Optus lets slip new broadband plans

Documents accidentally posted to the Optus website yesterday foreshadowed the introduction of new broadband plans, including download limits and a new pricing structure, much to the anger of existing Optus cable customers.

Documents accidentally posted to the Optus website yesterday foreshadowed the introduction of new broadband plans, including download limits and a new pricing structure, much to the anger of existing Optus cable customers.

According to this report, the data referred to 'Project Chimaera', a new pricing structure for Optus broadband users due to come into effect in July this year.

According to documents obtained by Australian IT, Project Chimaera will replace 'NetStats' with 'MyDataMonitor' for certain accounts, depending on how long each account has held a contract with Optus. MyDataMonitor will allow Optus to modify 'data allowance limits' on customer's plans. Once the download limit for a specific pricing model is reached, customers would be throttled back to 28.8k connection speeds.

Current customers will be allowed to continue using NetStats until the end of their contract, after which they would be forced to migrate to MyDataMonitor and the new pricing structure. All new customers who join after the introduction of Project Chimaera will automatically use MyDataMonitor.

While no set download limits have been confirmed, Australian IT speculates that 1GB, 3-5GB and 10GB plans – each with different pricing – are being considered.