Credit: Vadymvdrobot Dreamstime
Gaming performance can plummet when an overloaded network causes high latency. To prevent this problem, Optus has launched a home internet plan especially designed for gamers, with a whole bunch of features that the company says helps address congestion issues within households where multiple devices are used.
Known as the Optus Internet Gamer 100 Plan, Optus says it includes unlimited data, 100Mbs (estimated between 7am-11pm) download speeds, a dedicated Wi-Fi 6 gaming router that prioritises gaming traffic, and a six-month trial of the company’s Game Path service.
Game Path is a service that optimises gaming experience on the company’s network. Back in October last year when it was launched, Optus claimed it could reduce latency, jitter and packet loss for PC gamers outside the home by creating an optimal path to the server.
Keen gamers have up until now had to add it on to their existing plans, which they can still do, but now they also have the option of getting it bundled in a dedicated gamer plan that includes a few extra goodies to improve gamer experience. As an expansion of this service within its new plan, Optus will also now make the benefits of Game Path available to console and casual gamers inside the home, including those on tablets and mobile devices.
The Optus Internet Gamer 100 Plan also comes with some nifty hardware. Optus customers that sign up will also get a specialist gaming modem in their sign-up bundle. For this, Optus is partnering with Asus to deliver their DSL-AX5400. This modem includes a dual-band WiFi6 router that Asus says is capable of download speeds of up to 5,400Mbs.
The DSL-AX5400 also includes several traffic prioritisation features to reduce in-home congestion and prioritise, above all, the gamer’s connection to the server. These include access to the 5Ghz frequency band and optional Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) to unlock more bandwidth for data. The modem also allows users to select and prioritise devices to boost their connectivity speeds and to prevent them fighting over bandwidth with other devices.
Creating a dedicated plan for gamers is a first among the major telcos. Telstra also has a gaming add-on service, Game Optimiser, that prioritises traffic and prevents lag spikes to gamers on its Telstra network, but Optus has upped the ante by offering gamers more than just add-ons.
The Optus Internet Gamer 100 plan also comes with OS Fitness on the Optus Sport app that gives users access to fitness and sports content, like live-stream videos from yoga instructors. It's available on subscription from Optus for AU$89 per month for the first six months and then for AU$99 dollars per month thereafter.
