Stage 3 – Online Survey (June 2015 – July 2015)
The survey was constructed using the Qualtrics survey tool and administered via the Qualtrics online survey engine. The basis for questions included the focus group outcomes and previous surveys (such as the National Consumer Perceptions Survey 2014).39
The survey was pretested to determine estimated time for completion, correct operation of the question logic and whether questions adequately captured their intended variables. A print-formatted export of the final survey instrument is provided in Appendix 4 – Survey Instrument.
Survey links were variously distributed during mid-June to mid-July 2015 in invitations (see below) to existing and potential consumers and mobile sector employees to participate.
Participants
Participants were invited via social media, online discussion forums, emailing lists, service providers and word-of-mouth. The online survey was open to any person aged 18 years or older currently residing in Australia. 378 usable surveys were completed between 15 June and 4 August 2015.
216 respondents completed the survey on the basis that they are employed in a sales role in the mobile phone retail sector. The analysis of responses does not identify people or their employers.
155 respondents who indicated they currently have a mobile phone service completed the consumer survey. While respondents identified 18 different MVNOs as their providers, 73% use one of the “Big 3” as their mobile provider. Most consumers (74%) have switched providers at some time.
Some respondents chose not to answer particular questions. In the results section, when we identify percentages of respondents for any issue, this refers to the percentage of respondents who chose to answer the relevant question(s).
Stage 4 – Archival (June 2015 – August 2015)
While the survey was open for participants to respond, a second round of archival research was conducted on 30th June 2015 to identify changes to plan offers previously collected in August 2014. In addition, any MVNOs that ceased to operate or appeared to be “frozen in time” were also noted. MVNO information sources were re-checked to identify any yet undiscovered MVNOs not included in the existing data set. For those new discoveries, the same data was collected as in Stage 1 (e.g. offer details, company extracts, CIS, etc.).
Archival Research
This first section presents the results and discussion of the first stage of data collection that gathered details from ASIC documents, plan details and Critical Information Summaries from company websites. The topics discussed here are:
-
ownership structures,
-
TCP code & Critical Information Summaries,
-
retail presence, and
-
service offerings.
Due to the large amount of information used to inform the discussion, the results have been summarised into company profiles that can be found in Appendix 2 - Service Provider Profiles. Information from within those profiles informs this discussion.
There are currently three MNOs operating in Australia;
-
Telstra (Telstra Corporation Limited),
-
Optus (Singtel Optus Pty Limited), and
-
Vodafone (Vodafone Hutchison Australia Pty Limited aka VHA).
There are three telecommunication companies operating under numerous MVNO brands:
-
M2 Group Ltd. – with the brands
-
Commander (business segment)
-
Dodo (consumer segment)
-
engin (consumer segment via the Eftel Limited subsidiary)
-
iPrimus (consumer segment)
-
ClubTelco (consumer segment via the Eftel Limited subsidiary)
-
iiNet (TPG40) – with the brands
-
Adam Internet
-
iiNet
-
Internode
-
TransACT
-
Westnet
-
Pivotel Satellite Pty Limited41 – with the brands
-
Think Mobile
-
Reward Mobile
-
Revolution Telecom
-
Just Mobile (via the Commoditel (Australia) Pty Ltd subsidiary)
There are also a number of MVNOs with either foreign ownership or strong global branding:
-
ACN
-
ACN LLC is headquartered in the USA and provides “Pay As You Go” mobile SIM cards in Australia, Europe, Canada, South Korea and USA. Uses a multi-level marketing approach to encourage sales growth.
-
GT Mobile
-
A sub-brand of Lycamobile that operates in Australia, Europe, and UK. Also targeted at “Pay As You Go” international and national calling but has a focus on alternative pricing, larger data inclusions and free international calling between GT Mobile customers.
-
Lebara
-
The Lebara Group is headquartered in the UK and provides “Pay As You Go” mobile SIM cards in Australia, Europe and Saudi Arabia. The customer demographics they target are international student communities and migrant workers. Partnered with Vodafone in Australia, Spain and the UK.
-
Lycamobile
-
Lycamobile is headquartered in the UK and provides “Pay As You Go” mobile SIM cards in Australia, Europe, UK and USA. The customer demographics they target are international student communities and migrant workers but also offer competitive national calling bundles.
-
Virgin Mobile
-
Originally a 50:50 partnership between Virgin Mobile UK and Optus, with Optus supplying the network and Virgin managing all other aspects of the business. Became a wholly owned subsidiary of Optus in 2006 with long-term licensing agreements for the use of the Virgin brand and related loyalty schemes.
Acquisition timeline
Table describes a timeline of telecommunication company acquisitions and mergers in Australia.
Table - Acquisition timeline42
Purchaser
|
Target
|
Date
|
Value
(in AU)
|
Vocus
|
M2
|
Sep 2015 (announce-ment only) 43
|
Share swap - Est. value of combined entity is $3b
|
TPG
|
iiNet
|
Aug 2015
|
$1.56 b (share swap)
|
BigAir
|
Applaud IT
|
Jul 2015
|
$1.2 m
|
M2 Group
|
Aggregato
|
Jul 2015
|
$4.9 m
|
Vocus
|
Amcom
|
Jun 2015
|
$1.2 b
|
M2 Group
|
Call Plus Group
|
Apr 2015
|
$245 m
|
Optus
|
Ensyst
|
Dec 2014
|
$13 m
|
Telstra
|
Pacnet
|
Dec 2014
|
$856 m
|
Telstra
|
Bridge Point
|
Oct 2014
|
Undisclosed
|
Planet Tel
|
ISPhone
|
Sep 2014
|
Undisclosed
|
Community Telco
|
McPherson Media
|
Sep 2014
|
Undisclosed
|
Telstra
|
Ooyala
|
Aug 2014
|
$291 m
|
Planet Tel
|
Via IP
|
Jul 2014
|
Undisclosed
|
aggregato
|
Tel.Pacific
|
Mar 2014
|
Undisclosed
|
Telstra
|
O2 Networks
|
Jan 2014
|
$60 m
|
TPG Telecom
|
AAPT (Telecom New Zealand Australian Subsidiary)
|
Dec 2013
|
$450 m
|
MyNetFone
|
Pennytel and iVoiSys
|
Oct 2013
|
Undisclosed
|
Conec2 Group
|
ispONE
|
Sep 2013
|
<$2 m
|
iiNet
|
Adam Internet
|
Aug 2013
|
$60 m
|
Telstra
|
North Shore Communication
|
Aug 2013
|
$100 m
|
Vaya
|
LiveConnected
|
Jun 2013
|
Undisclosed
|
M2 Group
|
Eftel
|
Mar 2013
|
$0.3581 per share
|
M2 Group
|
DoDo
|
Mar 2013
|
$203.9 m
|
Bendigo & Adelaide Bank
|
Community Telco Australia
|
Dec 2012
|
Undisclosed
|
MyNetFone
|
Gotalk
|
Dec 2012
|
$1.4 m
|
Eftel
|
West Australian Networks
|
Jun 2012
|
Undisclosed
|
Truphone
|
Obsidian Wireless (previously in partnership)
|
Jun 2012
|
Undisclosed
|
M2 Group
|
Primus Australia
|
Apr 2012
|
$192.4 m
|
FOXTEL
|
Austar
|
Apr 2012
|
$2 b
|
M2 Group
|
Time Telecom Pty ltd
|
Feb 2012
|
$18.35 m
|
Optus
|
Vividwireless assets
|
Feb 2012
|
$230 m
|
iiNet
|
Internode
|
Dec 2011
|
$105 m
|
TelPacific Limited
|
Go talk (merger)
|
Dec 2011
|
$8 m in vendor note + 15% of TP equity
|
TPG
|
iiNet (7.24% of)
|
Nov 2011
|
> $10 m
|
iiNet
|
TransACT
|
Nov 2011
|
$60 m
|
iiNet
|
Supernerd
|
Sep 2011
|
Undisclosed
|
Eftel
|
Platform Networks
|
Aug 2011
|
Undisclosed
|
ClubTelco
|
EFTel (merger)
|
Jul 2011
|
$9.6 m
|
TPG
|
Intrapower
|
Jul 2011
|
$12.8 m
|
M2 Group
|
Edirect
|
Apr 2011
|
$5m
|
EFTel
|
ClubTelco (merger)
|
Apr 2011
|
Undisclosed
|
M2 Group
|
Clear Telecoms
|
Feb 2011
|
$24.5 m
|
iiNet
|
AAPT
|
Jul 2010
|
$60 m
|
M2 Group
|
Clever Communications
|
Apr 2010
|
$5 m in cash
|
Truphone
|
Startel Communications
|
Mar 2010
|
Undisclosed
|
M2 Group
|
Commander
|
Jun 2009
|
$19 m
|
iiNet
|
Netspace
|
Mar 2009
|
$40 m
|
Vodafone Australia
|
Hutchison Telecommunications
|
Feb 2009
|
Undisclosed
|
M2 Group
|
People Telecom
|
Dec 2008
|
Share swap + cash44
|
Vodafone Australia
|
Crazy Johns
|
Sep 2008
|
$150 m
|
iiNet
|
Westnet
|
May 2008
|
$81 m
|
TPG
|
SP Telemedia Soul (merger)
|
Apr 2008
|
$150 m in cash
|
Gotalk
|
World Telecom
|
Apr 2008
|
Undisclosed
|
M2 Group
|
Unitel
|
Feb 2008
|
|
Optus
|
Uecomm
|
Jul 2007
|
$227 m
|
Commoditel
|
Sonnet
|
Jul 2007
|
Undisclosed
|
M2 Group
|
Orion Telecommunications
Southern Cross Telco
|
Jun 2007
|
Not known
|
CS Mobile
|
AAPT
|
Jun 2007
|
Undisclosed
|
Optus
|
Virgin Mobile Australia
|
Jan 2006
|
$100 m
|
Optus
|
Alphawest
|
Jul 2005
|
$25.9 m
|
M2 Group
|
Protel Communications
|
Feb 2005
|
Not known
|
Singtel
|
Optus (C&W)
|
Aug 2001
|
$17 m
|
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