly problematic, because as per Telstra, you won’t be able to use your accumulated recharge credit to buy Data Top Up Recharges.
Instead, they’ll be a separate transaction, so either $5 or $15 from your wallet rather than your credit balance. Telstra expects the full details to be available online in the next day or two.
Or in other words, while you can now buy data packs to supplement your prepaid Freedom offer, they’re going to cost you more and do less than the older data packs did. Anyone on Cap Encore would be advised to stay on there for as long as they possibly can.
Image: Karl Baron

12 thoughts on “Telstra adds data packs to prepaid Freedom deal — but there's still a nasty sting!”

  1. I sadly was attracted by the “bright lights” of the “FREEDOM” plan. Now i’m living with the beyond talk plan with a 3GB $49 plus pack. Which still sounds better than the new “FREEDOM” data packs.
    Is it too much of a dream to have data prices more in line with fixed line prices?
    Maybe one day.

  2. Pingback: Damn, Telstra's Prepaid Freedom Cap Isn't Getting Decent Data Packs | Lifehacker Australia

  3. My own fault for not reading the Freedom offer in minute detail but that doesn’t stop me feeling totally gypped with regard to the Freedom data deal ie.Freedom customers not allowed to purchase Browse Packs. And Having to spend extra dollars to separately purchase a data pack with lousy rates eg $15 for 1Gig, does not compensate. Very unimpressed, will be changing back to previous offer ASAP, and in future will be very thorough in reading T&C.

  4. Also note that the Freedom plan is for 28 days where the Cap Encore was for 30 days. Another way of getting more money from customers.

  5. Hello, I have just been suing 27×7 Chat. I bought a $50 Freedom Nights and noticed double data had not been applied. I contacted them with this query and they apologised and added the 800Gb. I then asked for a Data Plus Pack for my Freedom Offer. This is the message i received: “add $5 or add $15 or i deduct $25 from your credit and allocate 1.5Gb.” i quickly replied in the affirmative and have now 3.1Gb. 1.5Gb for 14 days which when questioned will be used first and then 1.6 Gb for 28 days consisting of 800Mb doubled on acceptance of the Freedom Nights Offer. I have $25 remaining in credit. Possibly for use in 14 days to complete the 28 days.
    Thank you Telstra Pre Paid.

  6. Teenager who needs to know this stuff

    I bought a new phone at the exact week FREEDOM was released and Telstra did not allow me to go back to Encore. I chose Anytime bonus. It is really bad that I have to pay extra for data. On Encore I used a $30 pre-paid in 10-12 days. With a $40 FREEDOM pre-paid it last me, at maximum, a week. I save up for my pre-paid, and its crap I then have to pay extra.
    TELSTRA NEED TO BE TOLD!

  7. Telstra is the biggest rip offs on the face of this Earth I recently changed my offer from Cap Encore to Freedom and I wish I didn’t because now I can’t purchase browser packs with the remaining credit they want me to spend more money what do I do with the remaining credit this is so unfair worst mistake it’s like a nightmare or head ache as if it wasn’t expensive enough to be with Telstra now it’s criminal

  8. I brought a Samsung 2 weeks ago , thinking it was unlocked , now Telstra wants 85 dollars to unlock it, salesman should have told me it was locked . by the way the phone cost me 99 dollars , the phone is now stuck in the draw , talk about a rip off , really helped me being a pensioner , brought another cheap phone , got a lot better deal with vodo phone , no help at all from Telstra thanks for nothing .

  9. Not happy with Telstra I was on a great deal with encore cap I changed to freedom without realising I couldn’t use my existing credit to buy extra data. That wasn’t explained in the information I read before changing. I am very disappointed with Telstra. I am considering looking at another carrier. I guess I should have researched better

  10. False advertising!. Very simple i bought a 10 dollar supposed data top up today and all it did was give me cash credit. Worse still when i asked a lady at coles where i bought it she seemed to have no. Knowledge of such a thing and she os an experinced senior member of staff. Great at her job.

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