Optus has announced a new way for pre-paid users to earn extra data or account credit: watching ads! Specifically, installing an app that will give you ads on the lockscreen of your Android device.
For Optus customers on My Prepaid Ultimate, My Prepaid Ultra Plus and My Prepaid Ultra are eligible to earn 1GB extra data every 28 days while customers on My Prepaid Daily Plus and $2 Days 4G Ready are eligible to earn $2 extra credit every 28 days. It seems you don’t actually get to choose your reward, that is determined by the plan type you have.
I hope this is an indication that Optus considers 1GB of data equal in value to $2, I for one would love to buy data for $2/ GB. Somehow I think I’m dreaming!
How does it work?
You install the Optus Xtra app, link below, and grant the app access to your lock screen. From there every time you power-on the device you’ll see a target ad, just swipe past and your phone will work as normal.
If you don’t actually follow the ad links or watch one of the video ads the app will use about 20 MB of data a month. If you do watch a video ad or follow a link it will both count against your data target and for Daily plans trigger a days usage.
For advertisers wanting to access Optus customers, ads will be exclusively sold by Amobee which is owned by Optus’s parent company Singtel. The pitch to potential advertisers is “The Optus Xtra lock screen format lets brand advertisers target highly engaged audiences, where they are guaranteed a full screen creative canvas and 100 per cent viewability”.
If you have a compatible plan and you want some free data or credit why not download the app below and let us know what the experience is like.
Root + Hosts file ad blocker = 1GB free data
This seems seriously evil – like some distopian sci-fi future
T_T no love for postpaid users?
Originally I thought this was a good idea, much like using the google rewards. But they lost me as soon as I read “If you do watch a video ad or follow a link it will both count against your data target and for Daily plans trigger a days usage”… Seriously, you tight ar**s Optus! Give with one hand, take with the other.
Yeah that’s where they lost me, too!
And the unanswered question is, do the “Adds” chew into your data allowance?
It’s not too bad, only chews about 1gb.
yes, about 20MB/ month unless you actually click on them