Optus today announced plans to acquire amaysim, Australia's largest MVNO, adding approximately 1.19 million subscribers to its customer base. amaysim will continue to operate as a standalone brand under the ownership of Optus, in the same way that Virgin Mobile previously did.
"In only ten years, amaysim has grown to be Australia’s largest MVNO, building a brand and service offering that has resonated with Australian consumers," said Optus CEO Bayer Rosmarin.
"Already underpinned by Optus’ premium 4G network, amaysim has a customer-oriented philosophy which very much aligns with Optus’ own customer-first approach. Optus will keep the amaysim brand intact and this deal will provide the certainty and backing amaysim needs to power ahead and accelerate its growth in the MVNO segment."
Optus' acquisition of amaysim is subject to shareholder approval, but has already received all regulatory approvals. The sale will be voted on in January next year. It is valued at $250 million.
In addition, Optus plans to launch a new "digital only" MVNO dubbed Gomo. Optus has yet to provide specifics, but the telco says Gomo will target "value-conscious" customers and that an app will be used for onboarding, service, and payments. Gomo customers will have access to the entirety of the Optus 4G and 5G network.
Both Gomo and Optus' acquisition of amaysim seem to be a response to the recent TPG-Vodafone merger, which strengthened the position of both brands.
Vodafone is also planning to launch its own digital only MVNO - felix. While plans have yet to be confirmed, felix is expected to have just a single offer: a $35 per month plan with unlimited data capped at speeds of 5Mbps. As with Gomo, it's expected that the only way to sign-up for the felix plan will be through the brand's app.
Alex Choros
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