Optus today announced that half a million Australians are connected to the internet via OptusNet dial-up. OptusNet is Australia's second largest and fastest growing residential ISP.

Martin Dalgleish, Managing Director of Optus Consumer and Multimedia attributes reaching the milestone to a sustained period of record customer growth since the launch of the Phone & Net packages in April.

"Our sales are averaging over 1,000 each working day, with more than 85 per cent of those new customers choosing to take more than one Optus product. Customers can see the value of taking dial-up internet with telephony to get the benefit of up to 100 free local calls per month.

"We are also acquiring higher value customers with approximately 70 per cent joining on the top end plans," he said.

Mr Dalgleish expects more growth as Optus completes a dial-up network extension.

"We quietly started extending our national dial-up footprint in January 2003 and are building more points of presence around the country," he said.

"Once the build out is complete in early June, some 99 per cent of the Australian population will be able to connect to the internet via Optus. We'll have Australia covered - from Mount Gambier to Alice Springs, from Warrnambool to Griffith and from Geraldton to Bega.

"Finally, add to the 'price, innovation and benefit mix' exciting content initiatives like premium Big Brother 3 content and an updated portal - and we anticipate the record growth will continue throughout the year," Mr Dalgleish said.

For more information:
Melissa Favero
Optus Corporate Affairs
Tel: (02) 9342 5030