Telstra Dumps Outrageous Overseas Roaming Charges

More than two months after Vodafone announced its $5 roaming deals for Europe, the US and New Zealand, and Optus offered cheaper rates too, Telstra has decided to come to the party by reducing its overseas roaming rates by up to 80 percent. Currently the costs to Telstra customers are huge, but the company has introduced data packs and pay as you go rates for data usage. 

By Mike Wheeler

 

More than two months after Vodafone announced its $5 roaming deals for Europe, the US and New Zealand, and Optus offered cheaper rates too, Telstra has decided to come to the party by reducing its overseas roaming rates by up to 80 percent.

 

Currently the costs to Telstra customers are huge, but the company has introduced data packs and pay as you go rates for data usage. For example you can get 30 day data packs that range from $29 for 100MB to $350 for 1.5GB in price, while the new casual rate will be $3 per MB down from $15 although some would claim that $3 is still pretty hefty.

 

Overall Telstra’s pack rates turn out to be cheaper than the competitions, with Optus offering better deals on casual rates. Telstra says that business travellers will get up to five times more data if they are on frequent travel plans.

 

Like Optus, Telstra has had to cut deals with each individual overseas carrier in order for the deals to work.