I am just changing my mums optus mobile plan to another, we pay bpay. They are saying that you can no longer pay bpay and it needs to be direct debit. Is this correct I don’t like phone companies doing direct debits as they tend to take advantage.
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Some further details of the name of the new Optus mobile plan might help to clarify for others what Optus are asking. Mobile plans can have different T&C’s including payment conditions.
Optus provide the following advice on payments.
Support answers - Optus.
If it is an Optus Plus plan option, Optus refers specifically to an automatic payment plan as the only option for these offers. Note Optus says,
Your payments will be managed via an automatic payment set up using your selected credit, debit, or charge card, at the start of your monthly payment
You can Setup direct debit to automatically pay your account each month. There are no fees for using direct debit, even if you’re paying with credit card.
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Our provider (Boost) prepaid plans can be rolled over using a number of different payment options. They accept cards, PayPal or a voucher purchased from a retailer
TPG Mobile allow payment by card or direct debit.
Optus and Telstra can be done by card, direct payment or BPay.
There are telcos which offer a number of payment options rather than one, such as direct debit.
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We found that for our mum a longer term prepaid plan was the most cost effective. The renewal procedure did not require a direct debit, and typically most common payment methods are available. They can offer great value especially for someone not into using the mobile for other than calls.
Optus offer a 12 month prepaid for $180. Possibly not the cheapest of the long term prepaid plans available, but convenient if one is adding the service to your existing Optus account?
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This was what I was trying to do change to a pre-paid plan as they have doubled my mums post paid monthly fee. They talked me into another post paid plan taking $20 off per month for 12 months. My mum does not use any data even though the plan comes with 30 g. From experience I would prefer to pay bpay rather than handing over her bank details as in the past they have taken more money out than they should.
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The important details of any plan will be found in the Optus Critical Information Summary. These include the conditions for early termination, or further changes.
Plans may include a cooling off period of 10 days. It’s difficult for the community to provide feedback without knowing which plan option has been chosen. Optus link to cooling off period. .
For others following this topic, and for next time, Optus, Telstra, etc all offer a range of mobile plans. It’s in our experience always worthwhile doing some research in your preferred Telco’s website, looking at competitors websites for options and on well known websites (Choice, Whistleout, CanStar Blue). Our experiences suggest the best value plans are more often with the resellers than any of the major Telcos. We’ve changed several times, including porting out fixed line and mobile numbers. There’s fewer reasons to hold onto any of the principle providers.
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So this afternoon I have called 4 times;
- Guy answered said he would look into and put me on hold, wait 5 mins then another person answers with no idea what I want or even my phone number;
- Call again, they put me through to loyalty to talk me into another post paid plan (they must get bonuses for signing up post paid plans). I tell them I’m after pre-paid then he sends me the number to call by text
- call the number she say’s its the wrong area and will put me through to loyalty, why? when I have already spoken to loyalty and they will try and talk me into another post paid plan. She then say’s I have failed the id check even though Ive confirmed my details. I ask for a supervisor, on hold for 25 mins they then hang up on me. Grrrr
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I have a pre-paid with Optus. No requirement for any direct debit on a bank account or CC, and no reason there should be.
They do offer an auto recharge, but I just recharge when needed. Pay nothing for received calls and SMS messages. Use Whatsapp for chatting, and almost all Internet through WiFi.
Maybe recharge $30 every three months.
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Great idea thanks, not sure why they are not encouraging me to change to pre-paid though
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they also warned me against do 12 months pre -paid in case anything goes wrong
The fear factor is powerful on the customer side. The bonus or sales performance metrics are important on the telco sales persons side. Put the two together and you should understand how it went.
I doubt they get much ‘recognition’ for a prepaid since that demographic is an unreliable customer . A postpaid account can be forever as a relationship sale.
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exactly hence why they tried to talk me out of the pre-paid with negative examples e.g. coverage or an aerial may play up. Seriously I live in suburban Melbourne so doubt that will happen.
So do I. Eltham. It does! But it is unrelated to prepaid vs postpaid.
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I’m in Macleod lol and I agree
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I checked both the Optus and Telstra sites today for a SIM only plan or one including a mobile that doesn’t require Autopay via direct debit to credit/debit card or bank account. Having been caught in the Optus hack I’m loathe to provide banking details to any firm.
Choice is currently campaigning to tighten laws about data retention.
As well as pushing for firms to only collect the bare essential information and not store this unnecessarily, could you push back against the requirement to provide finance details like this?
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I tried but they said they will not allow me to pay manually. The account will not open until I add banking details.
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Are we talking about pre-paid here? Because my Optus account needs no requirement for any bank details. And I recharge manually. They may want some ID to activate the phone due to Gov requirements these days, but not bank details.
Now a post-paid account, yes I can certainly understand the requirement for some way they can automatically charge you each month, even if you elect to manually pay by some means like Bpay.
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We closed the last of our Optus accounts last year. The post paid accounts were all paid manually. Optus will be correct in refusing,
Is the plan the subject of the question an Optus Plus product? The details should be included in the package of information Optus provided in response to your new plan/change.
P.S.
It’s likely we originally provided CC details in meeting the 100 points ID requirements way back? My prepaid I topped up using a CC, the details entered each time required.
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Lissimmo, my mum only used her mobile phone very rarely, I found the ALDI Sim Plans very good. https://www.aldimobile.com.au/collections/plans
I used the Pay As You Go plan where there is a 365 day expiry - I used to top up the plan when needed, mum never used more than $30 for the year.
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thanks can you keep the same number though as in take number from optus to Aldi?
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