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Have you ever wondered how ‘business’ mobile plans differ from ‘personal’ plans? 

Well, quite often for small businesses, the only significant difference is the name, according to our research.

We compared a number of business plans with equivalent consumer plans, and found some curious anomalies. In a couple of cases, for example, the fine print for ‘business’ mobile plans indicated they could only be used for personal use.

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At Optus, its $40 consumer plan provides unlimited standard national calls, unlimited SMS and MMS within Australia and to certain countries, and up to 300 voice minutes to those selected countries. Plus 7GB of data. 

And the $40 business plan? As far as we can see, the inclusions and terms are pretty much the same. The consumer plan rules out ‘non-ordinary’ or ‘commercial purpose use’ but bizarrely the critical information summary for the business plan makes the same exclusion.

So we turned to the Optus Fair Go policy for clarification.

“If you are a residential customer our services are for your personal use only,” the policy said.

“If you are a business customer, including a small to medium business customer, our services are for your use in the ordinary course of business.

“You may not use the service in a manner which is ‘unreasonable’ or ‘unacceptable’.”

That seems to mean that you aren't allowed to make or take business calls on a personal plan, or personal calls (“should I buy some milk on the way home?”) on a business plan.

An Optus spokesperson explained: “Our consumer plans are designed for personal use while our business plans are for use in the ordinary course of business plus some personal use where needed.

“We understand there will be certain circumstances where a customer needs to use their service outside its primary intended purpose. In these cases, we offer a level of flexibility for customers to make a judgement on what is reasonable and acceptable use of their service based on their contract.”

So the good news is that the way most of us use one plan for business and personal purposes is acceptable, providing the selected plan reflects the main use.

It might not be obvious from the everyday use of the terms, but Optus (and probably other carriers) distinguishes between ‘business’ and ‘commercial’ use. The company confirmed that ‘commercial use' refers to levels of voice or data use normally seen only in call centres, or to mobile data used to access enterprise-style services rather than those associated with micro to medium businesses.

And although the inclusions and price may be the same for consumer and business plans, “Our SMB plans offer a number of benefits for business customers including billing made out to your registered ABN for tax purposes, access to business specialists in over 120 of our retail stores, premium support from our dedicated SMB team when you bundle two or more services, and invitations to exclusive business events,” said the Optus spokesperson.

The Optus Fair Go policy does goes on to give several examples of unreasonable use, most of which seem quite reasonable, such as not allowing automatic diallers, resale and bulk messaging. But the prohibition on using a ‘mobile voice’ SIM card in a non ‘mobile voice’ device seems odd. What difference does it make to the carrier whether you tether a tablet to the phone or temporarily move the SIM from a phone to a tablet?

The reason, according to the Optus spokesperson, is that requiring separate SIMs “allows us to optimise their service for the device, the network and billing purposes”. Optus does allow data pooling between plans, but you’re up for at least $10 a month per additional device, though that does include 1GB of shareable data.

Over at Vodafone, it’s pretty much the same situation when it comes to distinctions between personal and business customers.

The $60 personal plan provides unlimited standard national calls, unlimited standard national and overseas SMSes, 120 standard international minutes to selected countries and 6GB of data (a special offer running at the time of writing boosts that to 12GB).

The $60 business plan has the same inclusions.

But the personal plan is for “personal use by approved customers only” while the business plan is for “personal use by approved customers with an ABN/ACN only”.

We asked Vodafone to explain how a business plan can be for personal use only, but received no reply more than a week later. The only interpretations we can suggest are either that it essentially the same as Optus's business/commercial dichotomy but using different words, or that you can’t use that plan on a phone that’s used by more than one person (for example, the phone carried by whichever member of a team is on call over a particular weekend).

Telstra's personal and business plans are slightly different. For example, $50 a month gets personal customers ‘$1000 worth of calls’, unlimited SMS and 2.5GB of data, while business customers pay $55 for ‘$1200 worth of calls’, unlimited SMS and 5GB of data.

Bear in mind Telstra’s call values are calculated on what we consider to be an inflated tariff of $1 per minute. By comparison, even a $19 Virgin Mobile prepaid recharge can have a rate as low as 15c per minute.

A Telstra spokesperson* said that customers must have an ACN or ABN to qualify for a business plan, but business customers can opt for consumer plans if they consider the price and inclusions are a better fit.

"For example, we provide our small business customers with more voice value, because we know they make calls more frequently than our consumer customers," the spokesperson said, adding that the business plans also allow for free calls between mobiles on the same account.

Other benefits of the Go Business Mobile plans include a free data SIM for use with a tablet or dongle, with both devices sharing the same pot of data, and the ability to put cloud services such as Office 365, Symantec Endpoint Protection and Deputy rostering and workforce management onto the same bill.

Data sharing across multiple services is available on Telstra's consumer and business plans.

Mobile virtual network operators – the companies that provide mobile services based on third-party networks such as Telstra, Optus or Vodafone – generally make a clear distinction between personal and business usage.

For example, the conditions for amaysim's Unlimited plans flatly state they are “available to individual customers only (not companies or businesses), who use their mobile phone for personal use only. If we determine that you are using Unlimited 3GB other than for personal use or if we determine that you are using the Plan in a way that does or may, in our opinion, adversely affect the network, we reserve the right (at our option) to transfer you to the amaysim As You Go Plan, or to immediately suspend or cancel your access to the Service”.

We asked amaysim what it considers ‘personal use’ to be, and its compliance and service operations manager Chad Heininger responded: “We see personal use as individuals using their amaysim service primarily for private use in a way not connected with carrying out a business activity. As per our Fair Go Policy, our customers are unable to use our service for ‘business purposes’ as this falls outside of personal use. We aren’t specific about what constitutes as business use, because we trust our customers to use their judgment and play by the rules. For example, we would not expect our customers to use our service to support a large business or organisation as this clearly would be for ‘business purposes’. We also expect our customers to use our service in a reasonable and acceptable manner.”

It sounds to us that there's a certain amount of wriggle room – if your small-business ‘business use’ is similar to that of a personal customer in terms of the number of calls and texts, how would Amaysim tell the difference, and why would it be bothered? That said, we're not encouraging anyone to breach the T&Cs.

While large organisations can receive volume pricing, the benefits of business plans for small businesses are hard to quantify. In fact, the differences between many personal and business plans in terms of inclusions and costs are so insignificant that we can’t help feeling that the distinction is mostly arbitrary.

However, that also means there’s rarely any downside to opting for a business plan rather than the corresponding personal version.

So if a phone is going to be used primarily for business purposes, you might as well opt for a business plan and be fully compliant with the plan’s terms and conditions. It’s likely to cost much the same – and it reduces the admittedly slight risk that your service will be terminated because you went outside the T&Cs. 

* Note: This article was updated on 21 April 2016 due to Telstra responding to our request for more information after the article's publication.

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Business mobile plans in Australia compared

The best mobile plans for small to medium-sized businesses, broken down in terms of price, data, extras and support.

We’re going to let you in on a little secret. There aren’t any business mobile plans like there are business NBN internet plans . Well, not really. While some telcos may brand them as such, we stopped differentiating between personal and business mobile plans a while ago because, in our comparisons, we found they had identical offerings: same price, identical data, equal inclusions.

Network is the critical business mobile consideration

There are some critical considerations for picking the mobile plan that’s right for your business. First and foremost is less to do with the plan and more to do with the network. In Australia, the ranking of non-5G mobile networks is as follows:

• Telstra first-party network (including Boost Mobile ): 99.4% of the Australian population
• Telstra wholesale network (Telstra MVNOs): 98.8% of the Australian population
• Optus 3G and 4G (including Optus MVNOs): 98.5% of the Australian population
• Vodafone 4G (including Vodafone MVNOs): 96% of the Australian metropolitan population

Note that Telstra MVNOs , Optus MVNOs and Vodafone MVNOs tend to offer more competitive pricing on their plans than the three network holders. If you’re after 5G in Australia , the footprint is even smaller as the respective telco networks are still being built. Towards the end of 2021, here’s how Australia’s 5G networks look:

• Telstra 5G: 75% of the Australian population
• Optus 5G: 400,000+ Australian households
• Vodafone 5G: 650+ Australian suburbs

Despite that ranking, your business can still viably opt for the Optus or Vodafone networks, in 4G or 5G variants, as long as you’re working in an area that has great reception. In this context, great reception refers to full (or close to) signal strength, fast data speeds and reliable calls that don’t drop out.

Use the interactive map below to determine whether your business can expect 4G or 5G (or even 3G) speeds from the three network holders by ticking the network boxes and changing network provider via the drop-down menu.

What makes for a great business mobile plan?

With the network sorted, it’s down to more common factors. Price is one of the top considerations, but we also determine basic value by weighing up cost with how much data is included. Be aware that certain telcos tend to offer cheaper initial pricing across SIM Only and Prepaid plans , meaning first-year costs will be cheaper but ongoing costs will also rise once you’re out of the promotional pricing period. So factor in typical pricing initially or, once a promotional period ends, consider switching telcos.

Data is another big consideration, which will depend on how much time you spend out of the office (disconnected from WiFi) or how much you like the idea of a mobile tethering backup solution if office internet is down. On average, Australians are using around 30GB of mobile data per month, so treat that as a minimum for a business mobile plan. While around one-third of Australian mobile users are on Prepaid plans, we’d advise sticking with SIM Only or Postpaid plans (if you want to bundle a handset) for the best value.

Because more and more telcos are competing around similar price points and data caps these days, included extras can help separate a contender from a viable victor. These extras may include additional data, data banking or gifting, international call and/or text inclusions, capped max-speed data (to avoid bill shock), or even 10% off the monthly office kitchen grocery shop at Woolies with Woolworths Mobile .

The final main consideration is support channels. While the quality of the support experience with the same provider between businesses may differ (as they do between people with personal accounts), the more support avenues a telco offers, the more options you have for getting in touch.

Mobile plans for the best network coverage

If you want to play it safe, the best business mobile plans with the best coverage will be Telstra business mobile plans . Below is a daily updating list of popular business mobile SIM Only plans from our comparison engine on the Telstra network with at least 30GB of data.

The next best bet for coverage will be Optus business mobile plans . For comparison, below is a daily updating list of popular SIM Only plans on the Optus network with at least 30GB of data.

Finally, you can also compare those plans above with popular SIM Only plans on the Vodafone network, which come with at least 30GB of data.

The best pricing for mobile plans

If you want a SIM Only business mobile plan with at least 30GB of data, there are a few options. Bear in mind that the cheaper options towards the top of the list below are likely representative of discounted promotional pricing periods, so be sure to factor that in when budgeting a plan longer-term.

Mobile plans for data

For those businesses where 30GB isn’t close to meeting your business needs, consider a SIM Only plan with a whole lot more data. The list below is for SIM Only plans from our comparison engine with at least 100GB of monthly data.

If you fancy a handset with your business mobile plan, check out the daily updating list below of popular business mobile phone plans with at least 30GB of data and a max plan cost of $150 per month.

Mobile plans for included extras

If you’re having trouble separating plans based on just price and data, it’s worth factoring in the extras they come with. Certain promotional extras may come and go, but features like data caps, data banking and data gifting tend to be permanent fixtures, and the same is true of international allowances.

Check out the list below for an idea of popular SIM Only mobile plans with at least 30GB of data from telcos with a knack for bundling perks, including Optus mobile business plans.

Mobile plans for support

For businesses that want the peace of mind of multiple support channels, we’d advise sticking with the telcos whose plan reviews ranked highest in our internal analysis metrics. You can either go with fully featured support from Optus or Telstra ; alternatively, opt for telcos with more competitive pricing like Vodafone , Amaysim and Dodo Mobile , all of which have robust support channels.

The daily updating list below is comprised of popular plans from these telcos, all of which have at least 30GB of data (note that Amaysim only sells Prepaid plans).

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Australia’s Best-Rated Business Mobile Plan Providers

See Our Ratings Methodology .

Most Satisfied Customers | Vodafone

Vodafone is our winner for the 2023 mobile plan provider ratings, with an impressive five-star score across most categories, including customer satisfaction, value for money, client service, billing and plan flexibility, while it scored four stars for network coverage.

How we rate business mobile plan providers

Our ratings compare mobile phone plan providers offering business plans, based on customer satisfaction as rated by Australians.

How many Australians do we survey for our ratings?

Canstar Blue surveyed 580 Australians with a current business mobile plan service for their feedback on mobile plan providers they’ve been signed up to. Respondents had to have a current mobile phone plan for a business and that business pays the bills.

• The outcomes reported in these ratings are measured via accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics .

What criteria are used to rate business mobile plan providers?

Survey respondents are asked to rate their satisfaction with their business mobile phone plan provider from zero to 10 , with zero meaning extremely dissatisfied and 10 meaning extremely satisfied. Business mobile plan provider satisfaction is rated on the following criteria:

• Overall satisfaction: measures consumer satisfaction with a mobile plan provider as an individual score, NOT the combined total of all criteria.
• Value for money: the price paid for the mobile phone plan was reasonable for the service experienced.
• Network coverage: the mobile network offered good and reliable coverage.
• Client service: the mobile plan provider offered good service and support, and was easy to get in touch with.
• Billing: the mobile plan billing was clear and easy to understand and pay.
• Plan flexibility: the mobile plan provider offered a reasonable amount of plan flexibility.

How do we determine the winner?

The winning brand is the brand that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating . All the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are then combined and averaged to determine the overall winner.

• Overall satisfaction is asked as a specific question and represents an individual measure, not a combined total of all criteria.
• The brand with the highest number of five-star ratings within the supporting criteria will become the five-star recipient in overall satisfaction, and therefore win the award. If a clear leading brand still cannot be determined from the supporting criteria, joint winners will be declared.

Which business mobile plan providers do we rate?

To qualify in the ratings results, providers must have received a minimum of 30 responses to be included. Therefore, not all mobile phone plan providers offering business services will be compared in this survey. Providers rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.

Find more information on our Most Satisfied Customers ratings .

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Best business mobile plan providers

1. vodafone, ratings result.

Vodafone came out on top for the second year in a row, scoring five stars for overall satisfaction. It also scored five stars for value for money, client service, billing and plan flexibility, while it scored four stars for network coverage.

Editor’s notes

Vodafone offers the option of SIM-only plans or plans that can be bundled with a device. All that you need to do is supply your ABN/ACN on sign up, or link it to an existing Vodafone mobile plan account, with additional business plans also able be added.

Telstra took out second place with four stars for overall satisfaction, value for money, client service, billing and plan flexibility, while it scored five stars for network coverage.

Telstra offers a range of SIM-only plans or plans with a phone, with the option to bundle services onto the one plan. Its plans and device selection are essentially the same offerings as what you’ll get if you sign up to a non-business plan. If you bundle a phone with a plan, you’ll choose from a 12, 24 or 36-month device repayment period.

Ratings results

Rounding out our ratings in third is Optus with three stars for overall satisfaction and billing, while it scored four stars in the remaining categories — value for money, network coverage, client service and plan flexibility.

Optus offer a range of options for its business phone plans. While you can pick a similar selection of SIM-only plans and devices to its non-business phone plans, Optus does offer McAfee protection on up to 20 devices on its Business Choice Plus plans. Optus also offers a ‘team plan’ which includes four SIM plans with data to share and flexibility, along with the option to add on additional SIMs for an extra cost per SIM.

Other business phone plan providers

Apart from the above-mentioned providers, there are several other telcos also offering phone plans for businesses, although many of these providers might only offer SIM-only plans and no handsets for bundling. These telcos include:

• Aussie Broadband
• Southern Phone

Choosing a phone plan provider

Access to a phone and/or phone plan for work can be an essential part of a business. Of those surveyed, 27% provide employees with a mobile phone for work use and 33% upgrade handsets every one to two years.

Despite several providers offering mobile phone services to businesses, 50% of respondents have always been with the same business phone service provider. A big reason for this could be that almost a third of respondents (31%) believe the provider offers good value, while 26% believe their provider offers the best coverage or is the only provider with coverage in the area.

When choosing a provider for your business mobile phone services, there can be a lot to consider. 17% of survey respondents claimed that they don’t find the time to compare other offers and switch providers, so it might seem like a lot to think about on top of operating a business.

However, when you break it down to a few points, comparing business mobile phone plans might be more simple than you think.

Phone with a plan or SIM-only

The first thing to consider is whether you’ll need phones bundled with a phone plan — such as an iPhone or Samsung phone — or if you simply need the phone plan on its own. If you need handsets with a plan, your provider choices will mostly be limited to the big three telcos (Telstra, Optus and Vodafone).

If you just need the SIM cards with a phone plan, then you have a wider range of options to choose from.

Additional extras

Some providers will offer business-related extras such as the ability to bundle multiple services, data sharing across plans, device security software and more. If these extras are important to you, you can then compare providers to see what is available and which telco will offer the best value for you.

How much mobile data you need for your plans is pretty important. Consider what your team will be using their phone plans for — such as working on the go, accessing emails, video conferencing, making calls, etc — will help determine whether you need a plan with lots of data or not. If phones will be used primarily for making and receiving calls and accessing emails, a smaller amount of data, or a data-sharing plan, might work best. Otherwise you’ll need bigger data plans for working on the go and video conferencing.

Mobile coverage

Of course, for some workers, a phone plan can be essential when travelling for work. If your team frequently needs to travel, especially to regional and remote areas, ensuring your choice of provider has good mobile network coverage in that area is essential.

While the Telstra, Optus and Vodafone networks all offer coverage to the majority of the country, it’s worth checking the mobile coverage map before signing up to a provider to ensure that the areas your team will be working from are covered by the mobile network.

About our telco experts

Emma bradstock: senior telco specialist.

Emma Bradstock has been an authority on consumer phone, internet, technology and streaming markets in Australia for the last 4 years, with a dedication to providing Aussies with all the information they need to make better purchasing decisions. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Media from Macquarie University and has a decade of professional writing experience in print and digital media.

Samantha Howse: Consumer Research Specialist

Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and 2 years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.

Frequently asked questions

About this research.

Canstar Blue surveyed 2,022 Australian small business owners and key decision makers across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers within the survey group whose business currently pays for a mobile phone plan that is used for business purposes– in this case, 580 people.

Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criteria.

Past ratings

Here are past winners of Canstar Blue’s Most Satisfied Customers – Business Phone Plans Providers ratings:

• 2022: Vodafone
• 2021: Optus
• 2020: Vodafone
• 2019: Vodafone
• 2018: Optus
• 2017: Vodafone
• 2016: Optus
• 2015: Optus

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Canstar Blue may earn a fee for referrals from its website tables, and from sponsorship of certain products. Fees payable by product providers for referrals and sponsorship may vary between providers. Generally, sponsorship fees are payable in addition to referral fees. Sponsored products are clearly disclosed as such on website pages. They may appear in a number of areas of the website such as in comparison tables, on hub pages and in articles. Sponsored products may be displayed in a fixed position in a table, regardless of the product's rating, price or other attributes. The table position of a Sponsored product does not indicate any ranking or rating by Canstar. The table position of a Sponsored product does not change when a consumer changes the sort order of the table. For more information please see  How Are We Funded .

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Optus Targets Budget-Conscious Businesses With $149 Mobile Plan

Optus has launched a new affordable mobile plan for small business owners, which provides four mobile numbers for $149 per month.

The telco’s new month-to-month Business Connect Plan offers unlimited standard national talk and text, unlimited standard international talk and text from Australia to 35 selected destinations, and 250GB of shared data across up to four included mobile numbers for $149. Businesses can also add up to four extra numbers for $29 per month on month-to-month Team Plans.

According to Libby Roy, Optus Managing Director of SMB, a recent survey highlighted that 92 per cent of Australian small to medium businesses saw fast and affordable internet connectivity as important or essential to their trade.

“In response to our small business customers’ needs, we’ve introduced the Optus Business Connect Plan which is unique in market and designed specifically to address the new reality of work, and provide additional value and options to help small business owners succeed, connect with their customers in new ways and grow their ventures,” she said.

The launch of the Business Connect Plan follows the recent release of Optus 5G Internet for Business, and is part of what Roy describes as the company’s commitment to provide customers with good value and a competitive advantage.

“Our new plan provides them with more control over their monthly costs, reducing the restraint of additional charges and confusing limits. This allows business owners to have more time to focus on what really matters, including their passions and growing their business,” she said.

The Business Connect Plan is available to new and existing Optus small business customers online and in Optus stores.

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Optus mobile plans review

How does australia's second largest telco stack up to telstra and cheaper alternatives.

Tom's Guide Verdict

While there's no denying that Telstra clearly has the lead amongst Australia's three major telcos, Optus isn't that far behind, boasting the country's second-largest network and the title for fastest 5G download speeds. It's also far more affordable than Telstra, with fairly priced plans that offer plenty of data. Of course, the telco has a long way to go to regain Australia's trust after suffering one of the worst cyberattacks in our history, alongside a nationwide outage that lasted more than half a day.

Plans offer good value

Fast 5G download speeds

Great roaming add-ons

Reputation in the toilet

Speeds capped on pre-paid plans

Still uses off-shore call centres

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

Since its commercial arrival on the Aussie telco scene back in 1992, Optus has maintained its position as Australia's second-largest network operator, with Telstra consistently holding onto the number one spot in terms of number of subscribers.

A subsidiary of Singaporean telecommunications giant Singtel, Optus offers a range of mobile plans which offer big data at reasonable price points. It has both pre-paid and post-paid choices, as well as plans which include a handset.

Although Optus comes in second to Telstra with regards to its overall network coverage, the telco is still able to claim that its 3G and 4G networks reach 98.5% of the Australian population. 

And while Telstra seems to have a significant lead when it comes to 5G coverage (based on nPerf's independent coverage maps ) and is claimed to now reach 85% of the Australian population, it's worth nothing that OpenSignal has awarded Optus the 5G Download Speed crown for the last 4 years running. Of course, most users probably won't reach those top speeds unless they're right next to an Optus tower, and the network is relatively uncongested.

As for customer service, Optus still uses off-shore call centres in India and the Philippines, though it does operate local call centres in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, too. 

However, the real elephant in the room is that Optus has had a rough couple of years — in 2022, Optus experienced one of the biggest cyberattacks in Australian history , resulting in the personal information of roughly 10 million customers being exposed. 

This was followed by a nationwide outage in 2023, which lasted approximately 12-13 hours, once again affecting around 10 million customers, including 400,000 businesses.

So while Optus has the second-largest network and a range of decently priced mobile plans, the question remains as to whether the telco can regain the trust of its customers — both existing, and potential.

Optus mobile plans and pricing

• Optus SIM-only plans far more reasonably priced than Telstra
• No lock-in contracts for Optus SIM-only plans

Of the three main network operators in Australia, Optus arguably sits in the sweet spot between Telstra and Vodafone when it comes to price and value. 

Telstra undoubtedly has the best coverage, but is by far the most expensive. And while Vodafone offers the most monthly data at prices which are on par with Optus, it ranks third in terms of coverage and download speeds. 

That leaves Optus with a range of plans which are well-priced and still data-generous, with coverage that's quite decent despite falling short of Telstra's reach. In other words, Optus is probably the telco that Goldilocks would choose.

Recently, Optus made the decision to streamline its SIM-only offering to just three standard plans and one promo plan. While the plans are slightly more expensive than they were before, they now provide significantly more data.

Optus SIM-only plans start at AU$52 p/m for the Small Optus Choice Plus Plan , which comes with 50GB of monthly data, which means you're paying about AU$1.04 per GB. 

That's followed by the Medium Optus Choice Plan , which now costs AU$62 p/m for 180GB of monthly data (a cost of AU$0.34 per GB). That's almost three times what Telstra offers in terms of data on its entry-level Basic Upfront plan, which costs the same at AU$62 p/m but only gets you 50GB (or AU$1.24 per GB).

Next is the Large Optus Choice Plus Plan , which costs AU$82 p/m for 360GB of monthly data, or around AU$0.22 per GB, which is outrageously good value if you're willing to pay that much.

Additionally, Optus currently offers an Optus Plus Promo Plan , which gives you 500GB of monthly data at AU$69 (a tiny AU$0.14 a gig) for the first 12 months, after which the price goes up to AU$89 p/m (a still very-reasonable AU$0.18 per GB). Note that this offer will be withdrawn on August 4, 2024.

Also worth noting is that there are no lock-in contracts on any Optus SIM-only plan, and each one brings uncapped 5G network access in selected areas (excluding Northern Territory), unlimited standard talk and text within Australia, and unlimited standard international talk and text to 35 selected destinations. You can also share your data across eligible plans on the same account, and donate your unused monthly data to Australians in need.

Although there are no lock-in contracts on any of the above Choice Plus plans, Optus also offers a range of prepaid Flex Plus plans for those who don't want to risk extra charges, or only need service for a fixed period of time.

Optus Flex Plus plans with a 28-day expiry period start at AU$35 and come with fluctuating amounts of data. For instance, new customers on this plan get 40GB of data along with a bonus 20GB of data for those first 28 days. After this, the plan loses the bonus data on the second and third recharge (a total of 40GB), then drops down to 20GB from then on. That means after the introductory period you'll be paying AU$1.75 per GB.

Similarly, a AU$45 Flex Plus plan provides 60GB + 20GB of bonus data (80GB in total) during the first 28 days, losing the bonus data on the second and third recharge, before landing on 30GB after that (or $1.50 per GB ongoing). Alternatively, you can opt for a plan which costs AU$55 for 80GB on the first three recharges, which then drops down to 40GB after that (a rate of AU$1.38 per GB).

Of course, there are other long-term 186-day and 365-day options for those who don't want to think about recharging for a while, though you'll have to pay a larger sum upfront.

Note that there is one caveat with Optus's Flex Plus prepaid plans; while all will get you access to the telco's 3G, 4G and 5G networks, download speeds on these plans are capped to 150Mbps across the board. It's also worth mentioning that every Flex Plus plan includes data rollover up to 200GB, which will be applied as long as you recharge before expiry or have an active auto-recharge set up.

Optus mobile coverage

• Excellent 3G / 4G coverage, but lags behind Telstra in 5G reach
• Optus awarded fastest 5G download speeds by OpenSignal

Given that Optus operates the second-largest mobile network in Australia, it probably comes as no surprise that it also offers the second-best coverage. 

Where Optus is closest to Telstra is in its 3G and 4G reach, with a claimed 98.5% of the Aussie population covered. However, while Telstra's 5G mobile network is said to currently reach roughly 87% of Australians , Optus doesn't currently make any specific percentage claims — and if nPerf's coverage maps are any indication, it still has a lot of catching up to do.

During our rundown of the various mobile plans offered by Optus, you may have noticed that 5G network access was only available in selected areas, and excluded Northern Territory entirely. Sure enough, a closer look at nPerf's coverage map for Darwin shows a complete absence of Optus 5G network coverage, and only a small 3G and 4G presence. 

Simply put, if you live in the Top End, you're better off going with Telstra or Vodafone — both of which offer a far greater 3G, 4G and 5G presence in NT. That said, if you live in any of Australia's major cities along the east coast, you should be OK. Optus does offer 5G network access in Perth, though the rest of the west coast is fairly barren in terms of coverage.

Optus mobile plans: Extras, perks and offers

• Big discount on Optus Sport access
• Discounts on streaming subscriptions with SubHub

In terms of extras, Optus postpaid SIM-only customers receive 3 months of Amazon Prime for free when they sign up via Optus SubHub. The latter lets you manage and pay for subscriptions in one place, which are added to your regular phone bill. 

Additionally, customers can save up to 10% on streaming subscriptions when they add three or more eligible subscriptions to SubHub. Supported services include Netflix, Amazon Prime, Binge, Paramount Plus and more.

Best of all, sports-lovers who sign up to Optus Sport via SubHub get a huge discount on the service's monthly subscription cost, bringing it down from AU$24.99 p/m to just AU$6.99 p/m.

Optus also offers very competitive international roaming add-ons — for AU$5 per day, you get 1GB of data, 100 minutes of talk and 100 texts per day to use in over 90 Zone 1 destinations.

Optus mobile plans: customer service and community reviews

• Support team still has call centres in India and the Philippines
• Optus reputation at an all-time low

While Telstra has drastically decreased its use of off-shore call centres since 2021, switching over to a mostly Australia-based support team, the Singtel-owned Optus still relies on call centres located in India and the Philippines. 

Of course, Optus also has call centres in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, although you probably won't know whether you're connected to one of those or someone from an overseas branch. 

Thankfully, Optus has a huge retail presence in Australia, with over 350 branded Optus Yes outlets across the country, making it relatively easy for customers to receive face-to-face service.

Still, not everyone is happy with Optus, with the telco receiving mostly negative online reviews on sites like Product Review and Trustpilot , where it has earned overall customer satisfaction scores of 1.3 and 1.2, respectively. 

With that in mind, it's important to note that both Telstra and Vodafone have achieved similar scores, which goes to show that most customers will only bother reviewing something if they've had a bad experience.

Even with that disclaimer, there's no denying that the telco's reputation is at an all-time low, following an immense cyberattack in 2022 which left the information of over 10 million Optus customers exposed.

This was not helped at all by a nationwide outage which occurred the following year, leaving 10 million customers and 400,000 businesses without mobile or internet access for around 14 hours. Not only did the outage leave vulnerable Australians without the means to contact anyone for help, it also left business owners who rely on EFTPOS twisting in the wind for an entire working day.

Given the extreme public backlash that followed these two disasters, it's no wonder that Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin went on to resign in November 2023.

However, the telco still has a long way to go in regaining Australia's trust — the market research company Roy Morgan named Optus as Australia's most distrusted brand in March 2024, suggesting the telco's black eye is going to linger for a while.

Optus mobile plans: Bottom line

Is an Optus mobile plan worth your money? In terms of value, Optus mobile plans are far more competitively priced than Telstra's, with SIM-only offerings that deliver big data and worthwhile perks. 

As Australia's second-largest telco, it's no surprise that Optus falls behind Telstra in terms of coverage. That said, its reach is still significant — particularly when it comes to 3G and 4G coverage.

Of course, there's no denying that Optus has made some significant blunders with regards to customer security and service over the last couple of years — some of which are hard to forgive. Optus has posted an open letter to customers that includes a commitment to "do better", but is that enough?

If you're willing to forgive Optus, you can at least rest assured that its mobile plans are good value and will likely satisfy most customers (outside of the Northern Territory).

• Best Australian phone plans with international roaming

Stephen Lambrechts is the Managing Editor of Tom's Guide AU and has written professionally across the categories of tech, film, television and gaming for the last 15 years. Before Tom's Guide, he spent several years as a Senior Journalist at TechRadar, had a brief stint as Editor in Chief at Official Xbox Magazine Australia, and has written for such publications as APC, TechLife Australia, T3, FilmInk, AskMen, Daily Telegraph and IGN. He's an expert when it comes to smartphones, TVs, gaming and streaming. In his spare time, he enjoys watching obscure horror movies on physical media, keeping an eye on the latest retro sneaker releases and listening to vinyl. Occasionally, he also indulges in other non-hipster stuff, like hiking.

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BMW Manufacturing opens new press shop, celebrates 30 years in Upstate SC

• June 21, 2024

Celebrating 30 years of operations in South Carolina, BMW Manufacturing officials and associates gathered June 21 to open a new $200 million press shop and introduce a limited edition X5 to commemorate 25 years of production of that model at Plant Spartanburg.

Continuing growth

Joined by state and local elected officials, BMW Manufacturing President and CEO Robert Engelhorn said the opening of the company’s first North American press shop was “a dream come true.”

He added the 219,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility is capable of stamping thousands of sheet metal parts a day for the new X3 Sports Activity Vehicle to be produced at the plant, which was introduced during the ceremony.

In introducing the new X3, Engelhorn was joined by Randy Watson , regional vice president of the Southern Region for BMW of North America. Watson said more than 102,000 X3s were sold in his region last year, with more than half produced at Plant Spartanburg.

He said the X3 is the company’s best-selling vehicle in the U.S. and globally.

Engelhorn also introduced the Silver Anniversary Edition X5, commemorating 25 years of producing that model in the Palmetto State. This fall, a limited production run of 1,000 vehicles will be available exclusively for the U.S. market.

The X5 is credited with laying the groundwork for BMW’s Sports Activity Vehicle segment, with more than 3 million sold globally since it first rolled off the assembly line in 1999.

Celebrating family

Most of the 149 associates who have been with the company at Plant Spartanburg for 30 years or more were at the ceremony, and Engelhorn expressed the company’s appreciation for their service.

“You have helped build our legacy and are driving our future,” he told them. “We are family here — thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Milan Nedeljkovic , member of BMW AG’s Board of Management responsible for production, echoed Engelhorn’s praise and said Plant Spartanburg ushered in a new era for the company and began “with a small group of pioneers.”

Since opening in June 1994, the plant has produced more than 6.7 million BMWs, employing more than 11,000 associates and representing a direct investment of nearly $14 billion.

Nedeljkovic said the company’s South Carolina operations are increasing its global resilience, with the company’s new battery assembly plant nearing completion in Woodruff and the first battery electric vehicles scheduled for production in 2026.

He said the company plans to build at least six fully electric models in the U.S. by 2030.

BMW Press shop fast facts

• $200 million investment representing 200 new jobs
• 219,000-square-foot facility took 24 months to complete
• 45 Plant Spartanburg associates trained alongside fellow associates at BMW press shops in Leipzig, Germany, and Swindon, U.K.
• Metal stamping at the press shop is the beginning of the automotive production process
• Production line consists of five press/stamping stations, which can produce up to 10,000 parts per day

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Where to watch Euro 2024 live streams free from anywhere: Switzerland vs. Germany

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We're all set to show you where to watch Euro 2024 live streams for free online, no matter what country you're in. It's free in many countries, especially around Europe. You might need to pick up a cable channel or a new streaming service elsewhere. Alternatively, we can show you how to tune into one of the free live streams for every single game at Euro 2024.

Sunday sees the start of the group stages final matches, and as such, you'll see that both fixtures for a group will be played at athe same time. Don't worry, though; we've made sure to provide viewing options for both, so you can hop between games at will. Group A is going first, and Germany has already qualified, but the Swiss will be keen to get something out of the game to ensure they get a decent draw in the next round. A Swiss defeat would potentially open the door for Scotland, though, if they can step things up against Hungary.

See our selection of links below for various international streaming options for all upcoming fixtures. We've gone into greater detail for countries further down the page.

If you'd like to access any of these international options from overseas, you'll need to use a VPN to digitally alter your viewing device's location to act like it's inside said country. This is super simple and something sports fans around the world achieve year-round via a VPN . Short for virtual private network, these handy apps let your devices mimic various international locations of your choosing so that you can hop onto one of the all-inclusive streaming sources listed below. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it 100% risk-free.

• See also:   Free F1 live streams | Where to watch T20 World Cup | Where to watch Copa America

How to watch free Euro 2024 live streams from anywhere 

With a quick and easy workaround, you can catch all Euro 2024 action for free using a mix of the UK's ITVX and the BBC iPlayer streaming services. Geo-blocking would usually stop viewers not currently in the UK from watching, but you can access these free Euro 2024 live streams from anywhere on the planet through a VPN.

A VPN virtually changes your devices' location, so apps and websites think you're connecting from servers within those countries. In the case of Euro 2024, you can connect through a UK server, and ITV/BBC will let you in with no fuss after creating a free email login.

Don't have a VPN? There's a fantastic offer right now on the best VPN we've tested and have been using for years for streaming and beefing up our online security. You can pick up ExpressVPN , save 49% on the usual price, and get three months for free. It's the best investment in your sports-watching future if you want to watch more international sports streams, like free coverage of the Olympics and Wimbledon this summer. If you're unsatisfied, there's a hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee. Want to learn more about the product? Take a look at our ExpressVPN review .

With its consistent performance, reliable security, and expansive global streaming features, ExpressVPN is the best VPN out there, excelling in every spec and offering many advanced features that makes it exceptional. Better yet, you can save up to 49% and get an extra three months for free today.

How to watch Euro 2024 with a VPN

• Sign up for a VPN if you don't have one.
• Install it on the device you're using to watch Euro 2024.
• Turn it on and set it to a UK or Irish location.
• Go to ITVX (UK) /  BBC iPlayer (UK) or RTE2 (Ireland) .
• Sign in/create a free login and watch the matches.

Where to watch Euro 2024 in the USA

Fox has picked up the rights to the vast majority of games in the USA. There are just a few matches not covered by them, but chances are they're ones you might be ok missing anyway, so opting for the cheapest way to get Fox and Fox Sports is the best route.

If you don't have access to Fox, the cheapest way to get it is via Sling , specifically its Blue tier. The first month's fee is $20, down from $45, and a month will cover you nicely for the tournament as the final is set for July 14. You're then free to cancel the service if you wish, as it runs on a one-month rolling contract.

Or, if you use a VPN , you can watch all of the Euro 2024 matches for free using the UK option, as described above.

For just the essentials without any extra fluff, Sling TV is the streaming service you're looking for. It's more customizable than other plans, with three options you can choose from, so you pay for only what you need. New members get their first month for $25 off.

Just note, though, from what we can tell from the remaining fixtures, Fox and Sling will be missing Georgia vs. Czechia. If you want total coverage for every last game in the USA, then Fubo is your best option, as it will also have the fixtures Sling is missing, plus all the Fox games. It's more expensive, though, with one-month subs starting at $79.99. It does start with a 7-day free trial , at least.

Fubo is the streaming service for sports fans. Its huge library of channels includes regional and international sports leagues, setting it apart from the competition. You can also tack on additional programming to your plan, but it'll cost you extra.

Where to watch Euro 2024 games live in the UK

As with all Euro and World Cup tournaments, plus the rugby's Six Nations, you can see all the action for free via the BBC and ITV in the UK on TV or via streaming apps. Check out the box earlier in this article for a list of upcoming fixtures, along with which channel you'll be able to see them on for free. 

The BBC iPlayer and ITVX streaming services can be viewed on smart TVs, streaming sticks, consoles, laptops, tablets, and mobile.

Where to watch Euro 2024 in Australia

Optus Sport , a paid streaming service, exclusively holds Australian Euro 2024 live streams. If you're already an Optus customer, the fee is only $6.99 a month. If not, you're looking at a much higher $24.99. That's a hefty price tag for Euro 2024, especially given the awkward times most matches are on. If you fancy a free route, check out the VPN tips above to get that UK coverage.

Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.

You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here . Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected] .

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Coding Error in Forgotten API Leads to Massive Data Breach at Optus

Updated on June 21, 2024

The data breach at Australian telecommunications company Optus , which resulted in the exposure of personal information for over nine million customers , has been attributed to a coding error that compromised API access controls and remained unaddressed for years.

A court filing from Wednesday includes details of the incident provided by Australia’s Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) , which is leveraging its regulatory authority to take action against Optus.

The Authority claims that Optus stored customer information and made it accessible to authenticated customers via www.optus.com.au and api.optus.com.au , referred to as the “Main” and “Target” domains. Accessing this information required the use of APIs , described in the filing as “Target APIs.”

The Target domain was designed to segregate API traffic from static content hosted on the Main domain and had been internet-facing since 2017. The Target APIs were protected by various access controls intended to prevent unauthorized access.

However, a coding error in 2018 compromised one of these access controls, rendering it ineffective on both the Target and Main domains.

I’m happy to see redacted federal court documents from @acmadotgov became public that describe the precise cause of Optus’s data breach. It’s not new news and nor different from my initial reporting: a leaky API led to the breach. But there are interesting tidbits. pic.twitter.com/9BPzhjZBjJ — Jeremy Kirk (@ [email protected] ) (@Jeremy_Kirk) June 20, 2024

Optus discovered this error in 2021 and fixed it—but only for the Main domain .

The issue on the Target domain went undetected and thus remained unresolved.

Despite being unnecessary, the Target domain stayed online and accessible via the internet. The court filing indicates it “was not decommissioned despite a lack of any need for it.”

In September 2022 , an attacker exploited the broken access controls to send requests to the Target APIs , retrieving customer information for 9.5 million individuals , leading to significant consequences for Optus and its parent company, Singtel .

The filing includes the following evaluation of the breach:

“The cyber attack was not highly sophisticated or one that required advanced skills or proprietary or internal knowledge of Optus’s processes or systems. It was carried out through a simple process of trial and error.”

Many readers might see this as a cautionary tale in the realm of software development and security.

Optus has not contested the details of the attack as presented.

A coding error in access control led to the Optus breach, exposing customer data through a dormant, internet-facing #API . Secure coding practices are crucial to prevent such vulnerabilities. 🛡️ 🔐 #cybersecurity #databreach #optus #SecureCoding #ACMA https://t.co/HddXhloIbq — Cyber News Live (@cybernewslive) June 20, 2024

ACMA is pursuing civil penalties in this case. Singtel has informed investors that it cannot estimate the penalties but plans to defend against the charges.

This incident underscores the critical importance of robust security practices and vigilant maintenance of digital infrastructure to prevent similar breaches in the future.

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Where to watch Copa America: Live stream Peru vs. Chile next

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Copa America is back for another year of competition that will see the best national soccer teams of North and South America play for the championships. Below, we've compiled everything you need to know about where to watch Copa America.

First held in 1916, the CONMEBOL Copa America is the world's oldest continental-based, still-running soccer competition. It is centered around South America but has come to include North American teams through CONCACAF, as well as the occasional Asian team invitee (none will compete this year, but Japan and Qatar have participated in the past). 

Returning champions Argentina are tied with Uruguay for the most wins, at 15 titles each, and kicked off the competition with a win against Canada. Argentine superstar Lionel Messi will take a break from his duties with Inter Miami and return to his home team to attempt to lead them to another championship. The competition will run now until the final on July 14.

No matter what team you hope to watch, we'll show you how to tune in from home. Keep reading to learn all of your watch options.

• See also: Where to watch Euro 2024  | Where to watch T20 World Cup | How to watch Stanley Cup Finals

Where to watch Copa America in the US

Copa America matches will be spread across Fox, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), and Fox Sports 2 (FS2) in the US. If you don't have cable, it might be time to explore a Fox-friendly live TV service like Sling TV or Fubo.

For Sling TV , you'll need to subscribe to the Sling Blue plan (for $40 a month) and opt for the Sling Blue Sports Extra add-on (for an additional $11 a month). This will get you access to FS1 and FS2. Sling Blue also comes with Fox in select areas. You should input your zipcode before subscribing to see if your region can get the channel. You can also check out Sling's local channels guide for a regional breakdown. This total package will cost you $51 a month, but Sling is usually running a promo for new users that can knock some money off your first month.

For just the essentials without any extra fluff, Sling TV is the streaming service you're looking for. It's more customizable than other plans, with three options you can choose from, so you pay for only what you need. New members get their first month for $25 off.

Fubo is another solid live TV option that offers Fox, Fs1, and Fs2. As always, you should check to ensure the channels you want are available in your region, but Fubo offers pretty broad Fox coverage. Subscriptions cost $79.99 a month, but new users can get a one-week week free trial.

Fubo is the streaming service for sports fans. Its huge library of channels includes regional and international sports leagues, setting it apart from the competition. You can also tack on additional programming to your plan, but it'll cost you extra.

Where to watch Copa America in Canada

Copa America is available on TSN in Canada. Subscriptions start at $19.99 a month. This is also the Canadian home of the ongoing Euros.

Where to watch Copa America in the UK

Copa America streams on Premier Sports in the UK. Subscriptions start at £10.99 a month.

Where to watch Copa America in Australia

Copa America streams on Optus Sport in Australia. Subscriptions start at $24.99 a month. You can also catch the Euros here, so it's a solid service for Australian soccer fans.

Where to watch Copa America in Brazil

Copa America streams on Globoplay in Brazil. Brazil matches might be available to stream for free down the line, but Globoplay otherwise requires a subscription. Subscriptions start at R$54,90 a month (which is about $10 in USD).

Where to watch Copa America in Mexico

Copa America coverage is spread across multiple services in Mexico, including TelevisaUnivision (streamed through ViX ) and TV Azteca (on Azteca 7) . Both of these are Spanish-language options that will stream select games for free throughout the tournament. ViX also has a paid tier, which might be able to help Mexican viewers with the games that they can't find for free.

How to watch Copa America from anywhere

If you'll be traveling away from home during any of the Copa America matches, you can keep up with your usual streaming methods using a VPN. Short for virtual private networks, VPNs allow you to temporarily change your device's virtual location so that you can access your usual websites and apps from anywhere. Since the services we've highlighted require country-specific forms of payment, this option will be best for people who are simply traveling away from home and hoping to access their existing subscriptions.

If this sounds like a good fit, we recommend trying  ExpressVPN . It's a straightforward VPN with a 30-day money-back guarantee. For additional details, check out our  ExpressVPN review .

With its consistent performance, reliable security, and expansive global streaming features, ExpressVPN is the best VPN out there, excelling in every spec and offering many advanced features that makes it exceptional. Better yet, you can save up to 49% and get an extra three months for free today.

Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.

You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here . Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected] .

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