Telstra brings great news to its postpaid customers by rolling out real-time mobile data usage alerts as a mechanism to control bill shock, in what the carrier says as the first of such service in Australia. The service will dispatch real-time mobile data usage alerts based on certain thresholds - 50 per cent, 85 per cent and 100 per cent of their included monthly data allowance, allowing them better control their monthly mobile data expenditure. In addition, Telstra has also made available data usage updates via its 24x7 app (iOS and Android), Telstra One app, My Plan Manager and My Account tools where users' data usage is updated every 15 minutes.
The new service from Telstra is deployed using real-time rating technology from MATRIXX, a leading telecom software company specializing in Business Suport Systems (BSS) solution. Telstra via Telstra Ventures has recently invested in MATRIXX and is leveraging the company's BSS capabilities to enhance its mobile data service.
According to Telstra, the new solution will greatly enhance subscribers' mobile data experience by providing piece of mind to users and taking away unnecessary concerns about overages. Prior to the implementation of this new service, data subscribers in Australia are only notified up to 48 hours after they exceed their allocated quota, resulting in bill-shocks and user dissatisfaction. In addition to the usage alert, Telstra is also introducing charges-based alert service that sends an alert to the subscriber for every $50 excess data charges incurred by the user.
Scott McGibbony, Director of Mobile at Telstra
Our real-time alerts will deliver our customers the information they need about their mobile data use when they need it. It will allow people to grab a data pack or switch to Wi-Fi if they are nearing the end of their monthly data allowance. We hope these changes mean our customers can enjoy being connected to the nation’s largest and most reliable mobile network without fear of unexpected data charges. Telstra had invested tens of millions of dollars in sophisticated technology capable of handling hundreds of thousands of data sessions every minute to introduce the service for customers.