How to activate your Optus SIM card

Optus is one of three network holders in Australia, second in coverage to Telstra but larger than the Vodafone mobile network. If you’ve chosen to sign up as an Optus mobile customer, then you’re going to need to activate your SIM card before you can make calls, send texts or use the ’net on your phone.

Here’s everything you need to know about activating your Optus SIM card on Postpaid and Prepaid services.

There are slightly different activation steps for an Optus SIM card depending on whether you’ve signed up for a Postpaid service or a Prepaid service. Postpaid services include Optus SIM Only plans and those that come with a new handset. These activation steps should be the same regardless of whether you have a physical SIM card or digital eSIM. Whichever steps you follow below to activate your Optus SIM, you’ll know it’s active when it says ‘Optus’ next to the coverage bars on your smartphone screen.

It doesn’t matter whether you have an Optus SIM Only plan or Optus Postpaid mobile service, you’ll follow these same activation steps. The easiest activation is from an Optus SIM that’s been purchased online or over the phone because it should automatically activate within four hours of you receiving it. If more than four hours has passed without activation, contact Optus.

Alternatively, if you bought your Optus SIM from a non-Optus store, you’ll have to activate your SIM card online here. You’ll need valid ID to verify your identity and will have to manually enter the 13-digit SIM number, which is found on the SIM card (or, hopefully, the packaging) so jot it down before inserting it.

Before you can activate, you’ll need an Optus SIM card, which means first ordering a plan. Below is a daily updating list of popular Optus SIM Only plans from our comparison engine.

For comparison, check out the list below of popular SIM Only plans from our database.

Activating an Optus Prepaid SIM is similar to activating an Optus Postpaid SIM the manual way (outlined above). Take note of the SIM number, which is either 13 digits or 19 digits, on your SIM card before inserting it. Head to this Optus Prepaid activation page, then follow the activation steps. You’ll need to enter your Optus Prepaid plan details and will need valid ID to verify your identity. There’s more info on eligible forms of ID for verifying Prepaid accounts here.

If you’re yet to sign up for an Optus Prepaid plan, you’ll need one before activating your SIM. The list below offers a daily updating snapshot of the 10 most popular Prepaid starter packs, recharges and subscriptions from our comparison engine.

For comparison, below is a daily updating list of popular Prepaid plans from our database.

If you ordered a replacement SIM card in an Optus store, it will also be activated in the store. For those who ordered a replacement SIM over the phone or via online chat, you can either call Optus on 133 937 or visit an Optus store. For either of those in-store options, you’ll need 100 points of ID to sign up and activate (outlined on this Optus support page).