Amaysim

{{short description|Australian MVNO}} {{use Australian English|date=May 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} {{Infobox company | name = Amaysim Australia Ltd. | logo = Amaysim logo.svg | type = [[Division (business)|Division]] | genre = | foundation = {{start date and age|2010|11}} | founder = Peter O'Connell, Rolf Hansen, Christian Magel, Thomas Enge, Andreas Perreiter | location_city = [[Sydney]], [[New South Wales]] | location_country = Australia | area_served = Australia | industry = Telecommunications | products = Mobile phone plans | services = | revenue = {{increase}} A$212.6 million | operating_income = | net_income = {{increase}} A$59.5 million | num_employees = 130 | parent = [[Optus]] (2021–present) | divisions = | subsid = | owner = | homepage = {{URL|http://www.amaysim.com.au/}} | dissolved = | footnotes = | traded_as = {{ASX was|AYS}} (2015–2021) | key_people = Peter O'Connell ([[Chief executive officer|CEO]]) }}

'''Amaysim Australia Ltd.''' is an Australian provider of mobile phone plans. Amaysim operates as a [[mobile virtual network operator]] on the [[Optus]] mobile network,<ref>{{Cite web|title=amaysim SIM card - Coverage|url=https://www.amaysim.com.au/why-amaysim/coverage.html|accessdate=1 October 2015|website=amaysim Australia}}</ref> and specialises in offering a range of prepaid and PAYG (Pay As You Go) mobile services.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pay As You Go Mobile Plans: Get Your Australian Pay As You Go Sim |url=https://www.amaysim.com.au/sim-plans/28-day-sim-plans/as-you-go |access-date=2026-04-11 |website=amaysim |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=SIM Only Plans & Prepaid Mobile Plans - Australia |url=https://www.amaysim.com.au/sim-plans |access-date=2026-04-11 |website=amaysim |language=en}}</ref> {{as of|2024|June}}, Amaysim had over 1.5 million mobile subscribers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dequito |first=Imee |date=14 June 2024 |title=Amaysim appoints Vir Inder Nath as VP amid big expansion plans |url=https://telconews.com.au/story/amaysim-appoints-vir-inder-nath-as-vp-amid-big-expansion-plans |access-date=27 August 2024 |website=TelcoNews}}</ref>

Amaysim was founded in 2010. The company was listed on the [[Australian Securities Exchange]] from 2015 until its acquisition by [[Optus]] in 2021.

==History== Amaysim was founded as an Australian telecommunications provider by Peter O'Connell, Rolf Hansen, Christian Magel, Thomas Enge and Andreas Perreiter in November 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=amaysim Company Backgrounder|url=https://www.amaysim.com.au/dms/amaysim/documents/media-releases/amaysim-Company-Backgrounder.pdf|accessdate=1 October 2015|website=|publisher=amaysim Australia Ltd}}</ref>

Amaysim became a publicly listed company following an IPO/share offer<ref>{{Cite web|title=amaysim Prospectus - (amaysim Offer)|url=http://www.amaysimsharesoffer.com.au|accessdate=1 October 2015|website=www.amaysimsharesoffer.com.au}}{{dead link|date=January 2018|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> and floated on the [[Australian Securities Exchange]] in July 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mobile reseller Amaysim's ASX debut opens little changed|date=15 July 2015 |url=http://www.afr.com/business/telecommunications/mobile-reseller-amaysims-asx-debut-opens-little-changed-20150714-giccit|accessdate=1 October 2015}}</ref>

In January 2016, Amaysim acquired Vaya, another Australian mobile virtual network operator for A$70 million.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Reichert|first1=Corinne|title=Amaysim acquires Vaya for AU$20m, inherits AU$50m Optus debt|url=https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/amaysim-acquires-vaya-for-au20m-inherits-au50m-optus-debt/|access-date=19 July 2016|work=ZDNet|date=3 January 2016}}</ref>

Amaysim entered the broadband market in July 2016 with the acquisition of Internet service provider [[AusBBS]] for $4 million ($1 million in cash, $1.5 million in Amaysim shares on completion and another $1.5 million in shares one year after completion).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Foye|first=Brendon|date=19 July 2016|title=Amaysim enters broadband market with $4m acquisition|url=http://www.crn.com.au/news/amaysim-enters-broadband-market-with-4m-acquisition-431025|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201104061609/https://www.crn.com.au/news/amaysim-enters-broadband-market-with-4m-acquisition-431025|archive-date=4 November 2020|access-date=4 November 2020|website=CRN Australia}}</ref>

In early 2017, the Amaysim group acquired the online energy retailer [[Click Energy]] for $120 million in a move to extend its range of services to Australian households.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Palmer|first1=Andrew|date=10 April 2017|title=Mobile operator Amaysim buys Click Energy|publisher=The Australian|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/mobile-operator-amaysim-buys-click-energy/news-story/513c818a018d6d4ca3c57425a2195ee9|accessdate=10 April 2017}}</ref>

In October 2018, Amaysim sold all of its 15,000 broadband customers to [[Southern Phone]] for $3 million and stopped reselling broadband services.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Fernyhough|first=James|date=18 November 2018|title=Amaysim blames 'punitive' NBN costs for exit from broadband|url=https://www.afr.com/companies/telecommunications/amaysim-blames-punitive-nbn-costs-for-exit-from-broadband-20181116-h17zmu|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191201142159/https://www.afr.com/companies/telecommunications/amaysim-blames-punitive-nbn-costs-for-exit-from-broadband-20181116-h17zmu|archive-date=1 December 2019|access-date=4 November 2020|website=[[Australian Financial Review]]}}</ref> The company cited "unsustainably high wholesale costs, intense competition and the need to allocate the company's capital appropriately" as reasons for the exit.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Foye|first=Brendon|date=26 October 2018|title=Amaysim exits broadband market after 18 months|url=http://www.crn.com.au/news/amaysim-exits-broadband-market-after-18-months-514553|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201104060915/https://www.crn.com.au/news/amaysim-exits-broadband-market-after-18-months-514553|archive-date=4 November 2020|access-date=4 November 2020|website=CRN Australia}}</ref>

In December 2019, Amaysim acquired Jeenee Mobile, a mobile virtual network operator for $7.8 million. Jeenee Mobile's existing 41,700 customers were migrated to Amaysim's sister brand Vaya.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Choros|first=Alex|date=2 December 2019|title=amaysim acquires Jeenee Mobile, ends "Make a Difference" phone plan donation program|url=https://www.whistleout.com.au/MobilePhones/News/amaysim-acquires-Jeenee-Mobile|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201104052707/https://www.whistleout.com.au/MobilePhones/News/amaysim-acquires-Jeenee-Mobile|archive-date=4 November 2020|access-date=4 November 2020|website=www.whistleout.com.au}}</ref>

In June 2020, Amaysim acquired OVO, a mobile virtual network operator for $15.8 million. The deal added 77,000 mobile subscribers to Amaysim's subscriber base.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Samios|first=Zoe|date=3 June 2020|title=Amaysim bulks up customer base with Ovo Mobile buy|url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/amaysim-bulks-up-customer-base-with-ovo-mobile-buy-20200603-p54z6d.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028105719/https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/amaysim-bulks-up-customer-base-with-ovo-mobile-buy-20200603-p54z6d.html|archive-date=28 October 2020|access-date=4 November 2020|website=[[Sydney Morning Herald]]|language=en}}</ref>

In September 2020, [[AGL Energy]] signed an agreement to acquire Click Energy from Amaysim for $115 million.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Fernyhough|first1=James|last2=Macdonald-Smith|first2=Angela|date=31 August 2020|title=Amaysim offloads energy business to AGL|url=https://www.afr.com/companies/telecommunications/amaysim-offloads-energy-business-to-agl-20200831-p55qsq|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201104055354/https://www.afr.com/companies/telecommunications/amaysim-offloads-energy-business-to-agl-20200831-p55qsq|archive-date=4 November 2020|access-date=4 November 2020|website=Australian Financial Review}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=1 September 2020|title=AGL to acquire Amaysim's Click Energy Group in Australia|url=https://www.power-technology.com/news/agl-acquire-amaysim-click-energy-group-australia/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200903100132/https://www.power-technology.com/news/agl-acquire-amaysim-click-energy-group-australia/|archive-date=3 September 2020|access-date=4 November 2020|website=Power Technology}}</ref>

On 2 November 2020, Amaysim entered into a share sale agreement with [[Optus]], where Optus acquires 100% of Amaysim shares for A$250 million.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2 November 2020|title=Optus buys out small budget competitor Amaysim|url=https://dollarmoat.com.au/335/optus-buys-out-small-budget-competitor-amaysim/|access-date=2 November 2020|website=Dollar Moat|language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-01|title=Optus buys Amaysim for $250m|url=https://www.afr.com/technology/optus-buys-amaysim-for-250m-20201102-p56anc|access-date=2021-04-08|website=Australian Financial Review|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=February 2021|first=Harry Domanski 01|title=Optus acquires Amaysim: here's what it means for new and existing customers|url=https://www.techradar.com/au/news/optus-acquires-amaysim-heres-what-it-means-for-new-and-existing-customers|access-date=2021-04-08|website=TechRadar|date=February 2021 |language=en}}</ref> It was delisted on 6 April 2021.<ref>[https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20210406/pdf/44v8xfwkcnbs0s.pdf Amaysim Australia Limited - Removal from Official List] [[Australian Securities Exchange]] 6 April 2021</ref>

In April 2024, Optus announced it would shut down the Vaya brand and all its customers were subsequently migrated to Amaysim.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Angove-Plumb |first=Alex |date=2024-05-02 |title=Mobile Provider Vaya Is Bye-A, Here Are the Best Alternatives |url=https://gizmodo.com.au/2024/05/vaya-mobile-provider-alternatives/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=Gizmodo Australia |language=en-AU}}</ref>

In January 2025, [[Circles.Life]] ceased its Australian operations, transferring existing customers to Amaysim.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Long |first=Trevor |date=2025-01-19 |title=Amaysim buys Circles.Life – consolidating further the Aussie Mobile Market |url=https://eftm.com/2025/01/amaysim-buys-circles-life-consolidating-further-the-aussie-mobile-market-259177 |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=EFTM |language=en-AU}}</ref>

== Controversy == Between October 2017 and March 2018, its online energy retailer, Click Energy, told its consumers that they could receive discounts between 7 and 29% below its market energy offers if they paid their bills on time and that consumers could save between $84 and $946 if they switched to Click Energy. In March 2019, the [[Federal Court of Australia]] ordered penalties of $900,000 for misleading claims, because discounts were calculated on their market offer rates which were higher than their standing offer rates available to all consumers, while savings were calculated based on estimated savings if they paid on time rather than if they switched to Click Energy.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Latimer|first=Jennifer Duke, Cole|date=27 March 2019|title=Amaysim fined $900,000 for advertising misleading energy discounts|url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/amaysim-fined-900-000-for-advertising-dodgy-energy-discounts-20190327-p517x5.html|access-date=1 November 2020|website=[[Sydney Morning Herald]]|language=en}}</ref> In addition, Click Energy was ordered to send each affected customer a notice correcting the misleading claims.<ref>{{Cite web|date=27 March 2019|title=Click Energy to pay $900,000 for misleading claims|url=https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/click-energy-to-pay-900000-for-misleading-claims|access-date=1 November 2020|website=[[Australian Competition & Consumer Commission]]|language=en}}</ref>

In January 2020, Amaysim published an advertisement on [[Twitter]] that included the statement ''"…your mother loves the Unlimited [[Mobile broadband|Mobile Data]] offer from amaysim"'' and the hashtag ''‘#UnlimitedMobileData''’ when its plan provided unlimited data only for the first three renewals, before reverting to a capped amount. In October 2020, amaysim was fined $126,000 by the [[Australian Competition & Consumer Commission]] for misleading advertising, misrepresenting the "unlimited" data it claimed to provide in its advertisement.<ref>{{Cite web|date=14 October 2020|title=Amaysim and Lycamobile pay penalties over ads for 'unlimited' mobile plans|url=https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/amaysim-and-lycamobile-pay-penalties-over-ads-for-%E2%80%98unlimited%E2%80%99-mobile-plans|access-date=1 November 2020|website=Australian Competition & Consumer Commission|language=en}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Companies formerly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange]] [[Category:Mobile phone companies of Australia]] [[Category:Mobile virtual network operators]] [[Category:Utility companies of Australia]]