Optus broke new ground as a telecommunications provider in Australia with the launch of Optus Sport, a 24/7 sports channel with on-demand and live multi-screen capability to broadcast the Premier League. Since the launch, customers have watched almost 13 million hours of Premier League and international football content including live matches, highlights and expert analysis.
We are delivering more than just sport, and we know our customers want the freedom to stream TV, movies and music, at home or on the go, without worrying about their data allowance.
With this in mind, Optus introduced data-free music and content streaming in selected prepaid and postpaid plans so our customers can enjoy their favourite entertainment from our streaming partners, including Netflix, Stan, ABC iView, Spotify, Pandora, iHeart Radio, and Google Play.
We have seen the best half of branded growth in eight years since the introduction of these product offerings, with our mobile customer base reaching 9.72 million users.
Recognising the diverse needs of our customers, we also have products and plans to suit a wide range of lifestyles, including improved Mobile Broadband plans offering great value and generous data inclusions, and the Home Wireless Broadband solution providing connectivity via the Optus 4G network.
In addition, we are continuing to find extra value for our customers through innovation, with the release of Optus Xtra by our in-house innovation team at Yes Labs. Optus Xtra is an Android-based app which allows prepaid customers to earn extra data or credit by viewing tailored ads on their smartphone.
A quality network underpins everything we offer. Our commitment to continually improve our network has received independent recognition from leading industry benchmarks. The 2016 P3 CommsDay Mobile Benchmark rated the Optus network No. 1 for voice, and the Optus fixed network was rated No. 1 for 19 consecutive months on the Australian Netflix ISP Speed Index (September 2015 to March 2017).
Our 4G Plus Network expanded further into regional Australia using the newly acquired 1800MHz spectrum band. The network now reaches 96.1% of the Australian population.
We secured A$26.4 million in funding as part of the Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spots Programme and will contribute a further A$36.4 million to provide connectivity to thousands of people across regional and rural Australia.
Our networks also support incredible growth for mobile virtual network operator clients, making us the leading mobile network wholesale service provider in the Australian market.
Just as the way our customers are using their devices has changed, so too have their support needs. We have made it easier for them to engage with us by enhancing our online customer service platforms such as Live Chat, My Optus App and My Account to see and pay bills, add services to their accounts, and access support functionality including live chat assistance.
The volume of interactions through these channels has grown, indicating the increasing preference for digital engagement. This means Optus call centres are freed up to respond to customers with more complex enquiries. There has been a 10% reduction in the volume of calls to support centres in FY 2017 as a result of the focus on digital customer support.
With a growing customer base, the Optus customer service teams operate around the clock. In the last 12 months, 79% of 134 million customer interactions occurred in digital channels – a 2% growth over the previous year.
Recognising that the needs of Australia’s more than two million small business owners are different to the traditional business customer, we have also refocused on delivering tailored small and medium business solutions via specialist in-store and call centre support resources.
Optus is engaging with our customers through the things that interest and excite them. Through partnerships with major sporting organisations such as the Australian Olympic Committee, Australian Paralympic Committee and Swimming Australia prior to the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we established our credentials as a supporter of Australian sport and are developing strong links with the sport-loving Australian community.
During the Games, the award-winning #FanUpAUS campaign helped deliver 45,398 messages of support to Australian athletes via social media. Our Australian Olympic Committee partnership allowed exclusive access behind the scenes to create unique social media content featuring Australian Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe inside the athletes village providing a unique look at the event as it happened.
These campaigns proved popular with Australians, and delivered impressive results including more than 44 million uses of the #FanUpAUS hashtag and 16.4 million content views via the Optus social media channels.
