Realme C3 - Coles Optus vs Optus and Boost Telstra

Got a Realme c3 phone which is optus branded and was sold by bigw on a deal few months back, having read up about it I believe the phone is tweaked to not use Telstra is this correct?

I mean you can’t use a Telstra sim in it even if unlocked.

Actually I use boost which is Telstra but same thing, I read as it’s a optus branded phone they stopped you from using the Telstra on it is this true?

As I’m using my current phone with boost I was thinking of taking out another sim deal for a year for the Realme c3 phone.
But does it work only on optus branded sims etc or the likes coles optus for example?

So I will have two working phones with more or less one years paid up on both to use.
Or is there some very cheap sim deal I could use on the Realme c3?
I’m saying that the coles optus one on a deal would work out at $10 a month not sure would get better than that.

After a year of so using the coles optus deal I could then get I think a free unlock or maybe this is only optus branded or would I qualify still under the coles optus one?
I could then try boost sim in then see how it goes.

If it’s any optus what’s the go on optus vs coles optus I take this is similar to boost vs Telstra?

I find my boost which uses Telstra great which im assuming same goes for coles optus vs optus.

I see coles optus has a deal on not sure if this is an online only thing or in store also but is $150 for $119 for a year.
Im taking this is as good if not the same as if using optus only? And I’m not sure if this phone was optus brand sim only or others like coles etc are still ok.

If you know of deal or better deals im all ears.

Comments

  • Do you still have the box? The bands are written on the back.

  • Yes but does not list bands on box?

    It says this handset has been modified to work optimally on the optus network it may not work optimally on other networks. Please head to optus.com.au/compatibility

  • Amaysim, circles and catch work without unlock. Generally less than $10 per month depending on the current promo.

    • They are ok if your currently using them and don’t need to unlock but im with boost:Telstra so my current sim would not be any good.

      But im sure I read on here in past that this optus phone has been modified so cant use with Telstra so I think even down the line if I got free unlock and wanted to stick with boost I can not.

  • Just checked again it has bands on inner box.

    GSM 800/900/1800/1900mhz

    • Band 28, 700Mhz, is almost essential for Telstra coverage. If you buy a 4G device without Band 28, it will have very limited coverage on the Telstra (Boost etc) network.

      • So im right boost telstra will never work on this phone then?

          • @WatchNerd: Ok so will work with boost/Telstra as I thought from old posts on here that this optus branded one was modified not to work?
            That’s great if it does, I not tried my boost sim in it like one has said as it maybe already unlocked.
            But I’m still thinking of getting another phone deal as Wouk like to possibly use both phones I have.
            It would be a pain removing the sim from one to the other each time.

            • @bwatt72: Got a link to these comments? Haven't see one yet with any proof to back this up.

              • @WatchNerd: I definitely read someone or some people mentioned it and the reason I mention it now. But I ain’t going to look through pages of stuff to try find.
                I would not be questioning it now.
                But if was load of crap then all good as I have never heard of a phone to be restricted and not usable to Telstra.

  • So what’s the catch on the circles 6 month plan at only $15 one off payment? This is obviously cheaper than coles optus $119 deal for the year.

    Will it work on my phone? Is circles optus? Does circles count towards free unlock later on?
    If this worked on the phone and 6 months are up can you take up another deal they might have then and do you register payment with them as I assume you cancel prior not to be charged normal price.

    $15 for 6 months seems very cheap and not sure why.

    Lol that’s $15 per month read that wrong not as good as the coles optus promo if you used circles for a year

    • Currently on circles free for 6 month plan.. just port out at the end.
      Catch can be as low as $60 for 12 months depending on promo/codes - currently around $80.
      Amaysim look out for another deal like this

  • I have a Realme C3 bought from Officeworks and it was supposed to be locked. After reading comments here (in one of the recent Realme C3 deals) that it's actually not locked, I tried it with a Woolworths Mobile SIM and was able to receive SMS. However, only SIM1 works and needs some fiddling to make SIM2 work, but I haven't bothered to try that.

    Since you already have a Boost SIM, you can just give it a test.

    • Yes I give it a try when I crack it open, but I think I still want a cheap sim deal etc so I can use both phones as it be a pain to use my boost sim back and forth with each phone.
      I though at the time this phone would use two sims but depends I believe where you purchased it from or had to do some things to make it work.
      But even if I got two sims to work on this phone still means I not be able to use my current phone.

      So ideally a cheap sim deal for the Realme c3 would be good for now and see what happens down the line.

  • But I was curious on the difference of coles optus vs optus as coles has a $150 12m plan for $119.
    Which works out at just under $10 per month.

    Looks like I have missed some better deals though

  • These were great deals while they lasted

    • What deal? If you google coles optus plans its showing online? Or are you talking about the phone

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