What is Telstra TV?
With the Telstra TV set top box, you can stream your favorite entertainment content and apps, including popular subscription apps, movies, TV shows, music, sport, and more. The Telstra TV app also allows you stream on your smartphone with mobile data.
Telstra TV comes with some unique features. For instance, it is the only streaming device in Australia that allows users search for specific titles simultaneously on entertainment apps, live TV, and more. Users also get access to five free-to-air Catch-up TV apps: 10 Play, 7 Plus, SBS On Demand, 9 Now, and ABC iView.
The device also has some expected features, such as 4K streaming, a voice-enabled remote, and a pause/rewind feature.
Telstra also sell the device outright or through monthly installments. Both options add up to the same price, but paying monthly gives you the option of spreading your payments over 24 months at $9 per month. Your monthly payments will be added to your bill if you have an eligible Telstra service.
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How to activate and use Telstra TV
To activate Telstra TV, you will need a Telstra Internet plan, mobile broadband plan, or mobile postpaid SIM Only plan. Any of these plans will allow you use Telstra TV even if you use a third party Internet service provider.
The easiest way to activate Telstra TV is with your Telstra ID. If you have one, along with Telstra Home Broadband that you’re connected to, your Telstra TV will activate automatically. If you don’t have Telstra Home Broadband but you have a Telstra ID for your Telstra account, just follow the prompts on Telstra TV to get it activated.
If you don’t have a Telstra ID, you’ll need to get one. Here are the steps:
- You’ll find a unique code and link (telstra.com/linktv) on the screen. Take note of these for later use.
- Open up a browser on your computer, phone, or tablet to register for a Telstra ID here. You can also use your existing My Account login to link your Telstra TV device.
- Go to the link in Step 1 and enter your code, followed by your Telstra ID.
- An activation confirmation will be sent to your email.
Benefits of using Telstra TV
Telstra TV isn’t that much different from other set top boxes like Amazon FireTV and Roku. However, it gives you some unique benefits that you won’t get from other streaming devices:
- With Telstra TV, you can have all your subscriptions on one bill. From your phone bill to Internet bill, Netflix subscription, and so on.
- Telstra TV also gives you the opportunity to pay in installments, so you don’t have to pay upfront.
- All your entertainment media will be all in one place with Telstra TV, everything from Kayo Sports to Netflix, Foxtel Now, Binge (3 months free subscription), Stan and more.
- You also get Telstra reward points when you pay your bill on time – 20,000 points if you choose to pay for Telstra TV in monthly installments.
Final words
The range of TV and streamed video products now available in Australia is overwhelming. Figuring out whether you want Netflix, Bing, Telstra TV, Foxtel, Stan or any of the others is an incredibly difficult task.
In some ways, taking Telstra TV is a simple option, especially for existing Telstra customers. It is fairly priced and provides a good cross section of the content that is available across other platforms. However, some users – those who watch a lot of TV (like me!) – might like to get Netflix as well as Disney for the family. Their content is unique, but is not available on the Telstra TV platform for free. To get such content the user would have to pay for the services.