Red Bull Mobile. For serious?!

[YOUR MATE]

Saw an ad on the EB Games website for Red Bull Mobile. Click my way through and see some Red Bull spec HTC phones and that it appears to be a pre pay service. Then I get to the recharge costs and what it gives you, and it has me at a loss for words. The plan I'm on now with optus is $99 a month for unlimited calls/messages/texts/mms etc etc and 5 gig of data. The same plan with Red Bull Mobile is $30! Granted it's 1 gig of data less, but it does include 1300 and 1800 numbers, which Optus and every other carrier charge a mint for.

The best one is that a once of payment of $365 appears to get you unlimited calls to any phone in Australia, including 13 and 1800 numbers, as well as 5 gig a month in data. That's spastic cheap! The only downside I'm seeing is it runs off Vodafone's network, but word is thats on the up and up? Who knows what about it, and should I be calling Optus right now and telling them to go fuck themselves? I've always thought phone charges were far too high, this makes me think I was right.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d28/Nthn_suss/Planprices.png

http://www.redbullmobile.com.au/

[Buckets]

Fuck if only I didn't need Telstra for the remote coverage. I get screwed about $300 per month for the mobile and the USB data thingo.

[Brockas]

If this actually works, surely almost everyone would go to it?

[YOUR MATE]

No shit. And the other thing is I cannot find more than 2 stories about it in the news. How is this not being thrown all over the shop? It's a massive saving for anyone on a beefy contract.

[Torquen]

Contract up in < month... I'm listening!

[brynj]

Where does it say that the $365 is unlimited calls? It only says 'as much as you want, until your credit expires'. Which seems to suggest you're just paying more to get a much longer credit expiry. Can't find any details about call rates or anything either.

[YOUR MATE]

All connections to the network include unlimited national calls, national SMS and MMS, 1300 and 1800 number calls and voicemail.

http://www.zdnet.com.au/red-bull-mobile-launches-in-eb-games-stores-339323340.htm


Each of the Red Bull Access plans included unlimited calls to Australian mobile and landline numbers and unlimited texts, as well as (more unusually) 1300 and 1800 numbers.

http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2011/09/red-bull-mobile-goes-the-unlimited-route-with-plans/

[pgc]

So, how much is Red Bull paying you to post this up on the forum?

:P

[TJ]

So whats the catch?

[YOUR MATE]

So, how much is Red Bull paying you to post this up on the forum?

:P

Don't blow my cover. But really, I too just want to find out what the catch is, as there has to be one other than the dodgy history of the network it runs on. If it's all above the board and my plan price doesn't drop dramatically at renewal time, I can't see a reason not to get on this bandwagon.

[Anaru]

a yearly prepaid recharge = win

[Alt_F4]

So whats the catch?
It's running on vodafones network LOL

[HANS YOLO]

hmmm....Vodafone....too many bad memories!

if their new towers to supplement shit network do resolve the problem then i would consider.

mind you, when 3 was bought into Voda is when their shit took a dive...id assume new redbull customers would just increase the load

[newbie101]

they could be giving all that away for free, and as long as it is running on the vodaphail network, it will still be too fucking expensive, for the service you can expect.

[c4fgt]

Voda offered my 6 months free service to stay with them. No good if you never get reception!

[180SXTCY]

question: I was on the TPG website the other day and noticed they also did mobile phone plans. I looked thru the costing and its bullshit cheap, 35 dollars for like 3k worth of calls and 5 gigs of data and it used the optus network.

I decided to call them up and asked if it was a contract and they said no, its pay as you go per month...anyone used this service?

only thing im worried about is shit reception.

[V70R]

If its off the Vodafail network - forget it.
Nice plans though..

[Jazza]

They're advertising that they're spending a billion dollars on upgrading their service/communications? The network might be useable in future :P

[TheChad]

So whats the catch?

i don't think there is a catch... especially not with their name attached to it.

the catch is the way we are living now, with our phones. its complete BS ATM to pay what we pay for what we get.
gentlemen i think we are witnessing the start of the slippery slope of a huge tel-com fight. things like "whatsap"(or whatever its called) and facebook messaging have already begun to lead the charge on the "free" messaging (in that it only uses 3G or wireless).

As soon as the Vodafone network is fixed i will make the jump. looking forward to the RBR guys and Voda-mclaren guys all group hugging and selling this stuff the world over.

[mr_rotary]

They're advertising that they're spending a billion dollars on upgrading their service/communications? The network might be useable in future :PNot in our lifetimes. Vodafail is still Vodafail.

[c4fgt]

Considering these guys: http://www.amaysim.com.au/

Optus network, no contracts, $40 unlimited. Sounds the goods!

[mischief1]

Will be relying on Red bull fanbois, and the kind that buy monster and unit hats to drive this, I hope I get to sell it, plenty of those customers in Rockingham...

[Fozzy]

Trying to lure more people to an already oversubscribed under performing network.. Winning!

[pgc]

Sooooooo, has anyone tried this yet?

Am considering buying a 4S outright and using the 365 plan.

Thoughts?

[Niva]

well I can confirm that vodaphone is still shit. if that helps

[pgc]

LOL. I'm already with 3 (using the Vodaphone network) so it's not going to be any worse!

[VRX]

Sooooooo, has anyone tried this yet?

Am considering buying a 4S outright and using the 365 plan.

Thoughts?

I emailed them last week about the 365 plan with regards to receiving a refund of the remaining credit if i cancelled say 2 months in due to network issues,i can't find the return email now but i'm pretty sure they said a refund wouldn't be possible.

[YOUR MATE]

It's 365. Don't be a cheap pingpingpingping. That's like 2.2 phone bills for me. Stupid fucking Optus.. If I wasn't half way through my contract I'd give it a go. Although apparently even though 3 and Vodafone are the same mob, 3 still roam off Telstra's network while Voda don't, so 3 is better? So I was told last night at work. The guy is Asian, so I believe him.

[pgc]

Well, I have to make sure it's all good because work's paying for it.

2.2 phone bills??? Who the hell are you calling? The moon?

[pgc]

Update: RBMF (Red Bull Mobile Fail).

Internet/data is not supported on the iPhone4 or iPhone4S currently.

"We're working on it, but I can't give you an estimated time, unfortunately," said the Indian call centre guy.

[INSINR8R]

Well, I have to make sure it's all good because work's paying for it.

2.2 phone bills??? Who the hell are you calling? The moon?

"Operator, connect me to the MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON"

[smellyhippy]

Maybe it's just that I don't have huge expectations on anything mobile, but I've never really had a problem with Vodafone, been with them for years now. Only had a couple of times the data didn't work, and where I've lived before had crap reception in general (not just Vodafone).

[YOUR MATE]

So my contract is up for renewal with Optus so I thought I'd take a look at what's on offer. Currently I'm on $99 a month that includes unlimited SMS/MMS/National/Mobile calls and 5 gig of internet, plus unmetered access to eBay, Facebook and a few others. I have a look at what offers similar things as I tend to use the data each month and I can't find anything. Surely after 2 years things would of gotten better and cheaper as it tends to go.. But no. There is now an $89 plan that has SMS/Calls but no MMS, 2 gig data and a premium for 13 numbers. The $99 plan adds MMS and ups it to 3gb of data. Then $129 a month gets me 4gb of data, a $30 jump for 1 gig and still less than I had before. The rest of the features are the same. And if i wanted a latest model handset like a SIII or iPhone 5, it's more on top as they aren't offered on these plans.

The Red Bull rates are the same as when I started this thread at $365 a year for unlimited everything, which is awesomely cheap. But the Vodafone networks 4G/LTE service wont be supported on the new iPhone which really limits it. For years there things regarding mobiles were getting cheaper and better each time renewal time came around. Now the only cheap plans are for calls made to the same network. That's how it was in 2005, and just as expensive. For the time being I'm best off staying out of contract and going month to month on my current plan and buying a new phone outright.

Fuck telco's.

/rant.

[INSINR8R]

LOL. Australian everything fail.

[eaglesfandavid]

If your going to pay for a new phone outright what about this deal from Live connected:
$34.99/mo
unlimited text & MMS
3k Calls (in Australia)
4 Gig data
unlimited social networking

http://www.liveconnected.com.au/doublextralarge
Optus network

[ola]

Vodafone network is pathetic. If you want a cheap deal - it's Amaysim!

- Need to BYO phone, and there's not lock in contracts.
- Pay month by month and cancel anytime.
- Optus network (great coverage)
- $39.99 per month gives you unlimited calls and 5gb of data
And best of it...
- LOCAL call centres with Aussies on the phone!!

Fucking win! Been with them for a year, love it.

[pgc]

I've been on Red Bull Mobile for a few months now.

Can only say good things about it.

[Halle Terry]

I actually swapped over to iiNet mobile - $20 and I get the equivalent of any $59 contract out there. Worth doing for any iiNet customer.

[mod]

same here and only stupid part is they can get away with charging us $25 for sim card...