Optus Forcing Me to Change My Mobile Plan and Pay More, What Are My Options?

MadeIt on 30/05/2023 - 20:24

In 2019 I took up a post-paid $50 My Plan plus which I have retained to date. Bills always paid on time I must add.
However, due to “Business reasons” Optus has advised me that i have to move to another in market plan and pay significantly more for same features included currently or leave.
I want to stick to my current plan or at least continue to retain the same inclusions for the same price, International roaming being the key missing feature.

Current plan inclusions being $50:
- Unlimited calls & SMS within Aus;
- 100gb local data, at the most I use ~20gb as I WFH mostly;
- International Calls & SMS to zone 1 countries; and
- international roaming to all zone 1 countries with unlimited incoming and outgoing calls + 4gb data per month.

New plan $59
- Unlimited calls & SMS within Aus;
- 100gb local data;
- Calls & SMS to zone 1, 35 countries; and
- International roaming to all zone 1 countries 5gb data per day, however as a add-on at $5 per day.

Assuming I use int roaming for 20-30days in a year, I will have to pay an additional ~$200-$250 per annum for the same benefits I get as inclusion today!

After raising a formal complaint with Optus they “agreed it’s not a like for like plan”, however “I’ll be getting more value by paying $5 roaming per day”!
Essentially saying either switch or shop around.

My gripe here is Optus is not discontinuing the service (roaming or international calls), they’re simply moving to a more profitable billing model by making it an “add-on” feature at $5per/day.

Questions
- What are my options, can I be forced to switch to an in-market plan?
- Should I/ do I have a case to raise with ombudsmen?

Thanks OB family, hoping a win for the consumer here!

Mobile SIM Only Mobile Plan

Related Stores

Optus
Optus

Comments

  • ozhunter on 30/05/2023 - 20:28
    +5

    You can't just stay on the same plan forever…

    In 2019

    Doesn't sound like you're in a contract.

    Essentially saying either switch or shop around.

    Pretty much your options.

  • CyberMurning on 30/05/2023 - 20:36
    +4

    Should left when they got hacked.

  • MrFrugalSpend on 30/05/2023 - 20:42
    +1

    Well "MadeIt" - you've made it to 2023… welcome to the new reality. It's called inflation.
    It's not really a new concept, we just haven't seen it for a while and people forgot it normally exists.

    Average houses prices in Sydney were once under a $100K, you know!?

    You have two primary options (with a number of sub-variations):
    1. Stay with Optus
    2. Go elsewhere.

    It's a free choice for them too, just like you. They are not "forcing" you, you have the choice to shop around.

  • ihbh on 30/05/2023 - 21:10
    -1

    Should I/ do I have a case to raise with ombudsmen?

    Yes, you're entitled to it.

    • 7ekn00 on 30/05/2023 - 21:25
      +3

      um, should have just stopped with "Yes, you're entitled" :P

  • buckethat on 30/05/2023 - 21:46
    +1

    Don't see anything wrong with what Optus is doing.

    I don't know how the Telco industry work but I would assume theres some additional overhead cost with maintaining a plan that is no longer offered for a small group of customers whos been grandfathered. It may no longer be profitable to do so either.

    You are not under any contract, so.. just move on and find another carrier?

  • USER DC on 30/05/2023 - 22:06
    -4

    Its your fault for staying with the dodgy company. any normal person should have never gone back to that illiterate business that caused massive losses to so many Australians.

  • Switchblade88 on 30/05/2023 - 22:07
    +1

    Grandfathered plans and contracts are a privilege, not a right. They have no obligation to you to keep offering the same plan as soon as your contract finishes, but it's usually less hassle to keep the status quo.

  • Wiadro on 30/05/2023 - 22:17
    +2

    $50 in 2019 is worth $59.33 today

    source - https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/2019?amount=50

    • AustriaBargain on 30/05/2023 - 23:09

      But cell towers and antenna cost about what they did in 2019 and Optus' undersea cable access is actually a little less per TB than it was 2019. Also Optus isn't paying their staff 18% more compared to 2019. So I don't see how this CPI increase is entirely justified for telcos.

  • JordanM on 30/05/2023 - 22:34
    -1

    Nothing at all wrong with what Optus is doing, I hope you don’t waste the TIO’s time.

  • drfuzzy on 30/05/2023 - 22:43
    -2

    Why does the OP have an outraged tone to their post?

  • Richardc on 30/05/2023 - 23:29

    IMO the main change is the roaming cost, this is really depends on their contract with other countries telco. Unless you have a fixed term contract with optus, otherwise you are free to leave without termination fee, and optus can change plan with advanced notice.

  • MadeIt on 31/05/2023 - 02:59

    A CPI increase I get, however I would be required to pay significantly more under this new plan!

    • Drpepper666 on 31/05/2023 - 11:34

      okay you're almnost there. now calculate cumulative CPI since 2019.
      just change to boost 12 month SIM plan or similar.

  • try2bhelpful on 31/05/2023 - 10:14
    +1

    Optus can decide what plans it wants to provide. They are in the business to make a profit.

    • MadeIt on 21/06/2023 - 19:44

      Which plan are you moving to?

  • chaute on 22/06/2023 - 13:11

    Talk to them on the chat and threaten to leave. They gave me a 20 dollar per month discount for 24 months. Losing the roaming included but getting 100 gb data and unlimited calls to 35 countries for $39 per month for 24 months.

  • CC123 on 23/06/2023 - 14:54

    My god. My $25 Plan is increasing to $49. $34 with the discount they offered in the email.

    Hopped onto live chat with a subhub query and they escalated me to a supervisor when they asked why I was porting out.
    Just spent $250 on this a few days back to port to. fml. Will update and see what they say.

    Can't complain though. Made it 5 years on this plan without a price increase.

    Edit:
    Transferred to the retention team 45mins later…

  • Monoclonal26 on 24/06/2023 - 16:31

    The $55 Business plan 24m is still available (was told until next month) that includes 5gb roaming is that's what you're after. I transferred to this earlier today, you will need to go in store. I thought the $5 extra per month to have the roaming was better surety for the next 2 years given the direction the telcos are going.

    Optus
    https://smb.optus.com.au › cisPDF
    $55 Business Plus SIM Only 24M Mobile Plan

    • MadeIt on 25/06/2023 - 06:08

      Link didnt work, I can’t find this $55 plan?

      • MadeIt on 25/06/2023 - 06:38

        Just spoke to Optus chat, they claim this offer is no longer available.
        I’ll try in store did you need a ABN?

        • Monoclonal26 on 25/06/2023 - 09:49

          Yes. Go into store. You will need an ABN.

          https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https:/…

          • MadeIt on 25/06/2023 - 15:22

            @Monoclonal26: Got it, went in store and also ported-in my wife’s phone. They also added 25% off for one sim! Thank you for the tip.

            PS - For anyone else who’s wanting this plan: the first attendant I spoke to said it want available and I could only move to the ‘new’ plans. Then store manager said it was available and fine to include!

            • Monoclonal26 on 25/06/2023 - 18:40

              @MadeIt: Good stuff. Glad it worked out for you.

              Question: was your wife already with optus on a post paid plan? Or did she need to port in? I'm just wondering if it's worth us also going in and trying for a merging account for the 25%.

              With the end of the roaming in our personal plan we were considering just a cheap Woolies plan. But the 25% would make a good argument to stay.

              • MadeIt on 25/06/2023 - 18:55

                @Monoclonal26: Yes, wife ported-in from Telstra.
                Assuming it’s only eligible for non-Optus customers as they couldn’t apply it to me.
                Wasn’t fussed, would have been happy to the full $55 x2 as roaming is not included in any other in-market plan.

    • tgau2014 on 19/08/2023 - 15:26

      Thanks for the update. So currently, there is nooption with Optus to include the roaming package in the mobile plan :( ….I am too late,,,,,,

  • [Deactivated] on 21/08/2023 - 15:51

    So far Optus hasn't move forward with this change - assuming they're seeing a lot of proactive churning since

    Spoke to the Optus customer service recently and they were even offering $1/m phone (Galaxy A series) to encourage this migration.

  • MadeIt on 21/08/2023 - 20:08

    The Cust Service agent I delt with wasn’t at all bothered to retain me as a customer, in fact he if I didn’t want to move plans he encouraged me to “look else where in the market”!
    If they’ve kept it, it’s great for the customers!

  • jumpingwillow on 21/08/2023 - 23:07

    Logged in and discovered the same…

  • Charles89 on 23/08/2023 - 18:49

    Exact same situation, to a point where I'm currently overseas and have been using data roaming only to find out I've spent >$50 on roaming.

    Had a quick chat to support, they can't do anything about the plan, but will reimburse me this roaming data charge.

    Trying to find a loophole that will get me a plan with included roaming without paying $5 a day.

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