Optimus Comunicações

Optimus Comunicações, S.A. was a Portuguese mobile telecommunications operator offering GSM, UMTS and later LTE-related services under the Optimus brand. It began commercial operations on 15 September 1998 as a challenger to the two established Portuguese mobile operators, TMN and Telecel, the latter later becoming part of Vodafone. Optimus entered the market with an unusually aggressive customer-acquisition strategy, combining low introductory pricing, prepaid services and wide retail reach through businesses associated with its parent group, Sonae. A central element of the launch was the Pioneiros programme. Customers who registered before the commercial start could make calls to other Optimus users at a very low fixed rate for the life of the offer. The proposition helped the new operator build a community of early adopters and gave customers an incentive to recruit other Optimus users. Sonae's ownership of the Continente hypermarket chain also provided a large and accessible distribution network for acquiring customers and selling prepaid products. Optimus reached approximately 700,000 customers within its first year and held about 13 percent of the Portuguese mobile market by October 1999. The company continued to compete through prepaid plans, tariff innovation and mobile data services. Its Boomerang offer built on the prepaid-card model that had become especially important in Portugal. In 2000, Optimus's numbering prefix changed from 0933 to 93 as part of a national numbering-system change. The operator passed one million customers in June 2000, with prepaid users representing roughly four-fifths of its base, and its market share had risen to approximately 16 percent. It also secured one of Portugal's four UMTS licences in December 2000, positioning it for third-generation mobile services. Optimus expanded beyond basic voice and messaging through services such as Optimus Zone, a mobile portal launched in 2003, and Kanguru, a wireless internet-access proposition introduced in 2005 using GPRS and 3G. Kanguru Xpress followed in 2006 with HSDPA-based service and higher advertised download speeds. In 2008, the TAG tariff combined a monthly fee with unlimited or substantially discounted communications among TAG users, including voice, video calls, messaging and instant-messaging services. The offer triggered competing responses and contributed to a period of intense tariff competition among Portugal's three mobile operators. The brand's visual identity changed during the 2000s, including a move from green to orange in 2004, although the company did not become the Orange brand. Its advertising was handled by BBDO Portugal from 1998 to 2008 and by Euro RSCG Portugal from 2008 until the end of the Optimus brand. Campaigns and product innovations helped make Optimus a significant market challenger, even though it generally remained the third-largest Portuguese mobile operator by market share and financial performance. From 2012, Optimus's parent group and ZON Multimédia pursued a merger. The transaction received the relevant competition and media-regulatory scrutiny and was completed on 16 May 2014. Optimus Telecomunicações and ZON Multimédia were combined into a new company initially known as ZON Optimus and subsequently branded NOS. The Optimus brand therefore ceased to operate as an independent consumer mobile brand, while its network, customers and activities became part of NOS's Portuguese telecommunications business.

Optimus was established as a Portuguese mobile-network challenger in the late 1990s and began operations on 15 September 1998. Its initial competitors were TMN and Telecel, the two longer-established mobile operators in Portugal. The launch was supported by an extensive advertising campaign and by Sonae's retail presence, particularly through the Continente hypermarket chain. The operator's defining early commercial device was Pioneiros. Customers who registered before launch received a very low long-term calling rate for calls to other Optimus customers. This created an incentive for users to join the same network and helped Optimus overcome the disadvantage of entering a market dominated by established operators. The company also adopted prepaid products, including the Boomerang tariff plan. Within approximately one year, Optimus had reached 700,000 customers and about 13 percent market share. In 1999, Sonaecom broadened its communications activities by launching Novis as a fixed-line operator and Clix as an internet service provider and web portal. Optimus itself received international recognition in 2000 for Taxi Digital, which used its network for data communications between taxi-dispatch centres and vehicles. In the same period, Portugal changed its mobile numbering system, and Optimus's 0933 prefix became 93. The company reached one million customers in June 2000, while prepaid subscribers accounted for approximately 80 percent of its base. It also obtained a UMTS licence, preparing for the deployment of third-generation services. Optimus developed mobile content and data services during the 2000s. Optimus Zone, a mobile portal, was launched in 2003. In 2004, France Télécom became the major shareholder through its holding structure, while Sonaecom remained the relevant corporate context for Optimus. The brand's colour scheme changed from green to orange, leading to speculation that it might be replaced by Orange, but Optimus retained its own identity. Kanguru launched in 2005 as a wireless internet-access service using GPRS and 3G. Kanguru Xpress followed in 2006 using HSDPA technology, offering faster mobile broadband. In April 2008, Optimus introduced TAG, a tariff built around a monthly fee converted into communications credit and network-community benefits. TAG covered services including voice, video calls, SMS, MMS and instant messaging, with a computer-based communication application also available. Rival Portuguese operators introduced comparable offers, producing a period of aggressive tariff competition. The brand remained a significant but generally third-ranked mobile operator in Portugal. Its slogans and advertising identity changed several times, and its agencies included BBDO Portugal from 1998 to 2008 and Euro RSCG Portugal from 2008 to 2014. The company reported 3,639,400 customers in 2011, alongside average monthly revenue per user of €12.90; these figures are historical company metrics and do not describe the post-merger NOS business. Optimus and ZON began merger discussions in 2012. After regulatory and competition-related review, the transaction was completed on 16 May 2014. The combined company became known first as ZON Optimus and then as NOS. Optimus consequently ceased to exist as a standalone operator and consumer brand, with its business incorporated into NOS.

1. 2014Merger into NOS

   Optimus and ZON Multimédia became a single company on 16 May, ending Optimus as an independent operator.

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2. 2008TAG tariff launch

   Optimus launched TAG, a community-oriented tariff covering multiple communication channels.

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3. 2005Kanguru wireless internet service

   Optimus introduced Kanguru for wireless internet access over GPRS and 3G.

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4. 2003Optimus Zone mobile portal

   The operator launched Optimus Zone as a mobile portal and content service.

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5. 2000One million customers and UMTS licence

   Optimus passed one million customers and won one of Portugal's four UMTS licences.

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6. 1999Rapid first-year customer growth

   The operator reached approximately 700,000 customers and about 13 percent market share within its first year.

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7. 1998Commercial launch

   Optimus began operating as a GSM mobile network in Portugal on 15 September, challenging TMN and Telecel.

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A challenger mobile operator positioned around accessible pricing, prepaid adoption, network-community offers and service innovation in the Portuguese telecommunications market.

• PioneirosMobile tariff and acquisition programme1998

  The Pioneiros programme was the principal launch offer for Optimus. Pre-registered customers received a very low fixed rate for calls to other Optimus users, creating a strong network effect and encouraging early customers to bring friends and family onto the new operator.

• BoomerangPrepaid mobile tariff1998

  Boomerang was an Optimus prepaid proposition introduced as prepaid cards became a major part of Portugal's mobile market. It helped the operator compete for price-sensitive customers without requiring a traditional postpaid contract.

• Optimus ZoneMobile portal2003

  Optimus Zone was a mobile portal launched during the expansion of operator-controlled content and mobile internet services. It extended the Optimus proposition beyond voice and messaging into mobile information and digital content.

• KanguruWireless internet access2005

  Kanguru provided wireless internet access over GPRS and 3G. Its pricing was notable for bundling a substantial monthly traffic allowance, giving customers a mobile alternative to fixed-line internet access.

• Kanguru XpressHSDPA mobile broadband2006

  Kanguru Xpress extended the Kanguru mobile broadband proposition through HSDPA, marketed as a faster 3.5G service. The launch advertised download speeds of up to 1.8 Mbit/s.

• TAGMobile tariff2008

  TAG was a community-oriented tariff based on a monthly fee that was converted into communications credit. It offered extensive or unlimited communication benefits among TAG users, including voice, video calls, SMS, MMS and instant messaging, together with a computer-based communication application.

• 2008TAG tariff campaign

  Portugal

  Optimus promoted TAG as a broad communication package for users communicating within the TAG community across calls, messages, multimedia and instant-messaging channels.

  Outcome. Competitors introduced comparable offers, contributing to an intense tariff battle in Portugal's mobile market.

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• 2006Kanguru Xpress campaign

  Portugal

  Kanguru Xpress marketed HSDPA-based mobile broadband with the slogan "Não salta, voa".

  Outcome. The launch positioned Optimus around faster 3.5G mobile data access.

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• 2005Kanguru wireless internet campaign

  Portugal

  Optimus promoted Kanguru as a mobile wireless internet alternative using GPRS and 3G connectivity.

  Outcome. The service expanded the brand's role from mobile voice operator to mobile broadband provider.

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• 1998Pioneiros launch campaign

  Portugal

  Optimus used an intensive advertising campaign to introduce the Pioneiros programme and establish a customer community around low-cost calls between Optimus subscribers.

  Outcome. The campaign supported rapid customer acquisition, with approximately 700,000 customers after one year and about 13 percent market share.

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• 2014Completion of merger and brand retirementM&A

  Optimus Telecomunicações and ZON Multimédia were combined into a new company.

  What changed. The merger closed on 16 May 2014; the resulting business was initially called ZON Optimus and later adopted the NOS brand.

  Aftermath. Optimus ceased operating as an independent company and consumer brand.

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• 2012Merger discussions with ZONM&A

  Optimus and ZON Multimédia sought to combine their telecommunications activities.

  What changed. The companies pursued a merger subject to competition and media-regulatory review.

  Aftermath. The transaction was completed in 2014, creating the company that became NOS.

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• 2004Visual identity changeStrategy

  Optimus refreshed its corporate image during a period when mobile operators were developing more distinctive consumer brands.

  What changed. The brand changed its dominant colour from green to orange and simplified its logo.

  Aftermath. The change generated speculation that the brand might be replaced by Orange, but Optimus continued under its own name until the NOS merger.

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• 2000Investment in UMTS capabilityStrategy

  Third-generation mobile technology was expected to support multimedia communications and faster internet access.

  What changed. Optimus won one of Portugal's four UMTS licences.

  Aftermath. The licence created a regulatory and technological basis for the operator's later 3G and mobile broadband services.

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• 2014Optimus and ZON complete merger to form NOS

  On 16 May 2014, Optimus Telecomunicações and ZON Multimédia were combined into a new telecommunications company, initially referred to as ZON Optimus and subsequently branded NOS.

  M&ALeadership change
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• 2000Optimus wins recognition for Taxi Digital project

  Optimus received a GSM award for Taxi Digital, a project using the mobile network to transmit and process information between taxi-dispatch centres and vehicles.

  Product launchOther
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• 2000Optimus passes one million customers

  The operator reported its millionth customer in June 2000. Approximately 80 percent of customers used prepaid cards, and market share had reached about 16 percent.

  Other
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• 2000Optimus secures a UMTS licence

  Optimus won one of Portugal's four licences for UMTS, supporting the operator's future expansion into third-generation mobile data and multimedia services.

  RegulationProduct generation
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• 1999Optimus reaches approximately 700,000 customers

  About one year after launch, the operator had attracted roughly 700,000 customers and achieved an estimated 13 percent share of the Portuguese mobile market.

  Other
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• 1999Optimus wins GSM marketing recognition for its launch

  The Pioneiros-led market-entry campaign received GSM Association recognition in Cannes for marketing success after Optimus became the third operator to achieve a substantial share of the Portuguese market within its first year.

  CampaignOther
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• 1998Optimus begins commercial mobile operations in Portugal

  Optimus entered Portugal's mobile market as a new GSM operator competing with TMN and Telecel. Its launch combined the Pioneiros customer programme, low-cost network-community calling and broad retail distribution.

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1. Optimus Comunicações