Optus will pay you to switch during iPhone hunting season

With Apple’s iPhone reveal so close you can taste it, Optus has kicked off a new promotion offering to pay customers to switch from a different provider.

Customers who jump on board will receive a $200 credit on their new Optus account to offset early exit fees charged by their existing carrier. The $200 is added as a credit to a customer’s account, but requires customers manually claim the benefit after establishing their contract — which you can do here.

The offer applies to new customers who switch from a competitor's post-paid account (not including BYO phone plans) and who sign up for a new phone and plan between September 8 and November 2, 2014.

Existing Optus customers can apply for a similar bonus, with Optus offering to wipe the remaining balance on a post-paid account, so long as the customer is within the final three-months of their current contract and happy to recommit for another 24-months.

In addition to the switching promotion, Optus will also credit customer accounts up to $250 for used phones, depending on the model and its condition, in accord with its ongoing ‘Trade In, Trade Up’ program. Current trade-in prices definitely favour iPhone models, with a working iPhone 5 fetching the full $250, while a Samsung Galaxy S3 — which was released in the same year — worth only $110 to Optus.

To be eligible for either offer, a customers has to sign up for a new phone on a 24-month contract.

iPhone-ready plans

In case a hefty credit for switching isn’t enticing enough, Optus has add a bunch of data to its $80 and $100 My Plan Plus products, to a total of 5GB and 8GB per month respectively, available until November 2.

This data boost positions Optus above competitor Vodafone, which offers 4GB and 6GB at the same price points.

It’s interesting to see Optus encouraging customers to take on a higher bill each month for an iPhone this year, considering how adjustments have only been made to these two most expensive plans. Last year, the Optus $60 Plan was the telco’s sweet spot in terms of value for money, but it is obvious Optus is hoping more customers take on the higher monthly spend with these generous data additions.

Joseph Hanlon

Editorial Director | X | LinkedIn

Joe Hanlon has been immersed in mobile phones, plans and the internet for over a decade, having written for publications like CNET, Techradar, Gizmodo and Lifehacker. He steers the editorial ship and makes sure that we are always serving up the most useful guides and recommendations. If you ever bump into Joe on the street, don't be afraid to ask for a phone recommendation. It's embarrassing how much he enjoys talking about this stuff. He also loves listening to podcasts, so feel free to email Joe with recommendations.

Read full bio