Optus new $50 SIM only with roaming

[SYD]

Amaysim is Optus's budget brand, so they probably don't want to compete with Optus' other plans.

Yes, that’s probably right. Not that I would worry about $5 roaming - other than mainland China.

AGL doesn't have this restriction.

I don’t recall seeing other MVNOs on the Optus network offering $5 pd roaming. Not that I’ve researched recently. Quite happy with this:

Amaysim’s roaming packs are far better value.

with eSIMs for data.

If they changed to the daily charge I would change providers. It’s the reason I left Optus.

Ditto!

 

[MattA]

The $5 daily roaming is only a reasonable deal for people who spend very short time overseas, or maybe if you need to use a very large amount of data each day.

Amaysim’s roaming packs are far better value. If they changed to the daily charge I would change providers. It’s the reason I left Optus.

Yep. Agree on this. I eventually landed on an Amaysim 365 pack after we lost the $50 Optus plan and found the $70 annual roaming pack has been plenty for multiple overseas trips—you’d burn through $70 in two weeks at $5/day. I know you could do it even cheaper with eSIMs but like the convenience of having everything just work on the same number. (Plus my dodgy phone battery dies even quicker if I have two active SIMs turned on).

Including the cost of the pack I’m paying under $200/year total for AU and OS use — can’t believe I used to pay Optus $50/month, actually. Feel like they kind of shot themselves in the foot by cancelling this plan as I probably wouldn’t have shopped around if they hadn’t got rid of it.

 

[exceladdict]

Yep. Agree on this. I eventually landed on an Amaysim 365 pack after we lost the $50 Optus plan and found the $70 annual roaming pack has been plenty for multiple overseas trips—you’d burn through $70 in two weeks at $5/day. I know you could do it even cheaper with eSIMs but like the convenience of having everything just work on the same number. (Plus my dodgy phone battery dies even quicker if I have two active SIMs turned on).

Including the cost of the pack I’m paying under $200/year total for AU and OS use — can’t believe I used to pay Optus $50/month, actually. Feel like they kind of shot themselves in the foot by cancelling this plan as I probably wouldn’t have shopped around if they hadn’t got rid of it.

That's an awesome find for frequent travellers. Assuming you don't need to use tonnes of data for photo backups etc, or it's covered by the hotel/an esim if necessary, that's an awesome option.

I'm back on Optus after a sojourn via JB hi-fi's Telstra plans with gift card bonuses. Worked out to $220 for a year after $100 cashback; and has roaming as ons - for my current trip Optus prepaid has a 7 day, 7gb $35 option which I prefer to a daily $5.

But as you say, they could have had $600 from me per year for the last X years if they hadn't canned the plans.

 

[clifford]

Optus prepaid has a 7 day, 7gb $35 option which I prefer to a daily $5.

Isn't that the same thing? 7x5=35?

 

[SYD]

Optus prepaid has a 7 day, 7gb $35 option which I prefer to a daily $5.

Isn't that the same thing? 7x5=35?

No, $5 has 5GB, so actually 35 GB / $35 - so better!

 

[exceladdict]

Optus prepaid has a 7 day, 7gb $35 option which I prefer to a daily $5.

Isn't that the same thing? 7x5=35?

No, $5 has 5GB, so actually 35 GB / $35 - so better!

On the prepaid plan I'm on, the $5 daily option only has 1gb. Same price over a week, but with the flexibility to have heavier and lighter use days, vs having to recharge mid day if I went over 1gb.

Also, I haven tried to set up auto recharge, but I assume it would have to be done manually (vs plan services which seems to activate automatically if roaming is switched on).

 

[SYD]

On the prepaid plan I'm on, the $5 daily option only has 1gb. Same price over a week, but with the flexibility to have heavier and lighter use days, vs having to recharge mid day if I went over 1gb.

Obviously something for the regular OS traveler to consider ie pre-pay v postpaid.

 

[MattA]

That's an awesome find for frequent travellers. Assuming you don't need to use tonnes of data for photo backups etc, or it's covered by the hotel/an esim if necessary, that's an awesome option.

Yeah of course the Amaysim plan is a lot less data than you used to get with Optus, but I’ve found I didn’t really need all that data anyway—it’s just maps and messages when I’m out and about. For everything else there is usually wifi.

 

[LondonAussie]

Through clever marketing the telcos have managed to convince most people into thinking they need huge amounts of data, and have somehow made people willing to pay extra for data they won’t need to use.

 

[SYD]

Yeah of course the Amaysim plan is a lot less data than you used to get with Optus, but I’ve found I didn’t really need all that data anyway—it’s just maps and messages when I’m out and about. For everything else there is usually wifi.

I just get the 12mths / $20 for 100 mins/100 txt but no data and use an eSIM(s) of choice for data.

Yes, having the amaysim data bundle keeps it simple. Just a pity they’ve not expanded the options to make it more attractive. Currently, the data component isn’t good value compared to most eSIMs.

I also get the point about battery life when running two SIMs concurrently. Yes, it can be a big drain. A work around of course is to just turn off the eSIM when not required.

Through clever marketing the telcos have managed to convince most people into thinking they need huge amounts of data, and have somehow made people willing to pay extra for data they won’t need to use.

Especially when they bank unused data. I have 800 GB with amaysim!

 

[exceladdict]

Just updating my earlier post, optus prepaid seem to have updated their roaming plans:

• 1 Day $5: still 1gb, 25 minutes/50 sms
• 14 days $25: 5gb, 50/50
• 28 days $45: 10gb, 100/100
• 186 days $75: 15gb/ 100/100

It feels 'not quite right' to me; if you're away that long and want to avoid using wifi you'll probably be wanting a local sim, defeating the need for these packs. I feel like 28 days should possibly be 20gb, 186 days 30 or 40.

 

[serfty]

Just updating my earlier post, optus prepaid seem to have updated their roaming plans:

• 1 Day $5: still 1gb, 25 minutes/50 sms
• 14 days $25: 5gb, 50/50
• 28 days $45: 10gb, 100/100
• 186 days $75: 15gb/ 100/100

It feels 'not quite right' to me; if you're away that long and want to avoid using wifi you'll probably be wanting a local sim, defeating the need for these packs. I feel like 28 days should possibly be 20gb, 186 days 30 or 40.

It's not so much their plans, it's the unwarranted triggering when overseas that ended it for me.

Over multiple trips I tried to make the $5 plan work for the best part of a year . With strategic access I could stretch out the $5 for an extra day over 3 or 4 days.

But it didn't always work.

Events such as having the $5 trigger at 2am while Mobile data was off and using hotel wifi or while using (non OPTUS) eSIM data was annoying. I would contact them (best via app chat) and get these reversed but it was painful.

Much freer now.

 

[SYD]

Just updating my earlier post, optus prepaid seem to have updated their roaming plans:

• 1 Day $5: still 1gb, 25 minutes/50 sms
• 14 days $25: 5gb, 50/50
• 28 days $45: 10gb, 100/100
• 186 days $75: 15gb/ 100/100

It feels 'not quite right' to me; if you're away that long and want to avoid using wifi you'll probably be wanting a local sim, defeating the need for these packs. I feel like 28 days should possibly be 20gb, 186 days 30 or 40.

Just switch to amaysim. $20 for 100mins/100txt valid for 12mths (unused rolls over if you renew). Then get the eSIM of your choice for roaming data.

Eskimo currently has a 25% off promo. Global* 10GB /2yrs for about A$45 after discount.

*their global plans (like others) have some gaps.

 

[exceladdict]

Just switch to amaysim. $20 for 100mins/100txt valid for 12mths (unused rolls over if you renew). The get the eSIM of your choice for roaming data.

Eskimo currently has a 25% off promo. Global* 10GB /2yrs for about A$45 after discount.

*their global plans (like others) have some gaps.

Certainly on my list for consideration when my current 365 day plan expires.