How much data would you say you use in the space of a month? 10GB? 30GB? How about 100GB, because that’s where Optus is taking mobile data allowances.
We’re at the point where existing on the internet is commonplace, and if you’re taking lots of photos, consuming all the media, and backing up so regularly that you don’t even recognise this person who had never backed up a year or two prior, there’s a good chance you are consuming data. Lots of it. All the bandwidth is yours and then some.
Telcos are beginning to respond to these sorts of needs, with data allowances of 20 and 30GB fairly common, but mobile data amounts rarely go much higher than that unless you’ve managed to wrangle yourself a complicated and slightly off-plan sort of deal.
Optus may however be firing a shot in a new data war with the telcos, launching a plan for both consumer and business that maxes out at a staggering 100GB of data monthly.
That is 100GB each month, not 100GB on a yearly plan, with the yearly amount technically hitting 1.2TB, and there are even some neat inclusions.
According to the Optus Premium My Plan Plus deal, $160 per month will net the 100GB per month allowance alongside the data not being counted in Australia for subscriptions to Netflix, Stan, Spotify, Google Play Music, iHeartRadio, or Pandora, as well as the Premier League on Optus Sport.
The plan doesn’t come with subscriptions to any of those services, but provided you’re streaming standard definition music or video inside Australia, it reportedly will not make a dent against those 100GB monthly downloads you have to work with, and that leaves you a little room to move.
For instance, you can download the apps and games that might normally prefer you to switch to a WiFi connection instead, and you can turn your phone into a hotspot and let your computer browse the web as if you had a WiFi connection.
In fact, the 100GB data can actually be shared across other mobile broadband and mobile devices, with up to five supported on the Optus plans.
And while it won’t count for travels overseas like it might on plans from Vodafone, Optus is hoping its $160 Premium My Plan Plus will impress people with 1.5GB roaming data monthly in select countries if you do make a few travels.
Back at home, however, the plan includes unlimited standard national talk and SMS, as well as international roaming talk and SMS.
“These new plans continue Optus’ mission to provide the best possible value for our customers,” said Tim Cowan, Vice President of Mobile Product at Optus.
“We were the first to launch plans that removed excess data fees. Then we made it easier for customers to get their entertainment fix without using their data. Now, we’re raising the stakes again by giving customers even more value – more data, more roaming and data-free entertainment,” he said.
The Optus plans go into effect now, available on 24 month contracts.
