What are the Best Internet, Streaming TV, and mobile Plans for Seniors and pensioners?

Last updated July 15th, 2020

Seniors’ needs vary greatly from that of singles, families with kids, and students, and so on. They are the ones who do not exactly need all the bells and whistles — and other extras — that are often bundled with telco plans out in the market today. What they need and require leans toward what’s functional, beneficial, and of course, affordable — and that’s where we come in. 

We know the pains of having to go through a multitude of plans without being able to get a clear idea of which is better, or which one gives the most value for your money, especially as a senior and/or pensioner. Good news is, we’re making it easier for Seniors and Pensioners to choose only the plans that apply to what you need in the realm of TV, internet, and mobile, and you can check it all out below. 

Streaming TV plans for Seniors

In the world of pay-TV in Australia, Foxtel remains the unbeatable leader in delivering the best entertainment straight to your home. However, Foxtel can be costly, and doesn’t have cheap plans for seniors (though the current Foxtel bundles through Foxtel From Telstra can give you dozens of channels including premium movies or live sports for only $50 a month, if the budget can stretch to it). The good news is, there’s a growing number of alternatives that you can get your daily dose of TV from – and streaming means you can watch at your own time and pace. 

The arrival of streaming TV in Australia has caused a major revolution with how Aussies consume entertainment content. Thanks to the likes of Netflix, Stan, Foxtel Now, and the newer Amazon Prime Video and Foxtel’s streaming alternative BINGE, Aussie audiences have a vast range of choice of shows and movies to watch – whenever and wherever. As a senior, this not only means convenience – it means saving money, too, since streaming services only require a minimal monthly fee – with no long-term lock-in contracts to worry about.

BINGE from Telstra

BINGE delivers the premium TV drama, lifestyle and docos that Foxtel’s renowned for, along with hundreds of movies – and at an incredibly affordable price, starting at only $10 a month. It’s a great one to pair with your existing Telstra mobile or broadband service because as a Telstra customer, you automatically get three months of BINGE completely free – and if you join the Telstra Plus rewards program, you can get Binge for free for another 3 to 9 months! There’s no better way of saving money than free, so this is a deal well worth checking out.

Kayo from Telstra

The streaming revolution hasn’t left out sports fans, either. If you love your footy, cricket, golf, tennis or any of dozens of other sports from around the world, Kayo Sports is a great way to catch all of it via a streaming app that tailors itself to the sports you want to watch. If you subscribe to Kayo with Telstra, for the first 12 months you can get Kayo Sports added to your account for only $15 a month, a saving of $120 over the year. There’s also the convenience of having your Kayo subscription on your regular Telstra bill – no need to worry about another bill to pay!

Last audited 22 January 2021

Setting up your streaming TV service

Streaming TV has absolutely revolutionised the way we consume our television and movies. But not everyone is that tech-savvy when it comes to getting it all up and running. Our detailed advice and guides can help take you through every step from finding the right device to pressing play on your favourite series. Compare TV has everything you need to get binge-watching today.

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Internet plans for Seniors

When it comes to getting connected to the world wide web, seniors have have a wide range of options — from major and smaller telcos alike. And given advancements in technology, as with the rollout and development of the NBN across Australia, having dependable customer service and a reliable connection is no longer something exclusive to major providers. 

In fact, a lot of the smaller-scale internet service providers in the country have been garnering praise not just for the quality of their connection, but also with how well they deliver customer service. With this level of competition in the market, it’s quite easy to find cheap broadband plans that can deliver exactly what seniors and pensioners need when it comes to getting connected to the internet. 

Seniors tend to have lower broadband data usage that large families, which means there’s money to be saved there as well – there’s no point paying for unlimited data if you don’t need it, and even with regular use of streaming TV, you’ll find lower-cost broadband plans that won’t break the bank.

One of the best in terms of overall value is Telstra Broadband‘s 500GB Data plan – more than enough monthly data allowance for anything you’ll need. The value comes from what’s included – because this plan comes with a home phone line and unlimited phone calls to home phones and mobiles anywhere in Australia. For many seniors, the home phone is a vital social connection and provides peace of mind, and having line rental and unlimited calls bundled in with your broadband internet makes the effective cost of your broadband very cheap indeed. And there’s no connection fee to pay, either!

If you’re just looking for a low-cost broadband service without the phone, then Belong Broadband is a good alternative. Belong uses the Telstra network, so you get an internet connection you can rely on, and all of their plans offer unlimited data usage. Their low-cost Starter plan costs only $55 a month on the NBN and, like Telstra’s plan above, comes with the wi-fi modem you need to get connected at no extra cost.

And for those who are still relying on ADSL for broadband – the NBN roll-out is nearly complete, but it’s not everywhere just yet – you can’t go past Dodo’s ADSL plans for sheer value. At only $20 a month for 101GB of data – or $30 a month for unlimited data – they’re possibly Australia’s cheapest ADSL plans, and can easily be upgraded to the NBN later when it arrives in your area.

Last audited 18 January 2021

Setting up your broadband service

Setting up the internet may be second nature to those who grew up with it as it was introduced. But for those more comfortable with dialling the telephone and turning on the TV, a little extra help in getting connected to the world wide web might be useful. Our handy guides cover everything from how much data you need to plugging in the right cables. Check out our advice across Compare TV.

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Are there Broadband Bundles available for Seniors?

Bundling has been how providers can offer more of their services to customers, and for customers to save more money by signing up for more than just one service with one provider. It’s bundles that have truly made a difference in giving more value to Australian customers, who get the services they want without having to pay an exorbitant amount of money, like they would with individually priced plans.

While there aren’t that many senior-specific bundles out there, there is still a lot to choose from when it comes to the bundling options from different providers. These bundles combine plans across TV, broadband, and mobile as great-value packages. Getting a bundle not only helps you save money, but it also gives you more value – and often some added perks that you won’t get if you simply subscribed to individual plans. 

Mobile plans for Seniors

Mobile is another aspect of the Aussie telco landscape that has been consistently growing with newcomers shaking up the market with cheap plans and great service. Of course, there’s still the big three: Telstra, Vodafone, and Optus, which everyone knows of — but it’s also worth checking out the smaller players that have been delivering value-packed plans that don’t come with lengthy contracts or complicated terms and conditions. 

Last audited 22 January 2021

Setting up your mobile service

Taking a communication device on the go was relatively unthinkable three decades ago, but now they can fit comfortably in your pocket. Getting set up on your new mobile phone can be daunting for those who are used to the rotary dial phones of yesteryear. Fortunately, we have plenty of advice and detailed guides at your disposal to get you texting and calling like it’s second nature. Check them out on Compare TV.

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