Optus new $50 SIM only with roaming

[SYD]

But the new Choice Plans they are forcing us onto are different - they will only have the $5 day pass option from what I can see. Choice Plans come in $49, $59, $69, $79 and $89 and are subscription plans.

Choice plans are $10 a day. You need a Choice Plus for $5 a day.

Your $50 plan is not a Choice Plan it is one of the better older style traditional post paid plans and its days are numbered.

That plan is the subject of this thread and hence the angst over potentially loosing included roaming.

Optus look to be moving to Pre-Paid or Subscription model only, no more genuine postpaid plans for consumers.

As far as I can see, the changes to the $50 plan (described at Post #1) is still “Postpaid” as per PDS. They’re giving as the $59 Choice plan for $49 pm. Roaming is $10 pd - same as it currently is (if one manages to trigger it by exceeding 4GB roaming data per month).

 

[serfty]

I have Optus Small Choice Plus and have used the $5 global roaming for short trips.

Receiving an SMS will not activate the $5.

Making or answering a call, sending an SMS or turning on Roaming Data will activate.

FWIW, I can generally fudge an extra day over several by using WiFi and otherwise anticipating use on/after specific times.

 

[exceladdict]

There is no risk of turning on roaming data, its disabled on a handset level (super easy on android), I have over 20 years of roaming and its never happened - by doing it at device level, doesn't matter what is on one's account.

In a Telstra context, I was charged a cent for data for this in recent overseas travel. I worry if I had day passes turned on they would have triggered.

 

[AIRwin]

Is your anniversary of your plan with Optus around this time? If so, I may also be expecting it soon then...

I've dodged it until today...

 

[Lynda2475]

The app says to turn off roaming you'll need to turn on Airplane Mode before you leave Australia and keep it that way until you return.

Is that for Apple? On Android you can turn data off separately to Airplane mode.

Wasn't able to read the Optus email properly earlier because cant access gmail at office, going to look more closely now that I am home and can access links etc.

 

[SYD]

Is that for Apple? On Android you can turn data off separately to Airplane mode.

Wasn't able to read the Optus email properly earlier because cant access gmail at office, going to look more closely now that I am home and can access links etc.

iOS lets you turn “Roaming data” On/Off for each SIM.

The master Data On/Off button will turn on available lines if enabled. If they are both have roaming data off, then no data but calls in/out and SMS in/out are still available to SIMs that are roaming.

As @sertfy said, there’s usually no fee or plan trigger just having a voice/SMS line turned on (but roaming data off).

 

[AIRwin]

I'm still a little sceptical and would like to know how other people go.

 

[AIRwin]

Other options:

 

[Lynda2475]

iOS lets you turn “Roaming data” On/Off for each SIM.

You can do that on Android too but usually unnecessary, much quicker just to use the data on/off toggle on main pull down menu.

Having now read through the terms the plan being offered is a Choice not a Choice Plus - so looks like no need to to worry about the $5/day nonsense, I will just keep the $10/day nonsense turned off and stick to standard roaming option which should continue to provide free SMS.

The downside appears to be an increased cost to send an SMS from overseas to 50c and I can no longer send free international SMS from Australia.

It seems anyone with special discounts got moved onto no longer available Choice (not Choice Plus) plans, so they could still get some sort of discount. If you weren't receiving any custom discounts you got moved to Choice Plus.

Currently I have a $35 sim only plan (calls & data) which has a second linked data only sim that shares the data from the $35 plan; plus a 3rd Sim on a $25 plan (calls & data) which has the fee waived.

After the change on 3rd August:

• Sim #1 and Sim #3 get put onto separate Choice $49 plans with unlimited calls & sms within Australia and 50GB Aussie data each, with discounts applied such that I only pay a total of $34/month
• Sim #2 (the data only sim) becomes useless. Apparently, whilst plans on the same account can share data you can no longer spend a once off $2 to activate a data only sim to share your phone data with a tablet for no ongoing fee.

Simple right?

 

[SYD]

View attachment 334383

They seem to be pitching the extra monthly (local) data (which I don’t need) for $1 less per month and glossing over the loss of all roaming voice / data unless you spend $10 (not even $5) per day…

We’ll probably switch to Vodafone. At least the $5 pd gives you access to your full local data even when roaming.

But use an eSIM for roaming data otherwise.

 

[AIRwin]

Be prepared to bargain hard:

 

[SYD]

Be prepared to bargain hard:
View attachment 334385

In an “negotiation” training course I did years ago, I was taught to open these sorts of discussions regarding consumer stuff with the magic words “I’m not happy…”.

 

[AIRwin]

We’ll probably switch to Vodafone.

I'm considering Belong:

International roaming | Belong

International roaming

www.belong.com.au

 

[johnny_yh2000]

Well, I called Optus' complaint line (133 937) and I must say the call went better than expected. Almost too good to be true, in fact.

The agent I spoke to assured me that the email that was sent out was a "generic" email and that "the system will check all your inclusions and apply those inclusions to your new plan" (his exact words).

I (twice) then asked him to clarify: so Global Roaming will be included on my new plan? "That's correct".

So I should ignore what the email says about how "international roaming will no longer be included on your plan"? "Yes, you should ignore what the email says as it was sent out to all affected customers and doesn't affect your plan".

Still somewhat incredulous, I asked whether he would be able to put what he'd told me in writing. "I will add a note of this conversation to your account".

I asked: and that note will specifically include that Global Roaming will be included on my new plan after August 3? "Yes, it will".

I'm still a little sceptical and would like to know how other people go. And of course I'll still be double-checking and triple-checking that international roaming will be included on my new plan, and obviously taking it further if it isn't. But so far so good...

Thank you for the update.

So I called the same number as well. The agent I spoke to said the email is just generalised, and nothing is finalised yet. He told me to wait a few more weeks and see if there would be further updates. At this point, they don't have any additional information that can help me, and he thinks they would be a more detailed email to be sent out to clarify that I would still be able to have the roaming package on the 3rd of August. I'm sceptical about it since I was on the phone with Optus last month, and the agent at the time said I wouldn't be able to use my plan for long, so it is best to change to a "BETTER VALUE" plan. I questioned him that the new plane didn't give me any extra value since you are taking my global roaming allowance away. He later was a bit abrupt and told me it is up to me to change it now or later. This plan will stop soon. I didn't take that agent's world seriously as I thought it was just a sales pitch. Now looking at it, internally, Optus already have plans to cancel this plan.

Anyways, I feel like this is the end of this awesome plan, and I won't be staying with Optus and will be moving on to a different telco.

 

[Lynda2475]

i'm considering Belong:

Their travel packs cost $30 every 15 days and unfortunately doesn't include some of the EU countries Im travelling to this year (Finalnd, Estonia)

I need two services:
#1 my main number on my phone just to receive 2FA SMS when travelling (otherwise can use wifi if i need to upload photos or download offline google maps)
#2 data for my tablet so I can use live maps, buy tickets etc when out and about

I dont want to have to buy 2 expensive plans when data usage isnt huge.

So still cheaper for me to roam with data turned off on my phone and receive free sms.

Then to buy a UK Sim from SimsDirect (or similar) which has 12GB data and is good for 365 days works in 71 countries for the tablet. Should I need to make a call whilst overseas to another overseas number, connect ear buds to tablet and call from that.

 

[SYD]

I'm considering Belong:

International roaming | Belong

International roaming

www.belong.com.au

Will look at that more closely but you need to bundle a base monthly plan then $60 pm on top to roam ($30 / 15d is probably ok for short trips). Similarly, Amaysim hasn’t amazed me yet from what I’ve read.

 

[SYD]

Their travel packs cost $15 every 15 days and doesn't include some of the countries Im travelling to this year.

It’s $30 per 15d at the link.

Still cheaper to buy a UK Sim from SimsDirect (or similar) which has 15GB and is good for 365 days works in 71 countries.

I know my UK GiffGaff SIM will roam across Europe (and UK obviously). Need to check what else they can do around the world. It’s only a physical sim still but I can use an eSIM for the Oz telco and use the physical for roaming/local sims - which seems retrograde IMHO…

 

[Lynda2475]

It’s $30 per 15d at the link.

Oops yep - have corrected that

It’s $30 per 15d at the link.

I know my UK GiffGaff SIM will roam across Europe (and UK obviously). Need to check what else they can do around the world. It’s only a physical sim still but I can use an eSIM for the Oz telco and use the physical for roaming/local sims - which seems retrograde IMHO…

Physical sim doesnt bother me since I have two devices that both can take physical or e-SIM.

And since the device i want to use data on overseas on is my tablet, i have no problem taking the Aussie sim out whilst travelling since its the one in my mobile that needs to receive messages.

For example with the current 25% off promo you can get this Explorer Travel SIM Card | 71 Countries | Data-Only | 12GB | 365 Days for $63 (noting Im sure the same one was only $50 last year).

All the Europe/UK ones are 25% less than the price listed too, for some reason eSim cost more

But Im sure if one were to buy it direct in the UK would be cheaper again.

 

[Zinger]

Currently in Europe and received this as well. Not at all pleased about it.

I always ensure I have a local SIM card for my travel destinations however sometimes I just need a small amount of data on arrival or if I decide to exit the SilverKris lounge and visit the city for a few hours between flights.

I was assaulted and my phone was stolen soon after my arrival in Europe back in April. Dealing with the useless muppets on the Optus online chat to suspend that account took five days. Every time I just gave up and tried again later with another muppet. My requests for the suspension of the service was met with a reply they could put me on another plan immediately. I'm still mopping up the mess they created.

Another phone call tomorrow to sort out another just emerged mess tomorrow coming their way.

I looked at Amaysim but it does use the Optus network which isn't that great where I live. I can live with the 365 day roaming pack for emergency data and the ability to at least send texts when overseas. I'm not sure if they allow receiving texts when overseas. They do offer esim capability. I think their 5G speeds are capped, not that it's available at home.

Belong does not appear to offer esim capability.

Looked at Telstra. No. Just no.

As a side note my phone surfaced two days later in Morocco. I managed to wipe all the data on that phone remotely.

 

[exceladdict]

Is that for Apple? On Android you can turn data off separately to Airplane mode.

iOS lets you turn “Roaming data” On/Off for each SIM.

The master Data On/Off button will turn on available lines if enabled. If they are both have roaming data off, then no data but calls in/out and SMS in/out are still available to SIMs that are roaming.

As @sertfy said, there’s usually no fee or plan trigger just having a voice/SMS line turned on (but roaming data off).

Android, but the same applies - every time I turned the Telstra Sim on for a 2FA SMS I endured I did not turn on data. I had a seperate local Sim on providing data.

I was going to argue with Telstra about it but realised it was a cent so not worth it. Just worried it may have triggered a day pass if I had the setting turned on.