Optus gives mobile customers data-free Netflix and Presto for AUD$10 per month

Optus customers on select post-paid mobile and mobile broadband plans are able to pay an extra AUD$10 to stream content through Netflix and Presto without eating into their monthly data allowance. The data-free offer only allows customers to stream content in standard definition, but that isn't quite as big a drawback on a smartphone display when compared to a big screen TV.

Unmetered streaming can be tacked onto any new or existing Optus post-paid mobile or mobile broadband plan for an additional AUD$10 per month. Netflix says that watching an hour of standard content through its service can use as much 1GB of data. Optus bills excess data usage at AUD$10 per gigabyte, which makes an extra AUD$10 per month for unmetered streaming a reasonably attractive add-on for subscribers streaming more than an hour of video on the go in a month.

"Our customers tell us they want the freedom to watch the latest TV show or listen to their favourite band, on the go," said Optus Head of Mobile Marketing Tim Cowan. "But we know that fear of using too much data is the biggest obstacle to making mobile streaming part of their daily entertainment habits. A customer who watches an hour of video content every day can use more than 10 gigs of a data a month. With Optus’ data-free Mobile TV streaming, customers can now stream to their heart’s content without the worry of what it means for their next bill."

New customers taking up a 24 month contract worth AUD$100 per month or more get data-free Netflix and Presto as part of their package.

While unmetered video streaming is currently limited to Netflix and Presto, Optus says that the program is open to any streaming provider that meets the telco's technical requires, and that services can be part of the service at no cost.

In addition, the vast majority of post-paid Optus mobile customers are now eligible for unmetered music streaming through Google Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora, and Spotify.

Optus' news follows a recent Telstra announcement where the telco said it would be offering subscribers data-free access to Apple Music, and giving new customers three months of free access to Netflix, Stan, and Presto.