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The largest country on the most remote continent of the planet, Australia is one of the most important tourist attractions in the world. Its nature, lifestyle, adventure tourism, even kangaroos! And more reasons can lead you to the country as your next travel destination. Now, we’ll talk about how to stay connected to the internet with a Telstra unlimited data plan and others internet options for Australia today.
Telstra is one of the two cellular providers operating in the country, with a reach close to 98.5% of market-share when it comes to customers and coverage. Besides offering, of course, 5G speeds for their local customers. In this article, you will learn about the options that Telstra offers to travelers and tourist customers, in addition to introducing you to a great alternative, such as the eSIM Card for Australia, which you can get through online stores in a faster way.
Table of Contents
What is unlimited data?
As we all know as time goes by, data connection speeds get faster and more reliable. Nowadays, we enjoy 5G almost all the time. And in just a matter of seconds, we can see updates on social media, listen to music, or watch a movie without waiting for a page to load or any lagging. Along with these speeds, our data consumption has also increased exponentially, which is why cellular providers offer unlimited data options for those customers with more demanding data consumption.
Something that is often not mentioned in these unlimited plans is precisely those limitations that come with the plans, known as usage policies. So often, unlimited plans are focused on a certain type of consumption. Such as social media or apps such as Spotify, Disney+, or Netflix, and not focused on just regular web browsing.
In that sense, we can find unlimited plans that adapt to our rate of consumption. We must also consider that the more complete and unrestricted the plan is, the more expensive it becomes. This is one reason why international eSIM Cards have become a great alternative for tourists, often offering more competitive costs.
Is unlimited data really unlimited?
Of course, a question that customers usually have. It is difficult to believe that a plan is infinite. These plans are unlimited to a certain extent. You will not have a fixed amount of data to use during the month. As usually happens with other types of plans. The limitations are more due to the aforementioned consumption policies. You may enjoy unlimited data but at lower internet speeds, such as 3G or 4G.
It may also happen that the plan has restrictions, such as not being able to share data or not being able to make international calls. As we have already mentioned, it is common that unlimited data is not included in web browsing and is only for some of the cellular provider’s own apps. The truth is that we must make sure that when we are offered an “unlimited plan”, that it actually is “unlimited” to avoid disappointment later.
How to get unlimited data with Telstra in Australia
Currently, even though Telstra is the largest cellular carrier in the country, it does not offer an unlimited data plan for tourists. This service is only available in Postpaid for local Telstra customers. So, you have to be a resident and have a subscription contract with the provider. As an alternative for travelers, they offer prepaid SIM cards and eSIM cards with different amounts of data packages. Including unlimited calls and texts within Australia.
They also offer prepaid SIM cards without an associated plan. You can top it up and consume data, but this is usually more expensive whether you choose SIM cards or eSIM cards with or without data packages. All options can be purchased through Telstra’s website or through their stores around the country.
Telstra SIM card
As mentioned before, Telstra offers prepaid SIM cards for interested travelers. Their plans offer a basic version with a duration of 7 days and 2 GB of consumption. An average plan of 28 days and 30 GB of usage, and a version of 28 days and 65 GB of usage. In all versions, these SIM cards offer unlimited calls and texts within Australia. These can be purchased through the Telstra website with free in-country delivery and approximately three days lead time. Of course this depends on your location.
As a second option, you can visit one of the company’s physical stores near your location. Bring your cellphone and purchase through this option. In both options, Telstra offers different payment methods, such as CC and bank transfers. After this, the activation is done by inserting the SIM Card in your phone and enjoying the internet connection in the country.
Telstra eSIM
The company also offers eSIM services for interested travelers. The way to get it, is that once you have purchased a prepaid SIM card with or without an associated plan, follow these steps. Install the My Telstra app, go to the “services” option, and then to ‘Buy a Pre-Paid plan on eSIM’. Then follow the steps to complete the purchase for the service and set up your eSIM. If the ‘Buy a Pre-Paid plan on eSIM’ option is not available, it’s likely your device is not eSIM compatible.
Once you have activated your eSIM Card, you will enjoy the same service you already had on the prepaid SIM Card you purchased. Including data to use for the duration of the plan and all of Telstra’s terms and conditions for their services that applies.
How much does a data plan from Telstra cost?
We already told you that Telstra’s unlimited data option is only available in postpaid mode. These include annual contracts with a base cost of $199 per month for various benefits, including unlimited data consumption.
However, for travelers, the option available for both SIM cards and eSIM cards are the data packages mentioned above. These cost $10 for the basic version of 7 days, $30 for the medium version of 28 days and 30 GB, and finally, $60 for the version of 65 GB of consumption for 28 days.
Telstra also offers two prepaid plans for longer stays of 6 and 12 months. However, in these cases, we recommend for you to consider plans under a subscription contract because they tend to have a better cost-benefit ratio. Whichever of these options you choose, we remind you that you must top up the SIM Card when the 28 days of service are about to expire to avoid unnecessary disconnections.
Data plan in Australia with an International eSIM carrier.
So far, we have told you that with Telstra, you can get both SIM cards and eSIM cards for Australia. We would like to point out that in both cases you must wait until you arrive in the country to purchase them because they do not offer international delivery for this product. This is remote service providers come into play. Thought these online stores, you can purchase and activate your eSIM Card from anywhere in the world. And thus, be prepared from the first moment you set foot in Australia.
The eSIM Cards are totally digital, so the delivery of the eSIM Card is almost instant. It is much simpler compared to Telstra’s option of first obtaining a SIM Card and converting it to an eSIM Card. In addition to avoiding this double process, if you do it with remote providers, you can have internet access at all times without having to wait to arrive in the country.
Holafly: online store to buy a data plan for Australia.
It is clear that since eSIM Cards are 100% digital, the most convenient option to get one is through online stores. Holafly is one of the most important companies that currently offer these services to travelers around the world. The Holafly eSIM Card for Australia presents two options of 10 GB and 20 GB for use within 30 days. With which you can enjoy the best connection speeds available in the country.
Additionally, by purchasing any of Holafly’s services, you will have access to customer service 24 hours a day and in different languages such as English, French, and Spanish. As if that were not enough, you don’t need to go through any registration process before purchasing it, nor do you need an app to manage your eSIM Card. You just complete the purchase, activate the service, and you’re ready for the adventure!
We should mention that Holafly has eSIM Card available with unlimited data for many destinations around the world. Also, with almost immediate deliveries and activation processes that are so simple you won’t even feel it! When you are about to make a trip and want to stay connected to the internet, Holafly will surely be your best option as a provider of this service.
FAQ about Unlimited Data Plans
Finally, we hope the information has been helpful and that you can choose the best alternative to get cellular internet during your trip. Finally, we will answer frequently asked questions about unlimited data plans.
How to know if you have unlimited data?
First, you must be sure that the plan you get offers unlimited data. Then, you’ll be able to verify through your cellphone’s settings or through your provider’s customer support.
Is Holafly legit?
Holafly is a 100% legit cellular provider based in Spain that began operations as a provider of physical SIM cards in Spain, France, and Germany. Currently, they focus only on digital SIM Cards (eSIM) due to their growth and presence around the world.
Does Telstra have an unlimited data plan?
Telstra only has one plan with unlimited data, but it is only available for postpaid customers residing in the country. So, as a tourist, you will not be able to get a plan with unlimited data.
