Dean Lewin - CEO Moose Mobile
Queensland-based mobile reseller, Moose Mobile is making a play into the crowded mobile service provider market via a new deal with Optus.
The company began life eight months ago as a reseller of second-hand mobile devices, but has now inked an agreement to add mobile plans to its offerings.
Prior to incorporating the business a year ago, Moose Mobile CEO, Dean Lewin had experience as a telco dealer and saw a gap in the market for offering refurbished, superseded iPhone models at a discounted price.
The company’s discount pricing model is targeted at a younger demographic who want technology but not the price tag associated with new mobiles and Lwin told ARN he would continue to focus on a segment he says has been under served by mobile phone providers at large.
“[Mobile handsets] don’t look that much different anymore, or do that much differently than these previous models,” He said. “And people are starting to wake up to that fact.
Success with this strategy lead the company to put a proposal to Optus for a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) agreement.
“By providing access to a SIM at the point-of-sale, Moose will be able to convert a once-off handset sale into a long standing customer,” Lewin said.
Through an existing business - which serves approximately 5000 customers - the company already had a backend service and support network setup through a partnership with Telcoinabox.
“This has been an easy transition for us,” Lewin added.
He said the company decided to partner with Optus as the carrier had the best network for its needs.
“Optus are always out there looking at new things to increase their market share and were the most conducive to the type of offer we put together.
Optus Wholesale vice president of sales and marketing, John Castro, said the partnership reflected the telco’s commitment to diversifying its customer base which included delivering services to niche players in addition to major MVNOs.
“We are here to deliver mobile services to a range of wholesale partners, particularly companies like Moose,” he said. “Refurbished handset sales are set to grow significantly over the next three years so this represents a sound strategic approach from Moose Mobile.
Lewin said the company said it had no immediate plans to expand offerings to the business market and that consumers would be the main focus for the immediate future.
