Telstra will be the first carrier in Australia to offer Galaxy S10 5G when it becomes available later this year. In a further win for customers, anyone who purchases a Samsung S10+ through Telstra will be able to upgrade to the 5G-capable Galaxy S10 5G at no extra cost when it is released.
That's a bold move that will see 5G devices in local hands faster than in many other countries, where 5G services are still in development or where carriers are using some questionable marketing to tout their 4G networks as 5G.
Coupled with Wi-Fi 6 , which offers faster connectivity and the ability to support more devices in congested areas, the availability of 5G means the new Galaxy S10 and presumably the Galaxy Fold when it's released on April 26, will mean Samsung will be the one of connectivity, at least until the other phone makers play catch up throughout the rest of the year.
The ability to get your hands on the 5G models when it's released is a new idea. Although trade-ins on old models aren't new – even your local Apple Store will take an old phone and let you trade it on a new handset – but being able to swap a current generation device for an upgraded model in the same generation is new.
The Samsung S10+ 128GB will be available on the XL lease plan for $129 a month (for 24 months, min cost $3096) and will come with 160GB of data (including 100GB of bonus data), unlimited national and international talk and text to 16 countries, Peace of Mind Data as well as Telstra’s sports, music and Wi-Fi data inclusions.
Pre-orders of the S10e, S10 and S10+ smartphones also come with bonus Galaxy Ear Buds.
Originally published in Lifehacker Australia on 21 February 2019: https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2019/02/samsung-locks-in-5g-deal-with-telstra/