Optus $99/Mth Sim Only Plan - 60,000 Qf Pts

[serfty]

So the Optus guy tells me don’t even bother with the app. You’ll get a text when landing that will say “reply 1 for standard roaming, 2 for the daily package”. Have sent a followup asking what happens after 24 hours.

Not my experience this year, most recently last month. I get a text:

 

[N860CR]

Thanks. They are pretty hopeless so it doesn’t surprise me. Guess I’ll find out tomorrow. This guy specifically told me there’s no need to access the app. Voda was a hell of a lot easier

 

[33kft]

As such, Optus told me I had to go into their store to change the number on my account before they can proceed. Yea, nah.

This is very similar to an issue I had with Optus for some time. To cut a long story short, I activated my wife's service in her name and then tried to add it to my account to enable me to manage it day to day.

After errors upon errors I called Optus to be told "can't be done". Now, in this household, anything involving a screen is a managed service I provide with strict SLAs that involve a lot of yelling.

After being told for the 3rd time (I was trying to upgrade her plan) that it can't be done I was transferred to a bloke in customer retention who was a complete arrogant so and so (pretty sure it wasn't even on shore, either) who proceeded to tell me I just didn't ask the right questions. So I challenged the bloke - if I call Telstra right now and tell them exactly what I told Optus and they transfer the account, I'll go with the competition.

He laughed and said good luck. I reluctantly called Telstra and the lovely local call centre lass (this was 6mo ago and it was definitely onshore) immediately spotted the issue and said simply if you put your wife on the phone for 2 mins to get her authorisation I'll have it done.

2 mins later it was all sorted and transferred. When I told my wife we would get 600 bucks worth of QFF points out of Optus for swapping her 55 dollar Telstra plan to Optus for 3 months I got a string of expletives so I ordered a new service instead.

I'm still screwing them so it's all good but.. I'd have liked to screw them for a little less. It is what it is and I'm still walking the fine line of a managed service provider, gotta keep the customer happy!

 

[NoName]

Since we are now relaying stories of negative experiences with Optus, here’s mine. This was the reason I gave them the flick and moved to Telstra and why I will be moving back to Telstra the day these 60,000pts hit my account.

I had been with Optus for years on plans and would upgrade my phone on a new plan every 2 years. Anyway, about 5 years ago I do my phone upgrade and the brand new iPhone comes out of the box with a 2cm long scratch on the screen. I go into an Optus store to ask what they can do and they get me on the phone to someone who tells me “no problem, we’ll replace it for you. We will send out a bag to return the phone plus a replacement phone at the same time. Keep using the phone in the meantime”. Fantastic outcome right? Well yes, except the new phone and bag never arrived. Two months later an I’ve now had enough so I go see the store again, put on the phone again only to be told “no, we would never tell you that. You can return the phone and maybe we will replace it”. I point out that now the phone is 2 months old, how am I supposed to prove it was damaged when it arrived? She just repeated herself basically.

That was it for me. Decided to change to Telstra as soon as that plan was done and I did. Ended up taking the damaged phone to Apple who as a goodwill gesture replaced the screen even though they were not obliged to since Optus was the first point of contact as the seller.

 

[QF029]

So the Optus guy tells me don’t even bother with the app. You’ll get a text when landing that will say “reply 1 for standard roaming, 2 for the daily package”. Have sent a followup asking what happens after 24 hours.

I definitely didn't get the option to activate roaming by SMS in NZ last weekend.. The app took 30 seconds. You can test it before you go. It warned me that the time period starts straight away and recommended I wait until I land which I thought was helpful.

 

[N860CR]

Well as expected, didn’t work as anyone at Optus told me . Landed in Jakarta and got a generic welcome to Indonesia message. No option to activate in the TXT, and the app wouldn’t load off 4G (actually, nothing did). Managed to buy the $5 add on once on WiFi.

 

[Daver6]

This Optus roaming sounds painful. I'm with Vodafone primarily because of how simple and cheap (compared to Telstra and Optus) international roaming is.

 

[QF029]

Well as expected, didn’t work as anyone at Optus told me . Landed in Jakarta and got a generic welcome to Indonesia message. No option to activate in the TXT, and the app wouldn’t load off 4G (actually, nothing did). Managed to buy the $5 add on once on WiFi.

Without roaming nothing should work except the Optus app until you add the pack. Strange it worked for me and not for you. Next time you could activate it before you left Australia if it was a problem to wait for wifi.

Post automatically merged: Jul 29, 2022

Has anyone been donating data through the app given the 200gb monthly allowance is way more than most people could use?

I'm up to 60gb donated so far (maximum 10gb per day). Hopefully they actually give it to a deserving organisation.

 

[N860CR]

This Optus roaming sounds painful. I'm with Vodafone primarily because of how simple and cheap (compared to Telstra and Optus) international roaming is.

It was very easy, just a shame Voda did a network “upgrade” and subsequently killed service across large parts of inner Sydney!

Without roaming nothing should work except the Optus app until you add the pack. Strange it worked for me and not for you. Next time you could activate it before you left Australia if it was a problem to wait for wifi.

Not a massive drama. Easy enough to get WiFi in the terminals in most places. Just a bit frustrating that they make it more complicated than it needs to be (somewhat proven by the fact that none of their staff seem to have a clue how it all works).

 

[Lipglossaddict]

Keep in mind you can donate 10gig every 12 hours via the optus app. So even if you have no interest in the plan at least you can donate the data

 

[Danger]

After much back and forth with Optus and escalating my complaint to the ombudsman, I got a call from a lady in Australia yesterday who advised the following:

1. $396 is the minimum amount that must be paid in order to receive the 60K points (i.e. 4 months).
2. There is no pro rata refund under this plan, as noted in the critical information summary.
3. The earliest date at which the plan can be cancelled but still receive the points is the first day of the 4th month after activation.
4. If the plan is cancelled on the last day of the third month, the points are lost.

 

[straitman]

After much back and forth with Optus and escalating my complaint to the ombudsman, I got a call from a lady in Australia yesterday who advised the following:

1. $396 is the minimum amount that must be paid in order to receive the 60K points (i.e. 4 months).
2. There is no pro rata refund under this plan, as noted in the critical information summary.
3. The earliest date at which the plan can be cancelled but still receive the points is the first day of the 4th month after activation.
4. If the plan is cancelled on the last day of the third month, the points are lost.

I guess that depends upon when they actually post the points. No doubt that won't be until after payment #4.

 

[N860CR]

Also had some dramas with the intl roaming. Basically the app wouldn’t load until on WiFi. Bit of backwards and forwards, but the Optus “expert” (I can think of a better word starting with “I”) said that because of the “specific nature of this plan” their international roaming doesn’t operate per the terms of the offer.

I genuinely think Optus have calculated to the cent what 60,000 points costs them and the setup this dodgy mobile plan

 

[celsioraus]

Guys i need some clarification here. i am on the Optus 99 qantas plan and am trying to figure out if i can go overseas (to thailand) and recieve sms only (for banking etc) without paying.

IE If i dont activate a pass, will be revert to standard roaming rates (which if i keep it all off i can just use it for free incoming sms?

 

[SYD]

Guys i need some clarification here. i am on the Optus 99 qantas plan and am trying to figure out if i can go overseas (to thailand) and recieve sms only (for banking etc) without paying.

IE If i dont activate a pass, will be revert to standard roaming rates (which if i keep it all off i can just use it for free incoming sms?

Yes, that should be ok. Just make sure you turn “data off” when you get onto your flight.

 

[celsioraus]

Yes, that should be ok. Just make sure you turn “data off” when you get onto your flight.

So the correct statement should be "When you land in a Zone 1 country and do not wish to activate international roaming pack of either 5gb for $5 a day, or 35gb for 7 days for $35 dollars, your service will default to standard roaming rates where if roaming is switched off you should be able to still have cell signal and recieve sms for free".?

My issue is the definiton of roaming should be "Cell signal enabled" and Data roaming should be for data.

@serfty Can you confirm you are on the Optus Qantas 99 plan and recieved that message when you landed in thailand, so optus in fact roamed "cell roamed" and if you didnt activate roaming, you could still get SMS?

 

[kpc]

Can someone tell me how to cancel the plan on the app? Can't for the life of me work it out and want to be ready....

 

[serfty]

@serfty Can you confirm you are on the Optus Qantas 99 plan and recieved that message when you landed in thailand, so optus in fact roamed "cell roamed" and if you didnt activate roaming, you could still get SMS?

I am not on the $99 plan, but am with Optus.

I receive that message such as that every time I turn my 'phone on overseas.

To receive SMS at no charge on a Plus Plan, you need to turn Mobile Data OFF before arriving in a roaming country (or ASAP after turning phone on after arrival - you may have 30 seconds if you are lucky).

 

[serfty]

Can someone tell me how to cancel the plan on the app? Can't for the life of me work it out and want to be ready....

Only option with the App to cancel can see in is with the messaging (chat session) icon at top right).



Other than that you'd need to call.

 

[33kft]

The other option (if you are keeping your number) is just to churn away to another provider with that number which will result in cancellation of the service, but since the timeframe is a bit variable you wouldn't want to be doing that right at the end of a billing period