Telstra offering Stan, Netflix and Presto for 3 months plus Data-free Apple Music

Telstra is doubling down on entertainment in the battle against Optus and Vodafone for the monthly mobile plan, offering three months free access to Stan, Netflix and Presto for new and re-contracting customers from next week – plus, Apple Music goes unmetered.

While Vodafone offers Spotify or Stan subscriptions as part of some of their mobile plans, and Optus offers free-data for streaming Google Play Music, Spotify and Pandora – Telstra have taken a similar yet more broad approach for their attack on this entertainment battleground.

From Tuesday, new and re-contracting customers on eligible plans, will get three months of Stan, Netflix and Presto.  Now – that’s not choose one and you get it for three months, that’s use all three for three months for free.  Very cool offer especially for those who haven’t yet tried any of the streaming services – get to the end of three months and you know which ones you like and might then pay for.

And for music lovers, Telstra continues to offer Apple Music subscriptions as part of their plans, but have now moved it to unmetered data – so all the music you listen to does not count in your monthly allowance.

Finally, they are launching a new app called Telstra TV+ which includes a universal search across all the streaming platforms so you can find what you want, when you want it and stream it nice and easy.

This comes not just in response to the competitive nature of the entertainment in telco market – but also after research which showed Telstra there are some clear new “peaks” in our viewing times – because when we commute, we’re streaming content to keep us entertained.

“Australians have embraced streaming video services like Netflix in their lounge rooms and we are now seeing that appetite translate to phones and tablets outside the home. As an example, network traffic surges during the morning and afternoon commute suggesting two new prime-time periods are emerging, as people discover how easy it to continue watching their favourite shows on the go.” Michele Garra, Executive Director Media at Telstra told EFTM.

As an example of that new trend in viewing – on weekdays, Telstra report that they see “a spike in video usage on the network during traditional commuter times, with spikes between 8 am and 9 am and again in the afternoon from 5 pm to 6 pm.”

Details from Telstra on usage and streaming:

Mobile consumer behaviour

• All live games on the AFL and NRL apps will continue to be unmetered for Telstra mobile customers for the rest of the 2016 footy season.
• Now our entertainment is just as accessible on smartphones and tablets, it’s leading to some unlikely places and behaviours from people streaming on the go:
• Streaming is not a sit-still and standalone activity with one in four (27%) participants multi-tasking when streaming music and video at work (11%), the gym (5%), when walking (7%), in the car (10%) and on public transport (15%)
• Aussies also admit to streaming in the bath, when camping, in a row boat, at weddings and even hiding in cupboards at work.
• And we’re getting a little distracted with one in 10 confessing to missing work, walking into something or burning the dinner when streaming.

Top 5 Olympic moments based on our network traffic:

1. Men’s Prelim Basketball – AUS v USA – 25% of total mobile network traffic
2. Men’s 100m final sprint – 24% of total mobile network traffic
3. Women’s 100m freestyle swimming final – 18% of total mobile network traffic
4. Rugby women’s final Australia vs New Zealand – 19% of total mobile network traffic
5. Men’s 100m freestyle swim final – 13% of total mobile network traffic

AFL/NRL:

• The average live audience per premiership game has increased by 65% compared to 2015 season.
• Australians have watched over 2 million hours this season, an increase of 76% compared to 2015 season.
• The average live audience per premiership game has increased by 184% compared to 2015 season.
• Australians watched over 1.6 million hours this season, an increase of 63% compared to 2015 season.