Big network, big selection: Optus is more than just second-fiddle to Telstra. With extra features offered from time to time like Optus Sport, unlimited data days, and customer rewards, there’s plenty of enticing draws to an Optus plan.
Browse and compare Optus mobile phone plans below.
As one of Australia’s major network providers, Optus mobile customers can enjoy access to an extensive 3G/4G network reaching 98.5% of Australia's population. While their 5G network is continuing to roll out, it’s currently in over 1.2 million households in Australia. Customers with compatible 5G devices and selected plans can enjoy faster data speeds, better bandwidth, and automatic 4G backup to ensure their Optus connection remains uninterrupted.
Luckily, Optus also offers no lock-in contracts, so you could enjoy access to their excellent coverage at your convenience. If you’re looking to purchase a phone, Optus offers interest-free repayment schemes over 12, 24, or 36 months on top of a no lock-in SIM plan.
Speaking of mobile plans, Optus has a great selection available – you can even build your own plan so you could get the best service for your needs. Plan types include prepaid, postpaid, SIM-only, and a family plan. The family plan includes bonus features like parental control features, a free inclusion of McAfee’s Safe Family app, and Optus Pause for digital-free family time. They’ve also thrown in data sharing and a digital education hub to the Family Plan, to walk young users through their First Phone experience.
Other exciting extras on selected eligible plans could include Optus Sports, free HOYTS cinema tickets, or Super Student Savings for uni students on a budget. Be sure to check out what’s on offer before signing up to see how you could save!
Optus took out two awards this year!
The Optus plans that scored special mentions were:
Optus phone plans tend to be comparable to Telstra in number of extra features on offer and slightly more expensive than Vodafone in price overall. In this way, Optus can sometimes be considered the middle ground between the three main telcos. How else do the major mobile providers compare?
On 22 September, Optus announced it had been the victim of a "sophisticated" cyber attack in which customer data, including names, addresses, and ID numbers, have been stolen. The breach affects up to 9.8 million Australians, including former Optus customers and customers on Optus MVNOs like GOMO. Impacted users have been warned to monitor bank activity, change any passwords, and potentially replace government IDs like their drivers licences in the wake of the attack.
Visit our Optus data breach hub for more information. We've also written a guide on how to keep your bank accounts safe after the Optus hack.
If you’d like to join Optus, you can follow their simple sign up checklist. You will need to provide:
If you’re planning on transferring an existing number to Optus, you will also need to supply your most recent mobile phone bill.
From time to time, Optus offers discounts and bonus features to incentivise customers. These can include special student discounts on 12 month SIM-only plans, price matching 5G compatible phones, sign-up sales, and online exclusives.
If you need to cancel your Optus phone plan and have a no lock-in contract, you can contact Optus’s special disconnecting service. After exhausting other options, they will walk you through the termination process. They will be able to advise you when your service will disconnect and if there will be any cancellation fees, outstanding charges, or final device repayments, which will all be reflected in your final bill.
If you’re on a no lock-in contract mobile phone plan with Optus, it’s absolutely possible to change your plan. The method will differ depending on whether you’re on a prepaid or postpaid plan, and Optus will let you know of any cancellation fees or final device repayments. Additionally, if you are changing a prepaid plan, be aware that you may lose any unused benefits/credit in the process.
Read up on the specific Critical Information Summary for your relevant Optus plan for more information.
You can transfer your existing phone number with a different provider to Optus, provided you meet a few requirements. These include:
If you meet the conditions, you can opt to keep your number via the sign-up process with Optus. You will be asked to verify your identity (whether online or in-store), and they can then take it from there. Once
your number has been transferred to Optus, your current service will be disconnected.
If you’re looking to save money on your Optus phone plan, there are a few options available. You could downgrade or opt for a prepaid plan instead of a postpaid one, which depending on the plan and how much you use your phone could be cheaper in the long run (though keep in mind you may get charged fees to downgrade your plan). If you don’t already have a phone plan with Optus, you could look out for special sign-up promotions, which come into effect from time to time. If you are an eligible student, you can head to the Optus Student Hub to check if there are any student discounts on offer for selected 4G and SIM-only plans.
While it’s impossible to call any one mobile network the best, there are advantages to signing up to an Optus phone plan that could suit it to different customers. You can compare Optus deals above, or check out comparison pages for Vodafone and Telstra to see which features and plans could work best for you.
