Optus is boosting its mobile data allowance for new postpaid customers, including a generous 10GB per month on a $100 plan (up from 3GB). In addition, a new sharing option has been introduced that allows families to combine separate plans into one bill with data allowances shared across all devices. Optus has also added unlimited voice calls and text messages to all post-paid mobile plans. Here’s a look at what’s different.
Optus’ Family Sharing plan does exactly what it says on the tin: customers can combine their individual data allocations with a single bill coming at the end of each month. Any combination of Optus postpaid mobile plans can be mixed with all data pooled together. This means that a heavy user can dip into a light user’s monthly allotment and use the data that would have otherwise been “wasted”, with nobody paying anything extra.
The below infographic provides an example of how Optus’ Family Sharing plans work:
As mentioned, customers can combine as many new My Plan Plus or SIM-only plans as they like. Up to six mobile broadband devices can be connected to each individual plan although there is a one-off $5 fee per device.
To coincide with the new Family Sharing plans, Optus is upping its mobile data allowances for new customers. For example, a $100 plan on a 24-month contract now nets you 10GB; more than three times the amount of data that was previously offered on this plan. (To receive the extra data, existing customers will need to move over to the new plans.)
In terms of data, this compares favourably to similarly priced plans from Optus’ competitors: Vodafone’s $100 Red plan currently offers 6GB of data, while Telstra’s $95 L plan only offers 2.5GB per month. Similar data increases have been implemented across most of Optus’ other plans with the exception of entry-level options.
New customers will also receive unlimited standard national calls/SMS and unlimited standard international text. The deal also includes six months worth of free Netflix for customers who sign up before July 5.
We’ll be comparing how the new plans compare to the rest of the market in a future Planhacker, coming soon. In the meantime, tell us what you think in the comments section below.
Comments
2 responses to “Optus Boosts Mobile Data, Adds ‘Family Sharing’ Plans”
Its also worth noting the international call inclusions – 150min on $60, 300min on $80 & $100.
If only they would do some thing better for 2 people to share the same calls and messages.
Between my wife and i we spend about $40 a month on our phones (~$20 each), and don’t use the all the data or calls allotted. Surely they can do a good deal for a family plan that includes a single lot of data/calls/messages essentially a multi-line account on the one plan. SIM only plans are still way over priced.
The best thing they could do is a $x a month for y mins, z gig and unlimited sms, with a setup fee for additional phones (or maybe small and reasonable monthly fee), then let the account holder reallocate those mins and data allowances to spouse/children via an app/website. While allowing the children to use up all their calls and data but no more unless they are given more by a parent, although they should always be able to call anyone on that same plan (either for free or out of the minutes).
I signed up for a new contract a week ago. Not too happy.
resigned with optus for the GS6 because of these plans. so much data and netflix sweetner.