Telstra launches Game Optimiser for $10 per month

After a short trial period, Telstra has officially launched its $10-per-month Game Optimiser add-on. Exclusive to Telstra NBN customers using the Telstra Gen 2 Smart Modem, Game Optimiser is a subscription service that allows Telstra users to prioritise gaming traffic on their network to suit their needs. The subscription is essentially Netduma's DumaOS repackaged for Telstra Gen 2 Smart Modems, offering all the same network management features, like granular Quality of Service (QoS) settings, adblocking, ping heatmaps, geofenced matchmaking and more. Game Optimiser is just the latest in Telstra's push into the gaming market, joining the telco's tempting Xbox All Access offer.

The features listed above allow you to tailor your home network to your own priorities. Say stable online gaming is your number one priority, Telstra Game Optimiser allows you to adjust QoS settings so online gaming takes priority over other activities (like streaming Netflix). This reduces the chances of someone else's Netflix session impacting your Call of Duty match, for example. Maybe you're less of an online gamer but you still want to take advantage of Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass library, Game Optimiser lets your prioritise game downloads over online gaming, and vice versa.

QoS is the headline feature but it also lets you geofence your matchmaking (so you only connect with players in a selected regions). There's also the Ping Heatmap, which lets you ping servers for a huge selection of games so you can decide whether it's worth jumping in for a match of Apex. It also offers adblocking, connection benchmarks, network monitoring and more.

As mentioned above, Telstra Game Optimiser is available exclusively to NBN customers using the Telstra Gen 2 Smart Modem. You can apply the subscription to your monthly bill in the MyTelstra app. Remember, the first month is free, but the add-on will set you back $10 per month after that. Once you've purchased your subscription via the MyTelstra app, you can either download the DumaOS app from Google Play or iTunes and sign in with your Smart Modem details, or head to your Smart Modem web interface at http://www.mymodem/. If you've signed up for Game Optimiser, it should be the first screen you see after logging in.

Telstra Game Optimiser is available with almost any Telstra NBN plan with the bundled Gen 2 Smart Modem. Fixed Wireless, NBN basic (NBN 12), and NBN ultrafast (NBN 1000) customers. Here's a quick glance at some of the most popular Telstra NBN plans currently available.

Xbox All Access is Telstra's game console payment program. Customers can pay off an Xbox One S, Xbox Series S, or Xbox Series X over 24 months via Telstra, rather than paying upfront. It also comes with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription (a library of 100+ Xbox games to download on-demand). Here's a quick look at how much the Series S and Series X will cost you on Xbox All Access.