Macquarie Telecom signs $34m MVNO deal with Optus

Macquarie Telecom has signed an exclusive $34 million agreement to leverage Optus’s mobile network to deploy services including 5G in Australia.

Under the agreement, Macqaurie Telecom will end its MVNO agreement with Telstra to transition to the Optus network, and will leverage the new agreement to offer mobility services to enterprises including 5G, Wi-Fi calling and voice over LTE (VoLTE).

Macquarie Telecom plans to expand its mobile business and hire new staff over the next three years to accommodate its expanded ambitions in the segment.

Group Executive Luke Clifton said the company selected Optus as its new mobile network provider due to Optus’s focus on collaboration, rapidly evolving 5G network and commitment to future technologies.

“Based on our comprehensive review, Optus was the clear choice in terms of superior technology, flexibility to build the right solutions and cooperation,” he said.

“It is leading Australia’s wholesale 5G market, offers incredibly fast 5G and continues to invest heavily in its 5G network. Crucially, it understands the value of partnership in Australia’s 5G future while others are actively inhibiting it.”

Clifton's comments are likely a thinly veiled allusion to the fact that Telstra has yet to announce any plans to give MVNO partners access to the company’s own 5G network. He said 5G will be a key focus of Macquarie’s expanded mobility goals.

“2020 changed the way Australians work forever. By providing 5G connectivity along with business-grade nbn, we can ensure Australian businesses can work from more places than ever before,” he said.

“The fact is that 5G is here. It is fast becoming a necessity and complementary service to nbn for Australian businesses. This agreement will ensure we can continue to compete in a market that is still underserved and overcharged. These new mobile offerings will also enable the right tools, technologies and customer service to manage a mobile workforce.”

Optus currently has more than 1000 live 5G sites covering more than 830,000 households across Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, Perth and Brisbane.

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