Telstra has decided to provide free pre-paid credit for up to 6 months to reduce the cost of living for needy Australians.
According to the Top Up program of Telstra, one of the largest telecommunications service providers in Sri Lanka, this year 5.4 million dollars worth of money will be given to about 30,000 phones.
The offered Top Up value has been increased from 160 to 180 dollars.
Valid for six months, this pre-paid amount includes unlimited local calls and SMS as well as 70GB data.
Telstra’s chief consumer advocate, Theresa Corbin, said the program was previously aimed at people who were homeless, experienced domestic violence or a natural disaster, but was now also available to customers in need of financial assistance.
Almost a quarter of Australians have struggled to pay at least one essential service bill in the past 12 months due to the rising cost of living, research has revealed.
It is said that most of them had problems paying their phone bills.
It is also said that it is a pity that many Australians are not aware of the financial assistance programs offered by major companies in a situation like this.
In the last financial year, Telstra provided 18,115 Top Ups to those in need, but about $3 million in aid was not received by those in need.
