Seniors Broadband Plans: How to Save with or without a Pensioner's Discount

Being eligible for a seniors card gets you loads of benefits in all sorts of areas. Unfortunately however, senior discounts are rare in telecommunications. That doesn’t mean however that you can’t save big time on your broadband offerings.

Broadband Plan Seniors Card Offers

Southern Phone is one of the major providers to offer a seniors discount, giving pensioners $5 off per month (with either a seniors or pensioners card). While Telstra does offer some limited discounts for pension card holders, these are mainly related to phone calls and connection fees rather than broadband plans. That doesn’t mean however that you can’t save money with a great deal.

So, can we do better than that without the Seniors Card? You bet we can!

Telstra Brings Simplicity for Seniors

Telstra has a long history of providing quality services — both in terms of delivery and support. They’re backed up by the biggest network in the country. Chances are they’re the ones already providing your phone line. So it makes sense to bundle your internet and your phone line rental with a quality provider.

On that front, Telstra offers a simple deal — $80/month for unlimited data, with your home phone line and unlimited local, national, and mobile calls included, as well as 500 calls to 13 numbers. This package also includes the Telstra Smart Modem with 4G backup, Telstra Broadband Protect, and no $99 connection fee if you sign up online. This even includes entertainment perks with BINGE free for three months and Foxtel Now for one month, perfect for seniors who love good entertainment. If you’re NBN eligible, the plan runs on NBN tier 25. If you’re still on the ADSL network, this bundle is NBN-network-ready, so when the time comes to make the transition, Telstra will make it as seamless as possible. And guaranteeing its network’s capacity for delivering your favourite shows and movies, Telstra continues to be the #1 NBN provider in Australia for streaming Netflix.

While they don’t offer discounts on broadband, Telstra does offer discounts for seniors on eligible home phone services. If you have a Centrelink Pension Card or a Veterans’ Affairs Pension Card, Telstra can offer discounts on connection charges (in some cases), home phone calls, and fee waivers for credit card processing fees and paper bill fees. Of course, with the home phone and all Australian calls included at no extra cost with Telstra’s current broadband plans, no discount is needed – you can’t do better than free!

Last audited 29 April 2021

Seniors Plans with Southern Phone

If you’re focusing on keeping costs down, another great option is the range of NBN plans offered by Southern Phone. This local company has offerings starting at just $65 per month for unlimited data at 25/5 Mbps – a great data allowance at that price point. For $10 more per month, you can boost your speed to 50/20Mbps. Southern Phone is a completely Australian-based company that employs Australians in their customer-facing departments. 

If you’re in a remote regional area that’s not serviced by the NBN, you can access Southern Phone’s “Sky Muster Plus” satellite plans with burst speed that can go above 25Mbps, with data allowances starting at 50GB for $55/month, or 100GB for $70/month. You get unmetered data for web browsing, email and system updates, too. You’ll need to supply your own WiFi modem (or buy one for a one-off $99 cost) but the satellite dish and installation is all done at no cost to you.

Last audited 29 April 2021

Dodo Broadband For All Your Essentials

Dodo’s NBN lineup is one that’s simple but efficient. It’s great for seniors and pensioners that prefer a straightforward approach when it comes to having their internet needs covered. And as such, Dodo offers competitive pricing for its NBN customers, especially for seniors who are looking for quality internet without the usually attached high costs. Their unlimited data plan at NBN25 speed is $65/month on a monthly contract and includes a home phone connection with pay as you go calls, plus the option to add Fetch TV. Even better, this plan is also offered with the first month free!

Last audited 29 April 2021

iPrimus Provides Value

Seniors will find value with iPrimus’ Standard Unlimited Plan at only $70 per month, with no lock-in contract. Configured on NBN25, this already includes a home phone connection with pay as you go calls, guaranteeing value from the get-go. Seniors also have the option to add Fetch TV for some catch-up entertainment, as well as watching shows and movies in the biggest streaming apps like Stan, Netflix, Prime Video, and more.

Last audited 29 April 2021

Summary: Always Compare for the Best Prices

As the examples here show, while there’s not a lot of interest from Internet providers in doing special Seniors Card discounts, the prices of their regular plans can get so low that you’re ultimately going to be saving more money anyway. The key to pensioners saving more money is to shop around – if you’ve got any questions about a particular provider’s service, give them a call – you’ll get a good sense of what they’re like when you chat to them, too. And if you’re relatively new to the Internet, go for a plan with no contract – that way, if you find out you need more data each month, or a faster connection, you can jump onto that without having to pay a penalty.