Optus prepaid broadband data robbery

By Joseph Hanlon on 18 August 2008

Whatever happened to charging us for the data we use?

Optus has launched a new prepaid option for its wireless broadband service, but with the unusual proviso that the data used will be charged in 10MB increments.

This means that if you log on and check your email then immediately log off you will have 10MB deducted from your allocation regardless of the fact you will have downloaded significantly less than this amount.

Confusingly, Optus will charge the first 30MB used each day at 10MB against your remaining data allocation. Thereafter all data used is charged in 10MB blocks.

A prepaid option is an excellent idea and will appeal to many people who don't want to be tied into a lengthy contract period for fixed-line or wireless internet usage. However, while Optus uses this billing system it is conceivable that customers could spend all of their pre-purchased data credit while not actually accessing anywhere near that much data.

Prices for the prepaid service start from AU$30 for 2GB of downloads with a 30-day expiry and include a range of plans with AU$100 vouchers being the most expensive. Prepaid broadband vouchers are available through a similar list of vendors you can expect to buy prepaid mobile credit from including Video Ezy, 7-Eleven, Woolworths and Coles.

Optus is selling a prepaid starter pack for AU$199 featuring a USB modem, a SIM card and 2GB of included data. Full pricing is available on the Optus website.

Topics: broadband, optus, prepaid, network, online, wireless, wireless broadband

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Comments (70)

  • Razorback0z commented on 11/12/2009 13:44

    I had the Optus 2gig $29 a month dongle deal. It was so slow and dropped out so often (only used in the Adelaide city area not even suburbs)that I cancelled my deal within the 7 day period. It was basically useless and Optus did the same thing to me as many of you. They told me they were working on it, then never called me back. Im guessing they want to get people outside the 7 day period by asking them to wait... then you are locked in for 24 months and you vs Optus in cancelling your contract... good luck pal... thats all I can say... Optus blow my mum... nuff said

  • Debstar commented on 08/12/2009 18:02

    Oh boy, do I hear you! Am sick & tired of these so-called-tech guys, telling me it's the local tower!! Absolute fools, and it's costing me a small fortune!
    Unlike you, I don't have access to a landline, hence going wireless....I'll be blown-away if this message makes it, I've gone from WCMA connection, to GPRS, the SLOWER connection, and STILL having connection problems!
    Does anyone know of another company, that deal with pre-paid?? Optus suggested I find one lol

  • Maybe found a solution commented on 08/12/2009 15:06

    I have an Optus 3G dongle deal and have been experiencing the constant 'freezing' lately aswell. Reconnect and it comes good for another minute or two and then freezes again. I just tried changing the DNS settings to use the new Google public DNS and it hasn't frozen now for several hours, give it a try!

  • HELP!! commented on 07/10/2009 18:35

    I have the same problem with my dodgy Optus 3G internet dropping out every 5 mins, it is so frustrating, unluckily for me i am locked into a 24 month contract. If i was to contact Optus do u think they would let me leave my contract free of charge?

  • K ster commented on 28/07/2009 22:34

    Easy I've joined up for the 149, if it constantly drops I'll drop it and tell anyone and everyone not to use it i work in an industry that lots people come to for opinions on this sort of thing, i'm with Johnny k it's a calculated risk I've given up 149 so far i feel I'm ahead as service is ok, I'd suggest they are cutting heavy users, with drop outs, but that's just the way my mind works.

  • Mauz commented on 22/07/2009 16:47

    I have been reading everyones comments and i have the same problems. If we have paid for the USB modem and are having these disconnection issues every 5 mins or so, can we return it and try and get a refund. Has anyone tried this?

  • Dionysus commented on 19/07/2009 22:39

    I have got the prepaid optus internet. I thought wat a great idea for my laptop, plug it into the usb and off I go. It worked really well, fast efficient and I could control how much i used. So i even started playing an online game and it worked well.
    And then after about 2-3 months it started lagging, then by the end of june it started just disconnecting for no reason no matter wat i was doing. I can connect it and just let it sit there without opening any pages and it will disconnect after 5 - 10 mins. It is terrible, i tried playing with everything on my computer thinking there may be something wrong but no, there wasn't. So I rang optus, the tech guy said, yes there are some problems, we are trying to find out the sorce, we are not sure when it will be fixed. So i left ot a couple of weeks, then I rang up again and all the guy said was, there is a note on your file saying you rang up, we cant tell you any new information.
    I am over it, as soon as my net serches for a tower my computer lags out, 100% usage... yet 2day I went to my brotheres and used his internet all day happily
    So I will be ringing optus 2moro and if they can not tell me any new information, i will be changing service providers, I suggest anyone else with this problem do the same.
    the most frustrating thing about it all, is I set up email and all that, and now i will have to go through it all again when I change and let everyone know that i have changed etc...
    I am very dissapointed with optus and am contemplating changing my phone to someone else too(I have had my phone through optus with the same number for 9 years)
    not happy at all optus :(

  • Jen commented on 15/07/2009 01:37

    ARE U PPL CRAZY? Its all well and good at the beginning. IT WAS FRIGGIN GREAT! until 3 weeks later.. It went downhill from there. I literally get disconnected every 30 seconds on some nights at least 100 times a night *no exaggeration* and then on probably 2 nights out of the whole month, ill get disconnected 5 times in a night. My area has FULL coverage "supposedly" but wen it gets congested it drops out.. I LITERALLY WENT FROM 1.4GBS TO 300MBS IN ONE NIGHT!!! THAT IS PURE ROBBERY! It is obviously clear that NOBODY knows exactly how optus is calculating this dumb 10mb increment billing crap, and as i type this, i have only 200mb left out of 2.3gbs.. and my stats that i PURPOSELY resetted says ive only used 571mbs.. U guys do the maths, and figure out for youselves to see if it is worth it! Those who love it now, i can gurantee u that u will hate it in another month or so! If im really only getting 600mbs from a $40 recharge... To get what im REALLy entitled to, i need to recharge at least 4 times to get this so called 2.3gbs!!! so im literally paying $160 a month! i can not re-iterate how bad optus is. Im going into a store tomorrow to give them my 2cents and then reconnecting with another provider!

  • Patricia commented on 12/07/2009 16:14

    Optus sux I live on the Redcliffe Peninsula Qld have a strong signal all the time and the drop outs drive me nuts It would cost me a fortune in 10mb increments if I wasn't with Virgin...a general 2 hour session takes 4 hours coz of the drops.

  • Chris commented on 04/07/2009 07:30

    I'm using optus wireless and it's very fast, but drops out CONSTANTLY! I'm in Melbourne suburbs and have to reconnect every 5 or 10 minutes. I'm considering rejecting the service completely.

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