Telstra on the out as Primus mobiles go Optus

Primus today launched a post-paid residential mobile phone service on the back of a wholesale arrangement signed with SingTel subsidiary Optus.

While Primus currently resells residential CDMA and enterprise GSM mobile services provided by Telstra, both will eventually be on the way out.

A spokesperson for Primus told ZDNet Australia via telephone the company would at some point start reselling the Optus solution into the business market following the consumer launch today.

The business launch would likely see any new corporate mobile services provided over the Optus network rather than Telstra's, the spokesperson said.

He confirmed the Telstra CDMA service would "peter out" as the giant telco has signalled its intention to turn off the legacy network as part of a transition to third-generation (3G) services.

However the Optus switch did not come in reaction to that network's imminent closure, the spokesperson said.

Primus had made an internal business decision to enter the GSM residential market with Optus before Telstra signalled the CDMA shutdown.

In the residential market, Primus will bundle fixed-line and broadband with the new mobile services to give consumers a discount on the overall package.

"The new mobile service recognises the relevance of mobile telephony as an adjunct and alternative for fixed-line telephones in some market segments," Primus local managing director Greg Wilson said in a statement issued this morning.