Australians will be paying more for their mobile phone plans due to a recent bill price hike. Telecommunications giant Telstra announced earlier this month that it would be increasing the prices of its phone packages by $3-6 per month, affecting both new and existing customers.
The price increase will come into effect on July 4 and will see a $72-a-year increase for most users. This is the latest price rise for customers in Australia who are already paying some of the highest rates in the world for their mobile phone bills.
Brad Whitcomb, executive of Telstra Small Business, declared that the choice to raise costs was consistent with the yearly Consumer Price Index. Similarly, to many other companies in Australia, he said, they are also responding to mounting costs.
“We understand that price increases can be difficult to cope with, especially under high cost of living pressures. As with most businesses in Australia, we have had to respond to growing costs, and we want to make sure everyone is aware of why this change is taking place, and what support is available,” Mr Whitcomb said.
The cost of an in-market mobile postpaid plan will be rising from $47 a month to $50 a month, offering just 2GB of data. Meanwhile, the price of the basic package with 50GB of data has gone up by $4, making it now cost $62 a month.
The most impacted group are individuals who have a premium plan, which will see an increase of $6 per month from $89 to $95. A similar rise in cost will be applied to mobile-only broadband plans, with the larger package increasing by $5 each month.
Mr Whitcomb argued the CPI data demonstrated telecommunications expenditure, encompassing equipment, had not escalated at the same rate as other products. Additionally, the price increment would allow for expanded mobile phone coverage and scam prevention.
