Optus Vs Telstra Plan
Review and Comparison

Australia’s two biggest phone companies have dramatically different service offerings.

Optus or Telstra – SIM Only Plans – 60 second intro

• Every Australian knows and respects the Optus and Telstra brands.
• The SIM Only Plans both Optus and Telstra have in market share very similar features.
• There are a few differences between them, however, notably the sport to which they provide access as part of their package, the coverage they offer and whether they allow you to rollover your data if it is unused at the end of the month.
• The reality of the difference in the quality of their networks is that it’s tiny : And Telstra suffered so many outages in 2016, their network cannot be said to be as reliable as it once was.
• We recommend Optus unless you live in the bush / want the sport Telstra offer.
• We explain our reasons and provide the logic behind this recommendation, below.

How to compare Optus and Telstra’s SIM Only plans

We have laid out the article below in 3 distinct sections to help you navigate your answer to the Optus vs Telstra question.

• The critical network question:
  We examine the truth behind Optus and Telstra’s network claims. Is the network difference between them really worth the price premium Telstra charge ? (We don’t think it is, unless you are part of the 1% of the population which lives in remote bush.) We provide the independent analysis and network statistics that has caused us to say this.
• What are the commonalities in their SIM Only plans ?
  Optus and Telstra’s SIM Only plans have a big feature overlap. Many aspects of the service that one of them offers are, if not identical, hard to tell apart from the services that the other offers. We explain what those features are.
• What are the differences between their SIM Only plans:
  We focus on the differences between the features of the plans they provide users. In this section, we focus on what we believe are the killer features each has that the other doesn’t. (We think NRL / AFL – vs EPL and Data Rollover are the key features to consider)

Other resources

Before we get in to a detailed Optus and Telstra, it’s worth highlighting some of the other resources you have available to you.

• Optus’ prepaid SIMs:
  If you are interested in Optus prepaid services (not covered in this article) rather than Optus postpaid services (this article relates to postpaid SIM Only services from Optus) then this is the article for you.
• Telstra prepaid:
  We also have a dedicated Telstra prepaid page for those looking for a Telstra prepaid SIM (and / or those who want to compare it to more worthwhile alternatives. )
• Optus vs Telstra – Entertainment:
  2016 was characterized by the addition of entertainment services to phone plans for both Telstra and Optus. It’s a significant step and we have covered it in a series of articles. First we considered the impact of these new content / entertainment features on the entire industry and then we narrowed our focus to Optus and Telstra, comparing  their content offerings in detail.
• Network outages:
  Telstra struggled with network outages in the early part of 2016. Claims of high quality network and coverage are an important element of the Telstra proposition. Before you decide if you’d like an Optus or Telstra plan, you might want to read this.
• EPL (English Premier League) articles:
  The EPL is a huge part of Optus’ SIM Only plan offering. You’ll have to pay more, on top of the SIM Only plan you choose to get access to the service. This article provides the details of Optus’ huge decision and tells you how the details of the pricing will work. We have a quick summary below on this page.
• Streamed audio:
  Internet radio uses more data than you might think. We explain in this article what streamed audio is, which phone companies other than Optus offer it and how it can benefit you. We have a quick summary below, on this page.

 A quick summary table of Telstra and Optus’ plan inclusions

The critical network question – The facts which compare Optus and Telstra’s real network performance

The key to making the right choice between Optus or Telstra is consideration of the network question. No one actually cares whether Optus cover X% of the Australian Population and Telstra covers y%. People care whether they have coverage where they need to use the phone. That’s typically at home and wherever they work. And the simple fact is that independent research says for most of us Optus and Telstra’s coverage is now almost identical in most of those areas.

Even considering the national picture, there is very little to pick between them until you get to the last 1% of Australians in the deep bush.

Telstra have a huge number of customers – 16.4

Last updated on October 18th, 2019 million compared to Optus’ 10.5

Last updated on October 18th, 2019 million. Telstra cover 99.50%

Last updated on October 18th, 2019 of the population with their 3G signal ( compared to Optus, who cover 98.50%

Last updated on October 18th, 2019 ). That is to say, their 3G networks are almost identical in terms of the coverage they offer the vast majority of us.

Telstra’s 4G coverage is also about the same as Optus’. Telstra have 7.7

Last updated on October 18th, 2019 million 4G customers and cover 99.50% of the Australian population

Last updated on October 18th, 2019 with a 4G signal. Optus has 6.7

Last updated on October 18th, 2019 million 4G customers and cover 98.5% of the Australian population

Last updated on October 18th, 2019 with a 4G signal.

Other reports prove the same thing. The difference in coverage is actually not nearly as big as people think it is. In a recent independent network review of all the Australian Phone Companies, JD Powers said that there was only a 7% network quality difference between Vodafone and Telstra.

Telstra’s plans cost so much more than Optus that, unless you reside in the 1% of Australia’s population which gets the benefit, we recommend Optus. If Optus’ coverage suits you there, then our view is that you don’t need to pay more.

Optus vs Telstra: What SIM Only plan elements are the same ?

Where one leads, the other follows. Competition has stimulated some real innovation in the Australian market for phone services over the last few years. Optus has led the charge most of the time. When it’s important, however, Telstra soon follows. That has resulted in some SIM Only plans with worthwhile plan inclusions, from both Optus and Telstra. Here are the plan features Optus and Telstra share.

• Online offers:
  Both Telstra and Optus now offer their keenest (lowest) pricing online. They want to keep their customers out of retail stores and in cheaper to manage digital channels. Real customers don’t care. Real customers just want the best deal – and they can find that online with either Optus or Telstra. With next business day delivery for most SIMs, most of the time from either company, there really is no need to go in to town to get your SIM.
• You’ll never blow your data allowance:
  People’s usage varies by month to month. Sometimes it varies by a lot. Many people find it hard to determine how much data they will need. ( link how much data they will need to recent ‘how mich data will I need’ article.’ ) Both Optus and Telstra now offer a plan feature we have come to take for granted in Australia. When you exceed your allocated data usage with their current range of plans, you will automatically be rolled over to the new, higher, threshold. Then you’ll be charged $10 for the extra 1GB of data you are given. This means that, as you use more, you will be charged in affordable blocks, instead of at the penalty out of bundle rates. This plan feature represents an end to bill shock. When optus launched it in late 2013, it was so successful that both Telstra and Vodafone quickly copied it.
• Good Self Service app:
  Self service facilities in the form of an app which lets you manage your account have become de rigueur for phone companies. Both Telstra and Optus now have outstanding apps which primarily let you manage your account and the data you are using.
• Month to month and 12 month SIM Only plan offers:
  The facility to offer 12 month SIM Only phone contracts these days is actually quite rare. Not many phone companies (particularly not all of the small ones) do it. The fact Optus and Telstra do is actually a feather in their caps. Most people find it difficult to constantly compare their phone SIM’s pricing. If the reality is that you’ll only get around to that comparison every 12 months or so, you may as well take the 12 month contract plan. They often offer better pricing for a multiple month agreement.
• Audio content:
  You will be familiar, by now, with streamed audio services like IHeartRadio, Spotify and Google Music which have been taken up by millions of Australians. Both Optus and Telstra now offer access to equivalent streamed audio services as part of their plans. Remember, you’ll need to have the service yourself, already (or get it) it’s the carriage which is free.
• Per KB charging:
  Almost every phone company in Australia now charges for data by the KB. It’s the fairest method of determining someone’s data usage. Optus and Telstra both do and for that, we give them credit. Virgin Mobile’s SIM only plans still use the outdated per MB charging structure, one of the few who do.
• International minutes in the plans:
  Optus’ International Minutes inclusions start on their $60 SIM Only plan. Telstra’s equivalent commences at $70 per month spend so these are both expensive ways to get your international minutes. Amaysim and Lebara Mobile both offer much better value International inclusions if that’s your thing.
• Data Sharing:
  The ability to better manage multiple SIMs and the data made available, by the phone companies, on SIM Only plans, has become a critical differentiator. With everything connecting to the internet and every consumer device from cars to fridges to children being connected, wirelessly, with a SIM, this is a step in the right direction. Finally, Optus have recognised the huge strategic importance of data in their plans, and finally moved to match Telstra, including data sharing capability in their plans. You can find out more about Telstra and Optus’ data sharing in our Family Plans article.
• Included video content:
  Both Telstra and Optus now offer SVOD ( Streaming Video On Demand ) to their customers as part of their phone plans. See section below for more on this. It’s a significant component of telco’s value add plans and since the content they offer is different, it might be your first and most important comparison point.
• They both let you buy your device outright: 
  Both Optus and Telstra have shifted their focus from selling contracts with a phone to entice you in, to selling SIM Only plans and encouraging you to add your own phone. It’s a trend that people love. Increasingly, Australians are buying their own phones and taking out a SIM only plan. Around a third of Australians buy their phone services this way at the moment. It can save you a lot of money, in many cases, 30% or more of your phone bill. You can find out more about that in this WhatPhone article: Buying A Mobile Phone Outright Will I Save Money ?
• They both have a WiFi calling app:
  Optus was first to market with a wifi calling App. Telstra soon followed. Install it on your phone for free by downloading from both the iTunes and Google Play store and you can make voice calls over your home (or a public) wifi network. We’ve used wifi calling and it’s a seamless process. Optus’s app integrates with your phone’s address book easily. Unlike Skype, you don’t need to maintain a separate contacts list.

 Pros Of Optus’ Plans

• EPL ( The English premier League ):
  Optus customers can watch the English premier League for $15 a month on any of Optus’ SIM Only plans. Optus has licensed access to this sport exclusively in Australia so you can only get it from Optus.
• Data rollover:
  Optus have copied one of the market’s most loved data facilities. They stole the concept from their subsidiary, Virgin Mobile who used to offer the same thing on their prepaid plans. Some people think that data rollover is a crock. More reasonably minded individuals might think that it’s transparently better to be offered the service than to not be offered the service. You can decide for yourself.
• $10 a month content – coming to SIM Only ?
  This is a warning for now, not a SIM Only plan feature. On Optus’ higher end plans, sold under a contract with a phone, they offer a new streamed video service. For $10 per month, you can watch unlimited Netflix on your phone (you can also access some equivalent services like Stan and Presto.) Given the shift to entertainment, it seems likely that in time, a similar plan element might be given to SIM Only plan users. If they do, we think that would be a huge advantage for Optus plans. Watch this space.
• Optus’ Plans Are Easy To Understand:
  Optus’ current range of price plans show you what you’re really getting. As you’ll see from the comparison on this page, Optus have removed the confusion by offering unlimited talk and text to Australian numbers in all their plans. Telstra still offer dollar value ‘Caps’ at some of their lower price points. Before Optus launched this range of plans, all of the Australian mobile phone companies had spent a decade marketing their services as ‘Caps.’ Caps appeared to make it easy to compare between the operators. Unfortunately, once you really got in to the plan inclusions and the reality of what they were offering, it was actually quite difficult to compare plans from one phone company with plans from another. Some plans had 13 and 18 numbers included, some didn’t. Some offered International Calls from within the cap, some didn’t. And so on.

Pros Of Telstra’s Plans

• Network Coverage:
  The primary benefit of going with Telstra (or so they would have us believe) is their network coverage. This is such a fundamental and important element of the comparison we are proposing here that we have drawn it out as a separate section, above. In short, Telstra customers pay more (roughly $10 per month) and the Telstra network covers around 1% more of the population than Optus’. Independent research says that Optus matches Telstra for speed and coverage in cities all over Australia.
• NRL / AFL :
  Telstra now offer their SIM Only plan customers access to a free season of EITHER the NRL or AFL, over the wireless data network they operate. Telstra customers are given access to an NRL /AFL sports app (to use on their phone while connected to the Telstra network) and encouraged to pick the sports code they like the most. Whichever you take for free, as part of your plan, you can buy the other if you’re mad for sports and want both.
• Telstra Air:
  Unique to Telstra, they allow their phone plan users to connect free of charge to WiFi networks around Australia, delivered by their public phone booth infrastructure. You’ve probably seen the wifi pink boxes on top of phone booths in your area. This network sharing facility reduces the load on users’ data packs, reduces the load on the Telstra network and provides a new revenue stream for big T. (They sell the information they gather about what people are using the network for.)
• Onedrive :
  Again, exclusive to Telstra, users get a free 200 GB One Drive storage account.

Cons Of Telstra’s plans

• Telstra’s Range Is Limited & Expensive:
  It will be of no surprise whatsoever that Telstra’s phone plans are the most expensive in market.
• Data Allowances Will Be Too Low For Some People:
  On the $60 price plan, Telstra offers 1GB. That steps up to higher allowances as you pay more. At the moment, most people will find 1 GB sufficient. However, even now, higher end users need more. If you do any form of tethering or sharing of data with a laptop or tablet with your phone, you will soon run in to extra data charging at penalty rates. Possibly the most important point about data is that people’s data usage is doubling every year. That’s even without the sharing of data with a laptop or a tablet.

Optus vs Telstra – Summing Up

Prejudice aside, Telstra’s network is not sufficiently better than Optus’ that it warrants the additional monthly charge that Telstra require. That’s unless you are one of the 1% of Australians who live outside Optus’ coverage areas.

Both Telstra and Optus have strong, reliable brands and plans which offer great value, on top of the voice and data that they include. Facilities for data sharing, automatic data addition when you run out, sophisticated apps which help you manage your usage and many other small benefits are tied together, by both telcos in a way which will appeal to many.

Amongst these plans, however, in our view, Optus comes out on top. Optus’ unique data rollover feature will be of critical importance to most.

Content may also be a deciding factor for many, particularly those who are sports mad, (most Australians ?) Optus have the EPL and are working on other, similar, sports content for their 2017 line up. Telstra provide you NRL / AFL games through an app, too. If you are all about one of these codes, this single plan inclusion alone might be enough to lure you across.

In any case, and whether you choose Optus or Telstra, our recommendation is to keep in mind the competition. There are cheaper phone companies out there with less mature offerings but which will service the core of your need – voice, SMS and data inclusions in a plan for a SIM to go in your phone.