Telstra Air: What it is and how to use it

In the past, Telstra Air was a benefit available only to Telstra customers. You needed to be either a Telstra mobile or broadband user to access it. 

For broadband customers, this meant setting aside some of their modem's bandwidth to connect to the Telstra Air network. However, things have changed, and Telstra Air has recently been revamped into something else entirely.

In this article, we’re going to talk you through what it was, how it worked and what it has become.

What is Telstra Air?

Today, Telstra Air is a free Wi-Fi hotspot network that you might find on your street. See an old Telstra payphone? Get closer and look for a pink dome with a white Wi-Fi symbol or a "Free Telstra Wi-Fi" sticker. If you spot one, you're near a Telstra Air hotspot.

Telstra has been transforming its payphones into more useful tools. Since most of us have mobile phones, the humble payphone no longer has a place in useful society - or so you may think. 

Now, anyone can make free national calls from them, not just Telstra customers. The expansion to ensuring everyone - Telstra customer or not - has access to making calls has been helpful in the wake of bushfires and other natural disasters in certain areas. 

Plus, these payphones also offer free Wi-Fi to everyone. As of late 2023, Telstra had around 3,000 Wi-Fi enabled payphones and is working on upgrading the remaining 12,000 in the coming years.

You can also find Telstra Air in Telstra retail stores, where some locations even offer faster speeds than those available at the payphones. The best part? Telstra Air is completely free for everyone; no need to be a Telstra mobile or Internet customer.

Beware: The connection isn’t great

Telstra Air is essentially public Wi-Fi, so it’s important to use a virtual private network (VPN) to keep your data secure. Just keep in mind that using a VPN might make the connection even slower. 

If you have trouble connecting to the Telstra Air network, try moving closer to the payphone. The farther you go, the higher the latency and the slower the speeds.

If you move too far, your phone might switch back to mobile data instead of staying on Telstra Air. You’ll also need to accept the terms and conditions before using the network, so be on the lookout for a sign-in pop-up when you tap on the Telstra Air connection. 

The biggest issue you may face is speed. After connecting, run a speed test to check how fast the download and upload rates are, and adjust what you do online based on the results.

How you can use Telstra Air

To use Telstra Air, the first step is to find a payphone or retail store that supports it. Telstra suggests using its 'find us' page to locate nearby hotspots. Choose 'Payphone' from the search type menu, then enter your suburb or postcode.

In the search results, look for payphones labeled “Wi-Fi Hotspot” to confirm they offer Telstra Air. Once you're near the payphone, you can connect without needing any special app. Just find the ‘Free Telstra Wi-Fi’ network on your device, accept the terms and conditions, and click the ‘Agree And Connect’ button.

Get connected to Telstra today

Telstra Air is still available in Australia, offering free public Wi-Fi through about 3,000 Wi-Fi enabled payphones across the country. If you’re looking to connect to Telstr or upgrade your current plan, the best thing that you can do is call Compare Broadband today.

Our friendly team is able to get you connected to a new plan in no time at all and we’re available on 1300 764 000.