Optus shares the love (and the data) with new plans
Optus has announced an overhaul of its mobile plans to make it easier for customers to share data across multiple devices while keeping a single plan with a single bill.
- Webby Award Winner (Best Video Host, 2021), Webby Nominee (Podcasts, 2021), Gold Telly (Documentary Series, 2021), Silver Telly (Video Writing, 2021), W3 Award (Best Host, 2020), Australian IT Journalism Awards (Best Journalist, Best News Journalist 2017)
Optus is appealing to data-hungry mobile users with new plans that allow customers to share data between devices.
The new plans update the Optus My Plan pricing structure, launched in 2013, and add new features such as more voice and data included per month and the ability to share data across up to five devices, without having to pay ongoing fees. Optus has also rolled out the data sharing option to its business plans.
Existing and new customers can switch to the My Plan Plus pricing from June 10, and access data sharing by purchasing additional device SIM cards for a one-off cost of $5 per device. Users will then be able to share their monthly data allowance across multiple devices such as tablets, smartphones and USB modems.
The new plans still include unlimited standard SMS and MMS across Australia, as well as the ability to "tier up" with additional data from month to month at a rate of $10 per GB (to avoid excess data fees). There are two plan versions: the My Plan Plus on a 24-month contract (available for $35, $50, $60, $80 or $100 per month) and the month-to-month My Plan Plus SIM only (available for $30, $45 or $60 per month).
According to Vicky Brady, Optus managing director, customer, the key selling point of the new plans is that the telco is offering the ability to share data between devices without signing up for a full contract and without paying monthly fees.
"It's data sharing done the right way," she said. "[The plans are] going to save customers money and they're going to get more data."
As well as comparing the new My Plan Plus plans to the older Optus plans that required both a smartphone SIM and additional data plans for separate devices, Brady also name-checked Optus' key rival Telstra to highlight potential savings. Compared to competitors, Brady said Optus' offering was "clearly the best value plan in the market".
Optus My Plan Plus pricing
| Monthly cost | $35 | $50 | $60 | $80 | $100 |
| Included minutes | 300 mins | 600 mins | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Included SMS/MMS | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Included Data | 500MB | 1GB | 2GB | 3GB | 5GB |
| Min. cost over 24 months | $840 | $1,200 | $1,440 | $1,920 | $2,400 |
Optus My Plan Plus SIM-only pricing
| Month-to-month cost | $30 | $45 | $60 |
| Included minutes | 300 mins | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Included SMS/MMS | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Included Data | 500MB | 2GB | 5GB |
Update, June 5, 2014: Updated to include Optus business plans.