Telstra T-Hub: one-touch phone and online hub for the 21st century home
Telstra T-Hub one-touch phone
“T-Hub will suit Australians’ appetite for quick access to information, while enabling customers to perform many mobile phone-type applications on their home phone.
“Making a phone call on the T-Hub is simple with an easy to search address book and click-to-call. The handsfree phone on the touch panel makes it easy to multi-task in the kitchen. The cordless handset also enables a seamless transition to a more private conversation. Voice messages are displayed on the touch panel and can easily be selected to hear the message.
“T-Hub also has mobile phone-like applications and features such as one-touch access to BigPond and Sensis services as well as popular internet sites such as Facebook and YouTube. Customers can send a friend a message on Facebook before heading out the door or enjoy unmetered access to BigPond news, weather and sport over breakfast without having to boot-up a computer.
“T-Hub will become the new family organiser with a calendar, notes, calculator and alarm clock, all of which can sit on the kitchen counter or be carried to another room.
“T-Hub works exclusively on Telstra’s fixed line and broadband networks giving customers a high quality, reliable service. Customers can also back up their contacts on Telstra’s secure network making sure they don’t lose important telephone numbers,” Ms McKenziesaid
The T-Hub phone plugs into a standard home telephone socket and links to a BigPond broadband service accessed by a home wi-fi modem.
“We’ve trialled the T-Hub and some of the most popular features were handsfree phone calls from the touch panel plus local weather, sports, news and finance information. Customers also found internet radio a great feature for the kitchen or living area, along with a digital photo frame,”Ms McKenzie said.
From 20 April, T-Hub will be available from most T-life stores, Telstra Licensed stores, selected dealers, online and over the phone. T-Hub can be purchased as part of one of Telstra’s 15 bundled options such as the Home Bundle 12GB plan for $109 per month plus $35 upfront*, which includes unlimited local calls, 12GB of data and a Home Network Gateway on a 24 month contract.
In addition to traditional home phone features, the T-Hub also includes:
- A large, 18cm touchscreen: make and receive calls, send text messages to mobile numbers on the Telstra network and most Australian fixed numbers, receive voicemail messages, and view lists of recent incoming and outgoing calls.
- Mobile phone-like applications: using wireless internet access, customers can connect to popular social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace and use pre-loaded BigPond search icons for news, sport, weather and entertainment.
- Easy click search: to help users find phone numbers with one-touch access to Australia’s online phone directories: White Pages, Yellow Pages and 1234.
- An organiser for family activities: include a calendar, notes for family members, lists of important contact numbers and addresses, and an alarm clock.
- An entertainment hub: to play music, listen to Internet radio, watch videos on Facebook, YouTube, visit, or use it as a digital photo frame.
Customers of National Australia Bank (NAB) and the Commonwealth Bank are among the first to benefit from the additional access to Internet Banking afforded by the new T-Hub™ device, launched from 20 April.
The T-Hub is a wireless, touch-screen tablet and cordless phone that combines home phone features with a wide range of Internet sites and applications on the one device. Popular applications available on the T-Hub include BigPond News, BigPond Weather, BigPond Sport, White Pages, Yellow Pages, YouTube, Facebook, Internet Radio, calendar, clock, calculator and banking services.
Through online banking sites accessed via T-Hub, customers of the Commonwealth Bank and NAB can access a range of banking services, including the ability to:
- Check balances
- Review transaction history
- Transfer funds between linked accounts
- Pay bills via BPAY to billers already associated with their account
Telstra Enterprise and Government General Manager for Banking, Finance and Insurance, Mr Rocky Scopelliti, said T-Hub applications had been designed to help Telstra customers simplify and manage their daily lives.
“Telstra T-Hub combines the capabilities of home phone with mobile phone-type applications to change the way customers communicate and access Internet services. It can sit on a kitchen bench or in the family room, where anyone in the family can make phone calls and send text messages, access their bank account, play music and listen to Internet radio stations and update the family calendar,” Mr Scopelliti said.
Telstra research indicates that Internet banking is a key priority for consumers using T-Hub, ranking as the third most important feature of the device behind click-to-call and email. With two major banks launching applications, banking is set to be among the most visited sites.
“We know more than 40 per cent1of Australians already access online banking sites. We’re delighted to make banking even easier with the mobility and simplicity offered by T-Hub from the convenience of customers’ own homes,” Mr Scopelliti said.
NAB Personal Banking’s Executive General Manager of Direct Banking, Mr Sam Plowman said, “Improving customer experience and service is a key priority to NAB. The T-Hub provides NAB’s customers with an exciting new way to bank online.”
The T-Hub phone plugs into a standard home telephone socket and is designed to work exclusively on the Telstra network, using an eligible Telstra home phone service, a BigPond broadband service and a wireless access point such as a Home Network Gateway.
T-Hub also provides access to one-touch services such as BigPond and Sensis as well as popular internet sites including Facebook and YouTube. Customers can send a friend a message on Facebook before heading out the door or enjoy unmetered access to BigPond news, weather and sport over breakfast without having to boot-up a computer.
From 20 April, T-Hub will be available from most T-Life™ stores, Telstra Licensed Shops, selected dealers, online or by calling 1300 136 841. T-Hub can be purchased as part of one of Telstra’s 15 bundled options such as the Home Bundle 12GB plan for $109* per month plus $35 upfront, which includes unlimited local calls, 12GB of data and a Home Network Gateway on a 24 month plan.
*Min cost is $2651 plus a $9.95 delivery fee and usage. The T-Hub Bundles are only available to new customers or those with a 13 digit account number. Prices for the T-Hub may vary at T-Life, Telstra Licensed Stores and Telstra’s third party dealers.
Filed Under: Breaking News
About the Author: Faysal Chowdhury, a Civil Engineer at day and an intelligent tech blogger at night. Stationed in Dhaka, Bangladesh he is has been with HotCellularPhone.com since the beginning, dated back to 2008. After receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in 2006, he started working as a Civil Engineer for Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) but his tech savvy mind always kept up with the mobile world and keeping everyone updated as well.
