Massive price cuts for BigPond broadband

Telstra's BigPond internet service provider arm has dramatically cut prices on a range of its broadband plans, including a massive chop on its 200GB Elite plan, which will see monthly prices drop from AU$179.95 to AU$89.95.

(Credit: Telstra)

The company will also chop the monthly price of its 50GB Elite plan from AU$109.95 to AU$69.95 and its 2GB Elite plan from AU$49.95 down to AU$39.95. Its 2GB Turbo plan will be cut from AU$39.95 to AU$29.95. BigPond has also reduced the number of its broadband plans from 12 to four to simplify its offerings, and none of its plans feature additional usage fees.

BigPond uses the "Elite" label to refer to either ADSL broadband at speeds of up to 20Mbps or hybrid-fibre coaxial (HFC) cable at speeds of up to 30Mbps — although in some areas it does also offer speeds of up to 100Mbps through an update on the cable network. It uses "Turbo" to refer to ADSL broadband at speeds of up to 1500Kbps and cable up to 8Mbps.

Also, BigPond will offer customers up to AU$20 off their monthly broadband access when they combine a new 24-month broadband plan with a Telstra "full service" fixed line phone and an extra BigPond wireless broadband, Telstra post-paid mobile plan or 24-month Foxtel TV subscription.

In a statement revealing the new plans, Telstra's executive director of its consumer division, Rebekah O'Flaherty, said Telstra had conducted research showing internet access was one of three things (the other two were food and heating) that Australians would least like to spend a day without.

"Telstra's research reveals more than half (51.2 per cent) of all households now feature four or more types of internet-enabled devices," O'Flaherty said. "With information, entertainment and news being enjoyed across multiple devices in the house, it's not surprising that consumer demand for speed, simplicity and value from their broadband is growing.

"Telstra realises customers' needs are changing, which is why our new BigPond broadband plans deliver greater data allowances at lower prices, allowing household members to do more on the internet for less."