Leslie Massey
Lycamobile is a telecommunications company that offers mobile services in Australia. The company provides prepaid SIM cards with unlimited standard national calls and texts, as well as data plans. They also have an app that allows customers to manage their accounts, purchase bundles or credit, and view their usage history. However, as of December 2024, Lycamobile received a low rating of 2.3 out of 5 on ProductReviews.com.au, with similar low scores across various categories. The company has also faced regulatory actions in multiple countries, including Australia, relating to failures in providing customer identity information to authorities.
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What You'll Learn
Lyca Mobile's customer rating in Australia
Customer ratings for Lyca Mobile in Australia are mixed. While some customers have praised the company for its affordable international calling plans and extensive coverage, others have complained about poor customer service and technical issues.
On the one hand, Lyca Mobile offers inexpensive and comprehensive mobile services, making it a good option for customers looking for basic calling and texting plans or those who need to make international calls regularly. Lyca Mobile's plans include free nationwide calls and texts, and the company offers competitively priced mobile plans for international calls. With coverage reaching 98.4% of Australians, Lyca Mobile provides extensive network coverage, especially in metropolitan areas and around major cities.
However, numerous customer reviews highlight negative experiences with the company, particularly regarding customer service and technical support. Some customers have reported issues with porting their numbers, difficulties cancelling accounts or closing inactive accounts, and problems with SIM card activation and renewal. There are also complaints about long wait times for customer support and inconsistent responses from the customer service team.
The migration from the Telstra to the Vodafone network in 2024 also appears to have caused disruptions for some long-term customers, with reports of SIM cards ceasing to function and issues with receiving calls and texts.
Overall, while Lyca Mobile can be a good option for certain customers, particularly those seeking affordable international calling plans, the company's customer service and technical support have been a source of significant frustration for many users in Australia.
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The company's regulatory issues in Australia
Lycamobile has been the subject of regulatory actions in several countries, including Australia, Belgium, Germany, Norway, and Spain. These regulatory issues primarily relate to failures in collecting, verifying, or providing customer identity information to the regulatory authorities. This has resulted in significant financial penalties for the company.
In Australia specifically, as of December 2024, Lycamobile received a rating of 2.3 out of 5 on ProductReviews.com.au. The individual category scores were: 2.8 for value for money, 2.8 for customer service, 2.9 for local reception, and 2.5 for transparency. The low score for transparency may be indicative of regulatory issues, as the company has been criticized for failing to provide clear information to customers.
One of the main regulatory issues Lycamobile faces in Australia is related to its compliance with telecommunications industry regulations. The company has been accused of misleading advertising, with customers claiming that heavily discounted rates advertised only applied to the first month, a detail that was not clearly disclosed. This practice of misleading advertising has been a significant issue for customers, who feel they have been tricked into signing up for a service that is not as affordable as they were led to believe.
Additionally, Lycamobile has faced regulatory scrutiny over its tax affairs and money laundering practices. In 2015, a Buzzfeed expose led French authorities to investigate the group, resulting in 19 arrests in 2016, including several Lycamobile employees. This investigation extended beyond France, with authorities in multiple countries, including Australia, taking action against the group for money laundering and VAT fraud.
The corporate structure of Lycamobile has also come under scrutiny. In April 2017, KPMG resigned as auditors for Lycamobile UK Limited due to difficulties in obtaining sufficient audit evidence and concerns over the governance structure and oversight of the company's financial reporting controls. This issue may extend to Lycamobile's operations in Australia, as the company provides administrative support services and airtime trading activities in the country.
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The free Lyca Mobile app
With the Lyca Mobile app, you can easily check your balance, purchase bundles or credit, and view your usage and history all from one secure platform. The app also provides quick bundle purchases and top-ups, hassle-free and secure payments, and detailed histories of calls, activated bundles, and data usage. In addition, you can take advantage of special bonuses, offers, and discounts, as well as easily register and navigate the app.
The Lyca Mobile app is particularly useful for those who want to stay on top of their Lyca Mobile account while travelling. The app can be used abroad, although standard international data charges will apply.
It's important to note that any data used to access the app's features will be deducted from your monthly allowance or credit. The app itself is free to download and use.
While the Lyca Mobile app offers a range of features and conveniences, some user reviews on the Apple App Store have noted issues with frequent updates, slow loading times, and discrepancies in data usage tracking.
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The company's financial dealings
Lycamobile has been involved in multiple regulatory actions and investigations into its tax affairs and money laundering activities. These issues have resulted in significant financial penalties for the company. Regulators in Australia, Belgium, Germany, Norway, and Spain have all taken action against Lycamobile, primarily due to failures in collecting, verifying, or providing customer identity information to the relevant authorities.
In Germany, for instance, Lycamobile was found to have avoided paying over €70 million in sales taxes, despite an external audit in 2016 revealing that they had not paid taxes that were due. Similarly, in the UK, the company has been involved in three major tax disputes with HM Revenue and Customs, and its 2015 accounts were filed seven months late, only appearing after Companies House threatened to strike them off.
The corporate structure of Lycamobile has also come under scrutiny. In April 2017, KPMG resigned as auditors for Lycamobile UK Limited, citing difficulties in obtaining sufficient audit evidence and concerns over the governance structure and oversight of the company's financial reporting systems. The Group CEO is listed as Richard Schafer, but the most recent annual report for Lycamobile UK Limited published by Companies House for the year ending December 2021 indicates that Mr A Subaskaran controls the majority of cash flows associated with investing and financing activities.
Mr Subaskaran is the only person with significant control over Lycamobile UK Limited and its holding company, WWW Holding Company, which provides administrative support services to related parties within the UK, Europe, Australia, the USA, and Canada. Furthermore, loans and investments made by Lycamobile entities have come under scrutiny, with zero-interest loans being provided to senior employees and related parties.
In addition, Lycamobile's Paris headquarters was raided in 2016, leading to arrests and the seizure of €1 million. The French court ruled in October 2023 that the company had knowingly participated in money laundering. In 2023, the Indian Enforcement Directorate raided Lyca Productions offices, discovering evidence of potentially incriminating financial dealings with the Kallal Group.
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Lyca Mobile's SIM card offerings
Lyca Mobile offers prepaid SIM cards in Australia, with standard, micro, and nano sizes available. The SIM cards are marketed as providing unlimited standard national calls and texts. Lyca Mobile's SIM cards can be purchased as part of an unlimited prepaid plan, which costs $20 for $6.
The Lyca Mobile app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play, allows users to manage their accounts, check balances, purchase bundles or credit, and view usage and history. The app also offers special bonuses, offers, and discounts, as well as quick and secure payments. However, any data used within the app will be taken from the user's monthly allowance or credit, and international data charges apply when using the app abroad.
As of December 2024, Lyca Mobile received a rating of 2.3 out of 5 on ProductReviews.com.au, with lower scores for value for money, customer service, and transparency. Reviews on the Apple App Store are mixed, with some users reporting issues with data usage and the need for frequent updates.
Lyca Mobile SIM cards can be purchased online from Amazon.au and DKonnect, with DKonnect offering standard shipping options for delivery within Australia. It is important to note that DKonnect has specific requirements for accepting returns, including that goods must be returned in their original packaging with complete accessories and bundled items.
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Frequently asked questions
As of December 2024, Lycamobile received a rating of 2.3 out of 5 on ProductReviews.com.au, with category scores of 2.8 for value for money, 2.8 for customer service, 2.9 for local reception, and 2.5 for transparency.
The Lycamobile app offers quick bundle purchases and top-ups, hassle-free and secure payments, a detailed history of calls, activated bundles, data usage, and more. The app is free to download, but any data used to access its features will be taken from the user's monthly allowance or credit.
Lycamobile offers prepaid SIM cards in Australia with unlimited standard national calls and texts. The plans range from $29.90 to $30 for 28 days of credit.
The return policy for Lycamobile products in Australia varies depending on the retailer. For example, DKonnect requests customers to research products before finalizing orders and generally does not accept change-of-mind returns. Amazon.com.au allows returns of most new, unopened items within 30 days of receipt for a replacement or refund.
