1 min readTelstra is introducing new hardware aimed at customers who want to take advantage of the new NBN speed tiers being introduced by NBN Co next month.
Replacing the previous Telstra Smart Modem 3, the new Telstra Smart Modem 4 comes included for no extra cost for new NBN and 5G Home Internet customers who stick with Telstra for 24 months from today. Customers who cancel their plan earlier than that have the option of either returning the modem or paying a $200 non-return fee to keep it.
Meanwhile, existing Telstra customers who are keen to upgrade from the Smart Modem 4 to the new model will be able to do so for $10/month over a 24-month period. In either case, the headline upgrade here is WiFi 7 connectivity, which you'll need if you want to take full advantage of faster NBN speed tiers like NBN 1000.
Unfortunately, this is where the story gets a little more complicated. Dig a little closer into the spec sheet for the Smart Modem 4 and you might notice that the dual-band modem-router only comes kitted out with a single USB 2.0 port, a lone Gigabit WAN port and a generous quartet of Gigabit LAN ports.
Those last two specs are pretty significant, as it means you won't actually be able to go as fast as NBN 2000 allows for with this particular piece of hardware. Still, the Smart Modem 4 comes with an internal SIM slot that allows it to offer 5G backup internet should your fixed-line connection have any hiccups.
Other features included here are mandatory WPA3 encryption, beamforming, multi-link operation support, and an AI-powered feature called SmartFix which promises to resolve network faults before you notice them in real-time. Last but not least, the Smart Modem 4 will also play nice with Telstra’s existing line of Smart Wi-Fi Boosters.
Check out the widget below for a round-up of Telstra NBN plans you can pair with the Smart Modem 4.
