Vodafone Killing Off Crazy John’s: What Happens For Customers?


So long, Crazy John’s. Vodafone is killing off the Crazy John’s brand, with stores set to close by February 20. What happens if you’re a customer and don’t want to switch?

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A statement from Vodafone confirms the exit plan:

Some of our Crazy John’s locations will close, while others will be transformed into Vodafone branded stores over the coming months. Existing Crazy John’s customers will continue to enjoy the value and great service through the Vodafone store network.

Crazy John’s offerings have always been quite distinct from Vodafone’s, with different charging models (including options with per-KB data charges) and a range of unusual caps, including “twin plans” for couples. Lifehacker understands that existing customers will be able to remain on their existing plans, but no new sign-ups will be allowed.

Crazy John’s originally operated as an MVNO reselling Telstra services, but switched to Vodafone following a series of legal battles. Founder John Ilhan died in 2007, and his widow sold the business to Vodafone in 2008. With Crazy John’s disappearing, the most visible reseller of Vodafone services is Red Bull Mobile.

Vodafone’s move to consolidate its brands mirrors Optus’ recent decision to ditch Boost Mobile. Telstra is taking the opposite approach; it has taken over the licence for the Boost brand. Telstra also wants to acquire Adam Internet for use as a bargain-priced ISP, though that proposed takeover is currently being investigated by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.


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