Telstra has launched shared mobile plans that will allow customers to spread their monthly data allowance between several mobile devices.
The plans can be shared on up to four devices and includes mobiles, tablets and laptops.
The plans are based on Telstra’s Every Day Connect plans, with an extra $10 per month charged for sharing the plan and another $10 per month charged for each additional shared sim.
The teclo is including a bonus 1GB of data for the shared plans if customers sign up before 31 December, 2013.
On the $60 Every Day Connect plan, a shared plan would cost $80 per month, which includes $600 worth of calls, unlimited texts and 1GB of data. The total minimum cost would be $960 for 12 months or $1920 for 24 months.
The most expensive Every Day Connect plan – the $130 plan – would cost $150 per month to share and include unlimited calls, text and MMS and 3GB of data.
“With people more connected than ever before, customers are looking for a simple solution that will allow them to manage their usage across all their devices and make their data allowance go further,” Karsten Wildberger, Telstra group managing director consumer, said in a statement.
“Telstra’s Every Day Connect Data Share Packages will help fill that gap and allow customers to share their monthly mobile data allowance between their mobile and multiple data devices – including tablets and laptops – all under one package.”
Consumer advocacy group the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) said the plans provide flexibility to customers.
“However, the relatively high cost to use data sharing means the free tethering features built into devices are likely to be a sufficient alternative for some,” Asher Moses, ACCAN spokesman, told Computerworld Australia.
Tethering allows one device to connect to another to share an Internet connection.