Prepaid recharge added to or overrides existing period

[Foneitin]

I am currently on a Prepaid Max plan with 5G access that expires in just over 3 months. I am considering recharging before 1 February 2021 to retain 5G access for a further 12 months on the new Prepaid Complete plan as described here: https://www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/prepaid-mobiles/offers-and-rates#pp-complete-sim

However, it is unclear to me if recharging with a new Complete plan now, 3 months before my current Max term expires, means the new 12-month period will commence after the existing recharge period ends, or if the new Complete plan will start immediately on purchase now thereby cancelling/superseding the remaining time on the existing Max recharge?

If the latter, I won’t recharge now since 5G is just a nice-to-have rather than a must-have, and I do not want to throw away the 3 months’ worth of remaining Max credit (=$75). But if the new 12-month recharge period is definitely added to the end of the existing period, then I’m quite happy to pay for it 3 months earlier to retain 5G for another year after my current recharge expires. Anyone know for sure?

[Smiley3 · Accepted solution]

Hi Foneitin,

If you recharge early on a Telstra Pre-Paid plan you lose the remaining day's of your previous recharge, it won't extend your expiry date.

You'd be forfeiting $75 from your previous recharge. 

I'm glad you asked this question first before changing to the Complete plan and putting a recharge on. I've seen so many customer's post on Crowdsupport that they lost their remaining day's by recharging early.

It happened to me once and I've never done it again, lucky for me I only lost a few day's. 

[Foneitin]

Hi Smiley3

Thank you for the prompt and clear response, that makes the decision easy.

I won’t recharge now and will see what the situation with 5G and prepaid plans is when my Max plan ends in 3 months, including at other carriers. It does seem Telstra’s loss though not tacking on new recharges at the end of the current expiry, as that would have locked me in as a customer for at least another year.

Cheers

[Smiley3]

Hi Foneitin, 

You're welcome 

Telstra makes more money out of their customer's when they recharge early 

I know 1 of Telstra's competitors (the big O) does let their customer's recharge early and it extends the expiry date, allowing up to 84 day's...but I don't think that Telco let's their Pre-paid customer's have 5G access with their recharge's.