WE WISH YOU A SOCIAL MEDIA CHRISTMAS

We wish you a social media Christmas

New research reveals Aussies' plan to send Christmas wishes via social media and SMS over an expanded Optus Open Network

More than one in three (36 per cent) of us will be wishing our friends and family a Merry Christmas via social media this year, according to new research by Optus*. And on Christmas Day, Optus is expecting customers to send more than 65 million SMSs over an expanded Optus Open Network.

While one in two Gen Ys (50 per cent) surveyed are expecting to use social media to send their Christmas greetings, the majority of baby boomers (75 per cent) still prefer to pick up the phone for a chat this Christmas. The survey also showed Aussies who own smartphones are much more likely to send Christmas greetings via social media (42 per cent), compared to those who don't (27 per cent).

On Christmas Day, Optus predicts customers on its network will:

• Make over 34 million calls from their mobiles
• Send more than 65 million SMSs
• Make more than 32 million local and national calls on their home phone
• Collectively spend more than 4.5 million minutes catching up with friends and family overseas

Optus anticipates the three most popular overseas destinations for calls this year will be the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Vietnam.

Clare Gill, General Manager, Government and Corporate Affairs at Optus said, "Social media has become truly ubiquitous amongst Australians. We spend more time visiting social networks and blogs compared to anywhere else in the world, and this Christmas a lot of us will be sending our season's greetings via social media, too."

"Whether they're posting on Facebook or calling to say Merry Christmas, our customers can be confident that we have been working hard throughout the year to ensure our network is capable of providing optimum coverage, with upgrades to many popular holiday destinations around Australia in preparation for the holiday season," Ms Gill continued.

Optus has recently carried out capacity upgrades in holiday hotspots such as Airlie Beach, Ballina, Byron Bay, Cairns, Hervey Bay, Philip Island, Port Douglas, Port Stephens, Surfers Paradise and Victor Harbour, amongst many others. In the first half of the year^, Optus built over 450 new 3G mobile base stations to enhance coverage across the network.

*Research background:
Optus commissioned an independent survey of a representative sample group of 1,258 Australians aged 18 to 64 years of age. Fieldwork commenced on Thursday November 24 and was completed on Monday November 28, 2011. Responses were collected over the phone. Data was weighted by gender, age and area to reflect the latest population estimates.

^Optus FY11-12 beginning April 1 to September 30, 2011.

Media contact:
Jacqui Christie / Derek Lau
Optus Corporate Affairs
Media Hotline: (02) 8082 7850