Woolworths Mobile customers to switch to Optus

Woolworths Mobile customers will keep their existing recharge services for an additional AU$1 per month, as Optus takes over management of the service from Woolworths.

In late September 2013, Optus announced that it would cut ties with Woolworths Mobile from October 1, but existing Woolworths Mobile customers could keep recharging their service through Woolworths outlets, paying either AU$29 or AU$49 for 45 days of service, or 5GB worth of data.

Although Woolworths at the time indicated that it would keep the recharge service on for at least a year, Optus yesterday began informing customers via SMS that from March 23, they will need to purchase Optus-branded recharges through Woolworths, Big W, or Optus outlets instead of the normal Woolworths-branded recharges.

A spokesperson for Optus told ZDNet that Woolworths keeping the recharge option open is a "temporary measure", while Optus got its systems in place to take on the Woolworths customers.

The spokesperson confirmed that Woolworths Mobile customers will still have access to the same prepaid offering as they had while with Woolworths, but will need to pay AU$1 extra for each plan, at AU$30 and AU$50.

Customers will no longer get the Everyday Rewards points for recharging unless they buy their recharge from Woolworths or Big W, but Optus has opened up its own rewards offering to the customers, with AU$10 movie vouchers and Qantas Frequent Flyer points on offer.

The discount customers also received when buying a Woolworths recharge voucher with their Everyday Rewards card will also no longer apply once the switchover is made.

Optus this month announced that in the last three months of 2013, it lost 64,000 customers on the back of users churning from an Optus wholesale provider, believed to be Dodo.