This was posted 11 years 10 days ago, and might be an out-dated deal.

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Optus - FREE Calls and SMS to Philippines (until 17 Nov)

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Optus - FREE Calls and SMS to Philippines (until 17 Nov)
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Koolbargain on 12/11/2013 - 14:01 ausdroid.net (801 clicks)

Here we go again. Not as good as Telstra though..

Optus has advised that their support for customers will extend to their customers receiving :

Free calls to the Philippines for fixed customers, from 11 November and available
through to midnight on Sunday 17 November 2013
Free SMS and calls from postpaid mobile services, from 11 November and available
through to midnight on Sunday 17 November, 2013
20 minutes of free call credit for prepaid customers who regularly call the Philippines,
excluding $2 Days, Connect 4 Less and Talk&Text4Less customers who will receive
a $4 call credit.

Credit to Ausdroid for the deal.

Mobile Asia Haiyan Mobile Phone Optus Philippines Telephone Call

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  • boomerpro on 12/11/2013 - 14:02

    Great

    • [Deactivated] on 13/11/2013 - 22:20

      if they start doing this, they should keep doing this for every other countries affected by natural disaster not just philippines.

    • revo on 12/11/2013 - 19:08

      You should be reluctant you don't know anyone in the Philippines to 'take advantage' of this…

      • DealzEddy123 on 12/11/2013 - 22:06
        +4

        don't think reluctant is the word you're looking for

        • revo on 13/11/2013 - 02:51

          whoops… 'relieved' my bad

    • [Deactivated] on 13/11/2013 - 22:22

      its more to do with the filo in this country so that they can call their relatives back in filo. there's just too much filo in this country, thus the demand.

  • sar_cs on 12/11/2013 - 14:11
    +1

    Telstra Offering Free Calls To The Philippines During Typhoon Crisis

    http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2013/11/telstra-offering-free-call…

  • Pab23q on 12/11/2013 - 14:13
    +6

    You're going to upset Presidentclinton with this post. He wants cheap USB sticks - not this "goodwill gesture" scam the Telco's got going on. So rude :P

    Nah but serious - Great post! Bargain site or not, we are all humans so spread the word to help someone find a loved one and make them smile.

    • PresidentClinton on 12/11/2013 - 14:20
      -3

      I actually don't mind this deal. Theres no mention of the typhoon at least in the description- which is what i asked for.

    • EarlyBird on 13/11/2013 - 11:10

      Alas, this has turned into a beauty contest between Telstra and Optus.
      Where is the bargain?

  • justcallmeboss on 12/11/2013 - 14:13
    +2

    Not as good as the Telstra deal (Telstra lasts until 25th November?), however great to see Optus following suit.

  • onlyletters on 12/11/2013 - 14:14
    +3

    bit late optus LOL

    • GregFiona on 12/11/2013 - 14:18
      +3

      True…this deal almost deserves a negative. They should at least "pricematch" Telstra's deal

  • TheGMan on 12/11/2013 - 14:18
    +7

    I'm curious, wouldn't a typhoon pretty much knock out all their communications?

    • accessdenied on 12/11/2013 - 14:22

      yes.. that is why they are offering fixed line phones.. fixed lines run from beneath the ground. thus remains unaffected from the typhoon.

      • battler on 12/11/2013 - 14:27
        +11

        …except the end where it comes out of the ground to the handpiece/handset which has now disappeared!

        Anyway, you missed GMan's point.

      • hollykryten on 12/11/2013 - 14:30
        +1

        Also fixed line phones don't work when power grids have been knocked out to supply the phone company with power and they run out of backup power at the telephone exchange.

        • zukand on 12/11/2013 - 17:12
          -1

          You could use the fixed line here to all a mobile there…

    • JediJan on 13/11/2013 - 10:18
      +1

      I understood all the communications were down.

      If anyone here remembers Cyclone Tracey (Darwin in 1974) communications were all lost. When communications were finally reinstated the sheer number of callers left the system unable to cope. Hope that this isn't the scenario now. Unnecessary calls congested the system so emergency communications faltered. Perhaps communication systems are better in the Philippines than what we had in the 70s Telecom (Telstra) days though.

      Cyclones in North Queensland usually mean all the power grids are down, mobile phone towers down etc. Phones (if working) don't ring … they need electricity to do that! Those that try to call out usually cannot establish a connection (to advise relatives you are ok) with the congestion. Cyclones etc not only affect above ground communications; usually come with widespread flooding as well. Travelling to North Queensland in the Cyclone Season means you should be carrying a good supply of back up batteries for your radios and if you can a good satellite phone. You'll have to cook anything you have left in your freezer (forget about the fridge) within a day or two. Hope your local baker has a back up generator that still functions. Our local shop would set up a barbeque out front until all his stock was cooked up for any passing trade. You don't ever stock a freezer in the Wet Season; sheer madness to do so. Sit back and eat bananas if you don't have a portable gas barbeque for the first 2 days. Ps. The roads generally all but disappear too so (State of Emergency) you just have to be patient and wait for things to re-establish once again. In the meantime you are pretty busy doing your own clean up of yours and neighbours properties.

  • barbargain on 12/11/2013 - 14:25
    -4

    Isn't their call centre in Philippines

    • GregFiona on 12/11/2013 - 14:35
      +6

      Is that you jv?

      • machej on 12/11/2013 - 18:46
        +2

        JV doesn't care what others think about him so I doubt he would use a fake account. :P

    • smurfinaus on 12/11/2013 - 14:49

      Most of it is in India. They have one call centre in Phils (from what im told)

      • ol mate on 12/11/2013 - 15:38
        +1

        Telstra's on the other hand is mostly in the Phils

        • ItsMeAgro on 12/11/2013 - 19:21

          …and pretty good, as telco call centres go.

      • brando12 on 12/11/2013 - 19:00

        Thats not correct, Optus is run by teleperformance in the philippines with offices in manila and cebu. Telstra on the other hand is run by Convergys with many Call centres throughout the philippines.

  • CVonC on 12/11/2013 - 14:42

    this would only be for optus direct customers of course.

  • [Deactivated] on 12/11/2013 - 14:53

    No comment

  • xuqi on 12/11/2013 - 14:56
    -6

    Sorry, but the Telstra deal is better.. :)

  • spychiatrist on 12/11/2013 - 14:57
    +6

    Thanks Optus. Help is help, whether 1c or $1M. And those questioning the motives, please stop and just be happy for what these companies are doing.

  • bbyboy on 12/11/2013 - 15:00
    +2

    free or not, friends and families would have made the call already. even if telcos increased their prices, people would still call

  • giventofly on 12/11/2013 - 15:03
    +5

    Anyway, this is bound to help someone, so well done Optus and Telstra.

  • mrgeckoz on 12/11/2013 - 16:21
    +2

    Vodafone gonna be the next??

    • joeydee on 12/11/2013 - 16:34

      you would hope so

    • PresidentClinton on 12/11/2013 - 16:39
      +1

      They would have to pay their customers to go through the hassle.

  • lknight on 12/11/2013 - 17:32

    i hope this doesnt get abused

  • JimmyBargain on 12/11/2013 - 17:44

    does it work with TPG Mobile? (which uses Optus)

  • Astro551 on 12/11/2013 - 19:36

    Heard on the radio that many people can't call because all the towers are down, the reporter had to lend out his satellite phone.

  • frostee on 12/11/2013 - 20:47

    Wow >200 votes never knew there were so many people on Ozbargain wanting to call the Philippines?

    • GregFiona on 12/11/2013 - 22:07

      I suppose you haven't seen the Telstra deal yet…

  • consbhey22 on 12/11/2013 - 23:41
    +1

    already called up relatives there and it is really good for Optus to have this free time..

  • sanmigueelbeer on 15/11/2013 - 14:45

    Thanks Optus.

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