Qantas Mobile

[Seat0B]

I'm already with Optus and it generally meets my needs, with occasional swear words when I travel to the countryside just out of Canberra. I would consider a Qantas plan that gave points as long as it was the same cost or cheaper than my current (historical and very good value) plan. I would be especially interested in something that just worked easily and cheaply overseas. Even the Optus $10/day think mounts up pretty quickly for 2 people on a longer holiday, so we have mainly just used local SIMs, which is a rigmarole and arrangements constantly change. So if they could do something in that space, I'd be keen.

 

[Thibault]

2 technical points that are important with Optus.

Optus MVNOs are only just starting to support voLTE/voWIFI (allowing you to use your phone on 4g network during a call or on WIFI with no cellular coverage). Once you are used to those features, it's quite an inconvenience when your new phone carrier isn't supporting it.

Also, and that's quite important, now with Telstra (postpaid/prepaid) and Boost, once you are overseas, your phone will now connect to Telstra Wifi Calls (voWIFI) as the geo-block has been removed, allowing you to call back to Australia for free as well as sending/receiving sms/mms via WIFI if you device supports it.

You can use your phone allowance for free if you have a WIFI connection.
Optus are not supporting those features overseas yet. I am using Boost and they support those features.

Now, with the newer phones with eSim, it's super easy to sign up to a data plan in five minutes and it's often cheaper than roaming. Your internet connection is then used for your other sim card (lets say here Boost) and you can use your phone freely as if you were in Australia.

Personally, I still have my French sim card (Free Mobile) with 25G/month of free roaming almost everywhere that does only cost me 9E per month. Works flawlessly here in Australia. I wish Australian carriers could be more competitive on roaming offers.

Hope that those points would be considered for Optus and their MVNOs. But there is no point for me to pay more, for less, especially if your device supports all those nice new features.

 

[VPS]

2 technical points that are important with Optus.

Optus MVNOs are only just starting to support voLTE/voWIFI (allowing you to use your phone on 4g network during a call or on WIFI with no cellular coverage). Once you are used to those features, it's quite an inconvenience when your new phone carrier isn't supporting it.

Also, and that's quite important, now with Telstra (postpaid/prepaid) and Boost, once you are overseas, your phone will now connect to Telstra Wifi Calls (voWIFI) as the geo-block has been removed, allowing you to call back to Australia for free as well as sending/receiving sms/mms via WIFI if you device supports it.

You can use your phone allowance for free if you have a WIFI connection.
Optus are not supporting those features overseas yet. I am using Boost and they support those features.

Now, with the newer phones with eSim, it's super easy to sign up to a data plan in five minutes and it's often cheaper than roaming. Your internet connection is then used for your other sim card (lets say here Boost) and you can use your phone freely as if you were in Australia.

Personally, I still have my French sim card (Free Mobile) with 25G/month of free roaming almost everywhere that does only cost me 9E per month. Works flawlessly here in Australia. I wish Australian carriers could be more competitive on roaming offers.

Hope that those points would be considered for Optus and their MVNOs. But there is no point for me to pay more, for less, especially if your device supports all those nice new features.

I may have to investigate that when I get back to Europe depending on what the UK do with their roaming fees

I tried to use Flexiroam esim in Argentina and just gave up on it and wish I'd bought a local sim

 

[PineappleSkip]

+1 I bought a travelsim ftrom Australia post a few years ago and it was generally not good value. IIRC, in Zone 1 countries just roaming was cheaper

Cheers skip

 

[jakeseven7]

Tell em they're joking...

I'm on a historical Optus plan and pay $40 per month for 80GB data (excess data shaped at 1.5mbps) + Unlimited calls/texts in AU + Unlimited calls/texts to 35 countries + 4GB roaming data for use overseas in Zone 1 countries (most of Pacific/Asia/North America/Europe) + Unlimited roaming calls/texts both to make/receive in Zone 1 countries.

The current Optus plans are just as good with $65 for 500GB + same inclusions as above except with 10GB roaming data. The new plan is valid for 12 months and again no excess data fees in Australia and a reasonable $10 per 1GB whilst roaming in Zone 1 countries.

Unless Qantas can match this sort of value from Optus or provide a significant enough benefit to be locked in for 24 months then forget it I'll be staying with my current plan.

At two points per dollar, you'd be looking at 90 to 170 points per month. Even at 10 points per dollar, it's still bad value given you're looked into a rip off plan for 24 months. I struggle to see what value they can offer that others can't and whilst I get it times are tough, I think airlines/banks etc should stick to what they do best instead of trying to become a telco (looking at you failed Bendigo Bank Telco).

Thats pretty expensive, are you paying a handset off as well?

 

[henrus]

Thats pretty expensive, are you paying a handset off as well?

Nope, I probably could get something cheaper with about 80GB included but I'll continue with the $40 per month thanks to the free roaming overseas (in Zone 1 countries).

I'd move to Felix (new TPG/Vodafone owned provider) who offers $35 per month for unlimited data (at 20mbps) and cheap roaming add ons however they don't have VoLTE/Wifi calling yet.

 

[Lynda2475]

You used to be able to earn Qnatas FF points on regualr optus bill, cant remeber when that stopped.

Like some others Im on a briallinat archived paln (no contract) and have no intention of changing for a handful of points, many easier ways to earn many more points.

 

[samh004]

I started with Optus many years ago, but I'm quite happy with Telstra now. Their network is born out of the unfair advantage that they were government owned initially, but they've continued to invest sufficiently well, despite occasionally turning it off for half the country at peak times. I couldn't see myself moving away from that offering.

Seeing as Virgin Mobile was using Optus, I'm not sure why Qantas would take their place? Surely the new Vodafone/TPG or Telstra would be a better fit. That said, they use Optus for lounge wifi don't they? so perhaps combining the two will get them a good deal

 

[Chicken]

$45 for 60GB? Why would I need 60 GB?

With no travelling allowed, and most things still shut, it's either work from home or work from office, Wi-Fi everywhere, and with nowhere to go, not even interstate personal holiday. The only time I use data is when I'm on the bus, or walking towards a bus stop and need data to GPS track the next bus. I just finished my first year of Boost $150 80GB annual plan last week with 58GB left. Just $150 / 12 = $12.5 per month is sufficient for me.

Then there is the problem with Optus coverage.

I tried Optus 3 years ago, and Optus would cut out along the M2 motorway if the bus driver does the 24 km non stop a bit nuts (read: lead foot). What sort of mobile network are you building if it cuts out when the speed limited timetable bus is going a bit fast?

Then there is a friend of mine, who works in an industrial park in Pemulwuy, where Telstra is the only network with indoor coverage, all other people in the office or warehouse using Vodafone or Optus simply get missed calls, and need to run outside to talk. That area is a major logistic hub, with semi trailers going up and down, tenanted by the likes of 3M / Blackwood (Wesfarmers) / Toshiba / Air Road / Hello Fresh / Jemena (gas network) / Asahi Schweppes / etc. How could Optus not provide coverage to a major DC hub with these sorts of tenants? This is not 3 years ago, this is today.

Then there is the problem with no HD voice outside of the Optus network. Telstra to landline got HD voice, Vodafone to Telstra also got HD voice I think. Optus to Telstra? No HD voice, could hardly understand the conversation.

So, no thanks.

I think people choose mobile networks mainly based on price and data inclusion, then it would be coverage for a smaller amount of people plus business.

Sorry everyone that this turned into a post of putting down Optus, but they are a joke.