Landline Features And Benefits For Small Business
Optional Features:
Special calling features for your landline phone:
Features, Benefits & Conditions
- Online billing [+$2.20 per month otherwise]
- Automatic payment [+$2.20 per month otherwise]
- Minimum 1 month fixed contract term
- Rental billed in advance, usage in arrears
Avoid Missing Calls:
Tired of missing important calls? We have a range of helpful options – just choose the one that best suits you
Message Bank:
Provides a personal answering service if your phone line is busy or you can't get to the phone. You don't need extra equipment like answering machine tapes, and you also get greater flexibility on Call Waiting – if you don't want to interrupt your call, let MessageBank take your message.
MessageBank is available on most tone phones throughout Australia or any HomeLine services provided on the NBN.
- An answering service for your fixed phone
- Stores 60 x 5 min messages
- Saves unplayed messages for 14 days
- Saves played messages for 7 days
- Message Retrieval is free from your home phone.
- Download user guide
How Do I Use It?
The first time you call your MessageBank service, voice prompts will guide you through recording your personal greeting and setting a PIN.
Follow the prompts to set up your mailbox.
You will not need to enter the PIN when calling your MessageBank from your home phone but you will need it if calling from another fixed or mobile service
Accessing MessageBank
To access MessageBank from the phone it's connected to:
Press [1 | 0 | 1] or [1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1] and, if prompted, [MessageBank PIN | #]
To access MessageBank from another fixed or mobile phone within Australia:
Press [1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2] and, when prompted, [Mailbox number | #] (which is your phone number including area code) and [MessageBank PIN | #]
To access MessageBank from services connected to some PABXs or to other carriers:
Call 1800 135 102
To access MessageBank from phone services in other countries:
Call +61 418 707 102 or your Telstra Telecardâ„¢ access number, the card number and [PIN] and followed by [1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2] (then your [Mailbox number | #] and [MessageBank PIN |#])
Listening To Messages
Your messages will play automatically when you call MessageBank.
After listening to your messages, you can:
- Press [1] to replay the message
- Press [2 | 2] to call the person back*
- Press [5] to delete the message and go to the next one
Storing Messages
MessageBank automatically stores all your new messages for 14 days, and for seven days once you've played them (unless you delete them first).
You'll have storage for up to 60 messages of up to five minutes each.
Knowing who's called
If a caller listens to your personal greeting, then hangs up without leaving a message, you can still get their number (as long as it wasn't blocked or silent).
- Press [9] for Main Menu
- Press [3] for Mailbox Set-up
- Press [5] for Mailbox Options
- Press [6] for Hang Up Messages, then choose ON
MessageBank can store numbers for up to 5 Hang Up Messages at a time.
*Standard call charges apply. Does not apply to Telstra Talking messages.
Changing Your PIN and/or Greeting
The PIN can be changed at any time and, if you prefer the added security of PIN protection when calling MessageBank from your home phone, the settings can be changed as follows:
Call MessageBank and press [9] to access the Main Menu, then:
- Press [3] for the Setup menu, then
- Press [3] for the PIN Change menu, then
- Press [1] to change the PIN OR
- Press [2] for Security Settings, then
- Press [1] to turn Optional PIN OFF.
When Optional PIN is off, you will need to enter your PIN whenever you call your mailbox.
When Optional PIN is on, your PIN will only be required when calling your mailbox from another fixed phone or a mobile.
Managing Your Messages
You'll know you have new messages as soon as you pick up your phone because you'll hear a special 'interrupted' dial tone.
Or, if you get one of our T1000C or CR2000 rental phones, the special flashing message indicator will let you see if you've got new messages at a glance. Contact us to find out more.
You can also get a text message sent to your Telstra mobile whenever someone leaves you a new message.
To turn SMS Message Notifications on:
Dial [1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1], select [4] from the menu [Follow prompts]
MessageBank Shortcuts
Anytime you're using MessageBank, you can:
- Press [9] to Return to Main Menu
- Press [*] to Cancel and Go Back one menu level
- Press [8] for Help
And when you're listening to your messages, you can:
- Press [1] to Go Back to the start of the message
- Press [2] to Go Back 8 seconds
- Press [3] to Go Forward 8 seconds
- Press [3 | 3] to Fast Forward to the end of the message
- Press [6] to Skip to the next message
- Press [7] to Pause a message while it is playing
- Press [7] to Resume again.
Changing The Time Before MessageBank Answers The Call
Your unanswered calls are usually forwarded to MessageBank after 20 seconds, or about seven rings. However, you can change this to anything from five to 60 seconds.
Changing The Time Before A Call Is Forwarded
[lift receiver | * | 9 | 9 | Time in seconds | # | phone down]
Anything Else I Need To Know
MessageBank is available in most areas in Australia. A monthly access charge applies.
Helpful Hint:
If you use dial-up internet access, make sure you clear your MessageBank messages first. Otherwise the special 'interrupted dial tone' may not be recognised by your modem.
Call Waiting:
Don't miss a call even when you're on the phone. Available on your phone right now
Call Waiting tells you if a new caller is trying to contact you when you are already on the phone. A discreet tone alerts you to the new caller – so you can answer your second incoming call by putting your first caller on hold.
Pricing
This feature is free of monthly charges to most customer plans.
Availability
Call Waiting is automatically available to customers with tone phones in most areas of Australia. All new services have Call Waiting automatically turned on.
Further Information
You don't have to miss a call (and wonder who it was) just because you're already on the phone. With Call Waiting, you'll hear a discrete 'bip-bip' tone every five seconds, so that you know there's another call coming in. You can simply excuse yourself and put the first caller on hold while you answer the second call, then switch between calls as often as you like. You can end either call whenever you're ready.
How Do I Use It?
To answer an incoming call or switch between calls:
[Recall | Dial Tone | 2]
To hang up one call and return to the other:
[Recall | Dial Tone | 1]
To reject an incoming call:
[Recall | Dial Tone | 0]
Turn ON Call Waiting:
[1# | Follow prompts] or
[lift receiver | Dial tone | * | 4 | 3 | # | Announcement | phone down]
Turn OFF Call Waiting:
[1 | # | Follow prompts] or [lift receiver | Dial tone | # | 4 | 3 | # | Announcement | phone down]
On a T1000S/T1000C Rental Phone
Turn ON Call Waiting:
[lift receiver | Telstra Voice Assistant | Follow prompts]
Turn OFF Call Waiting:
[lift receiver | Telstra Voice Assistant | Follow prompts]
To answer the incoming call or to switch between calls:
[Call wait]
Helpful Hint:
The Call Waiting 'bips' can confuse some fax machines and dial-up modems, so to turn Call Waiting off while you send a fax or use dial-up internet:
Add [* | 4 | 4 ] to the front of the fax number, and store [ * | 4 | 4] on the front of your internet dial up number.
To check if Call Waiting is ON or OFF:
[1 | #] or [lift receiver | Dial tone | * | # | 4 | 3 | # | Announcement |phone down]
Anything Else I Need To Know?
Once Call Waiting is turned on, it stays on unless you switch it off. Call Waiting won't work during a 3-Way Chat call.
Call Return:
If you miss a call and want to see who it was, Call Return will let you find out the number quickly and easily (unless it was a blocked number).
Pricing
It costs 35 cents to retrieve the number of your last unanswered call (except where the number is blocked). If you decide to return the call by dialling '1', standard call charges will apply. This feature is free of monthly charges to most customers.
How Do I Use It?
Retrieve the number of your last answered call and get back to them quickly by dialing *10#.
To retrieve the number of your last unanswered call:
[lift receiver | * | 1 | 0 | #]
To call the number back:
Press [1]
On a T1000S Rental Phone
To retrieve the number of your last unanswered call:
[lift receiver | Call Return]
To call the number back:
Press [1]
Anything Else I Need To Know?
Call Return is ready for you to use on your phone right now (for tone phones in most areas in Australia). A per use charge for Call Return applies and call charges apply if you return the call.
Remote Access:
Remote Access allows you to activate or change your HomeLine® features, from an external location.
- The ability to vary the forwarding location of your phone calls from other premises. This keeps you in touch with all callers.
- The convenience of being able to switch HomeLine Features on and off to streamline your telephone communications.
Pricing
Remote Access costs $2.20 per month, plus call charges to your Remote Access Number at applicable rates.
Availability
Remote Access is available in most areas. You can use Remote Access from tone phones anywhere in Australia. This feature is not currently available if you have a Digital Voice Service on the NBN.
Case Study
Change your options at will:
John is a busy executive who is expecting an important call. But he also has to attend a meeting at a client's premises. Before leaving he activates Call Forward Selected Callers to forward his phone to the client's premises. After the meeting John visits another client and realises his phone is still forwarded to the first. From the second client's premises John dials his own phone and, via Remote Access, forwards his calls to the second client's number. John then receives all forwarded calls at this number and avoids unwanted calls going to his first client.
Please note: the scenario quoted has been used to illustrate typical product use and may not be actual.
How Do I Use It?
To access Remote Access:
[lift receiver | access number | announcement | your number | * | PIN | * | announcement | enter command sequence | announcement]
For example, to turn on Call Forward Immediate using Remote Access:
[lift receiver | access number | announcement | your number | * | PIN | * | announcement | * | 2 | 1 | phone number | # | announcement | phone down]
Anything Else I Need To Know?
You can only make one change per Remote Access call. You also need to activate your PIN on your home phone before you can use Remote Access.
If you need to connect Call Control, Smart Ring or Delayed Hotline, contact us
Applicable call costs and a monthly charge apply.
Call Forward:
Available on your phone right now
Isn't it great to know that you can be anywhere you need to be and never miss an important home or business call. That's freedom!
Call Forward transfers calls from your home phone to a number you choose, be it your mobile, answering service or another phone. It has different settings according to whether your phone is engaged or unattended.
You can select to forward:
- All calls
- Selected calls – you can have up to 15 numbers redirected
- Selected times – you can set up to 15 time periods during which your calls will be forwarded.
Pricing
Divert calls from your home phone to the number of your choice.
Standard call charges apply for all forwarded calls. Call Forwarding standard feature (all calls) is free of monthly charges for most on plans.
Availability
Call Forward is available in most areas throughout Australia. Call forwarding of selected numbers or of all calls at selected times is not currently available if you have a Digital Voice Service on the NBN.
Anything Else I Need To Know?
- Call Forward Immediate overrides all other HomeLine Features except Call Forward Selected Callers.
- Call Forward No Answer – default is 20 seconds (approximately 7 rings) before a call will be forwarded. Can be set from 5 to 60 seconds.
- Call Forward Selected Callers overrides all other Call Forwards. Calls can be forwarded to most numbers in Australia. Before using this feature you must activate your PIN on your home phone.
- Call Forward Set The Time overrides Call Forward Busy and No Answer. Before using this feature you must activate your PIN on your home phone.
Call Forward Immediate:
Any calls to your primary phone are immediately redirected to the number you choose.
How Do I Use It?
Turn ON Call Forward Immediate for all incoming calls:
[1 | # | Follow prompts] or
[lift receiver | * | 2 | 1 | phone number | # | phone down]
Turn OFF Call Forward Immediate for all incoming calls:
[1 | # | Follow prompts] or
[lift receiver | # | 2 | 1 | # | phone down]
On a T1000S/T1000C Rental Phone
Turn ON Call Forward Immediate for all incoming calls:
[lift receiver | Telstra Voice Assistant | follow prompts]
Turn OFF Call Forward Immediate for all incoming calls
[lift receiver | Telstra Voice Assistant | follow prompts]
To check if Call Forward Immediate is ON or OFF:
[lift receiver | Telstra Voice Assistant | follow prompts]
Anything Else I Need To Know?
Call Forward Immediate is available on your phone right now. It overrides all other features except Call Forward Selected Callers. Call charges apply for the calls you forward.
Call Forward Busy:
If your phone is engaged when someone calls, they'll be immediately forwarded to another number you've chosen.
How Do I Use It?
Turn ON Call Forward Busy for all incoming calls:
[1 | # | Follow prompts] or
[lift receiver | * | 2 | 4 | phone number | # | phone down]
Turn OFF Call Forward Busy for all incoming calls:
[1 | # | Follow prompts] or
[lift receiver | # | 2 | 4 | # | phone down]
To check if Call Forward Busy is ON or OFF:
[1 | # | Follow prompts] or
[lift receiver | * | # | 2 | 4 | # | Announcement | phone down]
Anything Else I Need To Know?
Call Forward Busy is available to use on your phone now. Call charges apply for the calls you forward.
Call Forward No Answer:
When there's no one to answer your phone, you can get your calls sent on to another number where someone is available. The default 'no answer' delay is 20 seconds or about seven rings. However, you can set any delay you want from five to 60 seconds.
How Do I Use It?
Turn ON Call Forward No Answer for all incoming calls:
[1 | # | Follow prompts] or
[lift receiver | * | 6 | 1 | phone number | # | phone down]
To change the ‘time in seconds' delay before calls forwarded:
[1 | # | Follow prompts] or
[lift receiver | * | 6 | 1 | phone number | * | Time in seconds | # | phone down]
Turn OFF Call Forward No Answer for all incoming calls:
[1 | # | Follow prompts] or
[lift receiver | # | 6 | 1 | # | phone down]
To check if Call Forward No Answer is ON or OFF:
[1 | # | Follow prompts] or
[lift receiver | * | # | 6 | 1 | # | Announcement | phone down]
Anything Else I Need To Know?
Call Forward No Answer is available to use on your phone now. Call charges apply for forwarded calls.
Call Forward Selected Calls:
You can forward specific callers to another phone by creating a Selected Callers List of up to 15 numbers.
How Do I Use It?
Turn ON Call Forward Selected Callers:
[lift receiver | * | 9 | 2 | # | phone down]
Turn OFF Call Forward Selected Callers:
[lift receiver | # | 9 | 2 | # | phone down]
To check if Call Forward Selected Callers is ON or OFF:
[lift receiver | * | # | 9 | 2 | # | Announcement | phone down]
How Do I Manage My Selected Callers List?
To add a number to your Selected Callers List:
[lift receiver | * | 8 | 7 | PIN | * | Announcement | 4 | * | Announcement | list position | * | Announcement | caller's phone number | * | Announcement | forwarding destination phone number | # | Announcement | phone down]
To check which number is in a particular position on your ‘Selected Callers List:
[lift receiver | * | # | 8 | 7 | PIN | * | Announcement | 4 | * | Announcement | list position | # | Announcement | phone down]
To remove a number from your Selected Callers List:
[lift receiver | # | 8 | 7 | PIN | * | Announcement | 4 | * | Announcement | 1 | Announcement | list position | # | Announcement | phone down]
To clear your entire Selected Callers List:
[lift receiver | # | 8 | 7 | PIN | * | Announcement | 4 | * | Announcement | 2 | Announcement | 1 | # | Announcement | phone down]
Anything Else I Need To Know?
Call Forward Selected Callers overrides all other Call Forwards. Calls can be forwarded to most numbers in Australia. You need to activate your PIN on your home phone to use this service. See page 19 for details. Call charges apply for forwarded calls.
Call Forward Select The Time:
Have your calls follow you around, by setting up different forwarding instructions for up to 15 different time periods. You specify the day, the times and an alternate phone number for all your incoming calls during each 'window'.
How Do I Use It?
Turn ON Call Forward Set the Time:
[lift receiver | * | 1 | 6 | # | phone down]
Turn OFF Call Forward Set the Time:
[lift receiver | # | 1 | 6 | # | phone down]
To check if Call Forward Set the Time is ON or OFF:
[lift receiver | * | # | 1 | 6 | # | Announcement | phone down]
To create or modify your ‘Time Period List':
[lift receiver | * | 8 | 7 | PIN | * | Announcement | 9 | * | Announcement | list position | * | Announcement | start day number | * | start time | Announcement | finish day number | * | finish time | Announcement | forwarding destination phone number | # | Announcement | phone down]
The day numbers are:
Monday: 1 Tuesday: 2 Wednesday: 3
Thursday: 4 Friday: 5 Saturday: 6: Sunday: 7
Times are entered in 24-hour mode:
(e.g. 9.30am = 0930; 7.15pm = 1915; etc).
To check the destination number and times for a ‘Time Period List' entry:
[lift receiver | * |# | 8 | 7 | PIN | * | Announcement | 9 | * | Announcement | list position | # | Announcement | phone down]
To remove a setting from your ‘Time Period List':
[lift receiver | # | 8 | 7 | PIN | * | Announcement | 9 | * | Announcement | 1 | Announcement | list position | # | Announcement | phone down]
To remove all numbers from your ‘Time Period List':
[lift receiver | # | 8 | 7 | PIN | * | Announcement | 9 | * | Announcement | 2 | Announcement | 1 | # | Announcement | phone down]
Anything Else I Need To Know?
Call Forward Set the Time overrides Call Forward Busy and No Answer. You need to activate your PIN on your home phone to use this service. See page 19 for details. Call charges apply for forwarded calls.
Know Who's Calling:
Calling Number Display (CND):
Can help you identify who is calling by displaying the caller's phone number. It can also store the date and the time of the call, as well as the phone numbers of people who hang up without leaving a message.
You will need a CND compatible phone or CND unit in order to use this feature.
Availability
CND is available on tone phones in most areas throughout Australia. However, you will need to obtain a CND compatible phone or attachment for your existing phone to display caller details.
Disclosure Of Your Calling Line Identification
If you have call blocking or line blocking enabled on your phone line, or you have a Silent Line, your Calling Line Identification (CLI) will generally not be disclosed to third parties.
However there are some circumstances in which your CLI will always be disclosed. You cannot block CLI on calls made by you or someone else on your phone line:
- To the emergency call service (000)
- On internet dial-up calls made to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that uses a Telstra ISDN service or an 0198307 or 0198308 access number, but only where the ISP uses the CLI for fraud prevention, billing, call management or credit control
- When you or someone else sends a text message or replies to a Talking Text message from your Basic Telephone Service - in accordance with worldwide standards for SMS, all messages including reply messages will display the telephone number of the sender when you or someone else uses another carriage service provider by using a network override code.
Smart Ring:
Smart Ring lets you identify who is calling by the sound of your phone's ring.
You can select up to three distinctive rings, with each distinctive ring able to be used for up to 15 numbers. Any calls not linked to a Smart Ring List are announced by the normal ring tone.
Listen to the three different Smart Ring tones:
- Smart Ring 1 (MP3, 150kB)
- Smart Ring 2 (MP3, 150kB)
- Smart Ring 3 (MP3, 150kB)
Pricing
Smart Ring costs $4.40 a month.
Availability
Smart Ring is available on tone phones with distinctive ring capability in most areas throughout Australia. Excludes some cordless phones. If you want to identify calls from a certain area, just enter the area code. This feature is not currently available if you have a Digital Voice Service on the NBN.
Anything Else I Need To Know?
Before you use your Smart Ring feature, you must activate your PIN on your home phone. These instructions can be found in the Home Features user guide. This feature is not currently available if you have a Digital Voice Service on the NBN.
Further Information
Save Time:
3-Way Chat - Chat With Two People At Once:
Available on your phone right now.
Save time by getting two people on the phone so you can get organised quicker and relax faster!
3-Way Chat allows you to chat with two people at once. Also, one person can leave and another person join at any time, giving an even greater number of people access to the conversation.
Pricing
3-Way Chat is charged at 55 cents per successful use plus call charges at standard rates for each call joined into the chat. This feature is free of monthly subscription charges to most customers.
Availability
3-Way Chat is automatically available on tone phones in most areas throughout Australia.
Anything Else I Need To Know?
While you are in a 3-Way Chat your Call Waiting will not work, but, if set, your Call Forward Immediate or Busy will still work.
Further Information
Call Back (Busy):
No need to waste your time trying someone's number over and over again if their number's engaged. Call Back can save you time by letting you know when they're off the phone. It will keep trying a busy number for up to 45 minutes, and (provided you have a compatible phone) will alert you with a distinctive ring when the called number is free.
Pricing
Call Back costs 35 cents per successful use. Standard call charges apply. This feature is free of monthly charges to most customers.
Availability
Call Back is automatically available on tone phones with distinctive ring capability in most areas throughout Australia. This feature is not currently available if you have a Digital Voice Service on the NBN.
Anything Else I Need To Know?
The busy destination will be monitored for 45 minutes. Call Back will not work for all calls, eg. calls to some business numbers, Operator Assisted Services and international destinations and to phones on some other carriers' networks.
A maximum of five Call Back calls can be arranged at any one time. Call Back requires a tone phone, preferably with distinctive ring capability.
Further Information
Delayed Hotline:
The Delayed Hotline service automatically dials a dedicated number for you. All you have to do is pick up the phone and wait four seconds. It's fast and easy. The four-second window gives you time to start dialing when you want to call a different number.
Pricing
Delayed Hotline costs $3.30 per month. Calls made using Delayed Hotline are charged at applicable rates.
Availability
Delayed Hotline is available from tone phones in most areas throughout Australia.
How Do I Use It?
To turn Delayed Hotline ON:
[lift receiver | * | 5 | 3 | Hotline number | # | phone down]
To turn Delayed Hotline OFF:
[lift receiver | # | 5 | 3 | # | phone down]
To check if Delayed Hotline is ON or OFF:
[lift receiver | * | # | 5 | 3 | # | Announcement | phone down]
Anything Else I Need To Know?
- Delayed Hotline overrides Call Control. So you can use Delayed Hotline for a specific number, but still have a bar on making that type of call to any other numbers
- You can't store 000 as a Hotline number
- A monthly charge applies.
Helpful Hint:
Try using Delayed Hotline with your MessageBank service, for example, so you don't have to keep entering your mailbox access number.
Abbreviated Dialing:
If you find you call the same numbers often, you can use Abbreviated Dialing to convert up to 8, 40, or 60 into one or two digit speed dial codes. Abbreviated Dialing saves you remembering individual phone numbers – and it's perfect for programming in long international or special service numbers.
Abbreviated Dialling – Eight-Number Memory
Store up to eight numbers as one-digit codes, from two to nine, then just press the key to make your calls.
Abbreviated Dialling – 40 or 60 Number Memory
Need to store a lot more numbers? Then use two-digit codes, from 20 through to 59 or 79, to make all that dialing easy.
Monthly Cost:
- 8 numbers - $4.40
- 40 numbers - $5.50
- 60 numbers - $6.60
How Do I Use It?
To call a stored number:
[lift receiver | abbreviated code | #] eg [3 | #]
To enter or change a stored number:
[lift receiver | * | 5 | 1 | abbreviated code | phone number | # | phone down]
To cancel a stored number:
[lift receiver | # | 5 | 1 | abbreviated code | # | phone down]
Anything Else I Need To Know?
[1 | #] cannot be used as an Abbreviated Code.
A monthly charge applies.
Helpful Hint:
Abbreviated Dialing overrides Call Control so you can use Abbreviated Dialing to call specific numbers, but still have a bar on making that type of call to any other numbers.
It costs just 1c per message, per recipient, to send an SMS from a compatible home phone.
Send An SMS To A Home Phone:
Available on your phone right now.
You can send SMS messages from a compatible home phone to most Australian mobiles and fixed phones1. Perfect for those times when you're at home and your mobile is out of battery or just isn't handy.
Pricing
It costs just 1c per message, per recipient, to send an SMS from a compatible home phone.
Availability
To send text messages from your home phone, all you need is a SMS capable telephone connected to your compatible home phone service. If you do not have a text message capable telephone, you can still receive text messages via our existing Talking Text technology.
Getting Started
All you need to get started is a compatible Telstra handset connected to your eligible home phone service.
Things You Need To Know (1)
Subject to text message character limit of 160 characters per SMS. Charges apply even if the text message isn't received.
Wakeup & Reminder Service:
Wake Up & Reminder Service is provided to wake up customers or remind them of an appointment or event for any time, day or night. Customers access the service by calling 12454.
The service is accessible 24 hours, 7 days a week.
- Assists shift workers, business travelers and people with busy lifestyles
- Convenient - just remember the one number to dial each time (12454)
- Reliable - the service makes three dialing attempts, just in case you miss it the first or second time.
Pricing
The cost of Wake Up & Reminder Service is a booking fee of $1.84 and a call back fee of 71.5c.
Availability
Wake Up & Reminder Service is available to customers in metropolitan and rural areas by calling 12 454 any time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. (Bookings will be accepted a maximum of 24 hours before call out and a minimum of 30 mins before call out).