Telstra’s recently improved Pre-Paid Top Up program now offers six months of essential phone, SMS, and data services to more regional Australians facing financial challenges.

According to the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), one in five Australians have missed a phone or internet payment due to financial constraints, while others have gone without essentials like food or medicine to pay a bill.

To help make it easier for customers in need, we’ve extended our Top Up program in partnership with Infoxchange. We also increased the value of our Top Ups from three $40 recharges each expiring after 28 days, to one $160 recharge with 70GB of data to use over six months, to help keep more people who need it connected for longer.

By June next year, Telstra intends to increase our investment in this program to $5 million, making it possible to help almost 30,000 Australians to stay connected with loved ones and essential online resources. The Telstra Top Up program can be accessed through community agencies and providers that use Infoxchange's services. Currently, over 750 state-based organisations, including: Safe Steps, Anglicare, Salvation Army, Save The Children, and Uniting Care offer the program. To qualify, you need to be using a Telstra Pre-Paid SIM, which is available for $2.

To find a participating community agency near you that offers Telstra Top Ups visit Ask Izzy and type ‘Telstra’ into the search bar. If you’re a community agent interested in providing this program to your clients, learn more here.