Telstra bills are famously confusing. If your boss has asked "can we save money on phones?" and you are staring at a bill full of line items you do not understand -- start here. Enter the numbers and we will translate them.
Find each line item on your bill and enter the dollar amount. Leave blank if it does not appear on your bill.
| Line item | Your amount | What this actually is |
|---|---|---|
|
Line rental / access fee
Fixed monthly cost per phone line
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The fixed monthly cost per phone line, regardless of calls made. Telstra charges $30-55 per line. |
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Local calls
Calls to landlines in your area
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Calls to landlines in your area (often included in plans now). |
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National calls
Calls to landlines outside your area code
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Calls to landlines outside your area code. |
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Calls to mobiles
Usually the most expensive line item
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Usually the most expensive line item. Charged per minute at 22-35c/min on Telstra plans. |
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International calls
Calls overseas
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Calls overseas. Rates vary wildly by destination. |
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1300 / 1800 service fees
Monthly fee plus per-minute charges
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Monthly fee for your 1300/1800 number plus per-minute charges to answer those calls. |
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ISDN / SIP charges
If you see ISDN, you are on old technology
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If you see ISDN on your bill, you are on very old technology. Telstra ISDN has been fully decommissioned. |
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Equipment rental
Monthly charge for rented hardware or phones
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Monthly charge for rented PBX hardware or phones. If you own your hardware, this should be zero. |
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Internet (if bundled)
Your broadband -- separate from phone cost
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Your broadband -- enter this separately so we can isolate the true phone cost from the internet cost. |
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Other / unknown charges
Anything you cannot identify
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Anything you cannot identify on your bill. Ask your provider to explain these before renewing. |
| Number of phone lines | Enter the number of active phone lines (numbers) on your bill. |
Based on typical Telstra business plans compared to a mid-tier hosted VOIP plan (such as Maxotel, Vonex, or similar AU providers).
| Feature | Your current plan (typical Telstra) | Typical VOIP plan |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited local / national calls | Depends on plan | Included |
| Calls to AU mobiles | Often extra (22-35c/min) | Included (most plans) |
| Voicemail to email | Usually not | Included |
| Auto-attendant | Not without PBX | Included |
| Mobile app (take calls anywhere) | No | Included |
| Call recording | No | Available (mid/premium plans) |
| Add / remove lines instantly | Requires Telstra visit | Self-service |
Want an exact comparison? Send your current bill to Maxotel and they will give you a line-by-line comparison showing exactly what you would save. Free, no obligation.
Get a free bill comparisonMost Telstra business plans charge separately for line rental ($30-55/line), national calls, and calls to mobiles. A 5-line business can easily pay $300-500/month before call charges. VOIP bundles all of this into one per-user price, typically $20-30/user/month with unlimited local, national, and mobile calls included.
You will gain features. Most Telstra business phone plans do not include voicemail-to-email, auto-attendant, call recording, or a mobile app. All of these come standard with hosted VOIP. The one area to check is fax -- VOIP handles this via fax-to-email, which works well for most businesses.
On a decent internet connection (NBN 50+), yes. VOIP call quality on modern codecs is indistinguishable from a traditional landline. On slow or congested internet, you may notice a difference. Most VOIP providers recommend a minimum of 100 kbps per simultaneous call, which any NBN plan handles easily.
VOIP supports fax-to-email, which converts incoming faxes to PDF and delivers them to your inbox. Outgoing fax is also available. You no longer need a physical fax machine. This is actually an upgrade for most businesses -- faxes arrive as searchable PDFs and can be forwarded like any email.
Yes. Number porting transfers your existing number to your new VOIP provider. It takes 5-10 business days and Telstra cannot refuse the port under Australian telecommunications regulations. Your number keeps working on the old system until the port completes, so there is no gap in service.
Related tools: Can I Keep My Business Number? | How Many Phone Lines Do I Need?
Send your current phone bill to Maxotel and get a free, no-obligation line-by-line comparison showing exactly what you would pay and what you would save on hosted VOIP.
Get a Free Bill Comparison