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back to article Optus’ free broadband: the details

Optus’ new “free broadband” offers are a little more complex than the “free” headline would have you believe. The telco announced the offer yesterday, bundling a broadband service offering 50Gb of monthly downloads with either a smartphone or a home phone service. The press release provided to El Reg was full of canned quotes …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Funny.

    I was on naked ADSL for a while a year-or-so a go. Then my ISP offered to transfer me to a better-priced deal with a bundled POTS. Who's plan were they on-selling to give me this? Optus'.

    The article's deal doesn't sound bad, but I am presently paying $70 per month for much the same thing (more mobile credit than I use, a similarly effectively-free landline) but 200GiB quota down and un-metered up. Which ISP? Well, technically Optus, who's plan my actual ISP is on-selling to me in this case.

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  2. Michael Xion

    Not Everywhere

    For obvious reasons, It's not available on exchanges that only house Telstra equipment ie most small towns outside the capital and larger cities. I reckon most people would be happy to forego the NBN if there was just some compulsion on Telstra to upgrade existing exchanges. Wouldn't it be good if any ISP could offer services at any exchange. Not sure if this is technically possible, but it would make a big difference to people who can only get Bigpond.

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  3. factor

    Fine print - you are locked in!

    "You will receive 50GB of broadband usage for free, when you sign up or recontract your existing service to the Optus Home Advantage plan over 24 months. When your contract term expires, you must recontract to keep receiving free broadband."

    https://www.optus.com.au/shop/broadband/bundles/homeadvantage

    Not just one 24 month contract, perpetual 24 month contracts. A telco wet dream.

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    1. Anonymous Coward
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      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Fine print - you are locked in!

      Sigh. Clues in the plain English. If you want to keep getting your free broadband then you have to *re-contract* which is reasonable enough and you would get it in the first place because you used their services. They're not putting a gun to your head saying you have no choice to take out another contract. I mean come on, as if! Really?

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    2. Tim Bates
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      Re: Fine print - you are locked in!

      Can't be bothered reading the fine print since it's irrelevent out here, but does it say you have to recontract to a 24 month contract, or just recontract? A 12 month BYO contract would count if they haven't been specific.... Of course they no doubt reserve the right to cancel this any time once the contract expires ;)

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  4. Big-nosed Pengie
    FAIL

    It's not bloody free then, is it?

    Whe's someone going to do these prats for false advertising?

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    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: It's not bloody free then, is it?

      Well since Optus customers aren't going to pay any extra for it, then it is free isn't it...

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