Telstra cuts data sharing costs for business customers

Telstra introduced data sharing to customers late in 2013 with the launch of new Data Share packages that could be bundled with its Every Day Connect plans. However, users that wanted to share their data plan with additional devices such as tablets were required to pay $10 per device per month for the privilege.

Just one day after Optus announced that it would offer data sharing across all its consumer plans for a one-off SIM cost of AU$5 per device, Telstra has updated its plan structure once more to offer a similar data pooling deal. But unlike Optus, you'll need to be a business customer to take advantage of the offer.

With the launch of its EasyShare Business plans Telstra is allowing small-to-medium businesses to "automatically pool data allowances across multiple services". The telco is also providing a free data SIM (on all plans except the entry-level 'S' plan) to facilitate this.

But that's where the freebies end -- additional data SIMs (Telstra allows sharing with up to five Data Share SIMs per plan) will still require a $10 per month access fee, according to the plan break-down on Telstra's website.

Will Irving, group managing director of Telstra Business, said the new plans "make it easy for businesses to unleash the power of mobility," adding that new users would also get bonus data to sweeten the deal.

"We know that when customers get a new smartphone or tablet they use it more than usual," he said. "Our new plans will provide customers with an extra 25GB of domestic data and an unlimited standard voice/SMS/MMS to standard Australian numbers, to use in Australia for the first month."

Other features of the plans include a 70 percent reduction in excess data charges (down to 3 cents per MB), free voice calls between eligible mobiles on the same account and no voice call flag fall.