After launching in Australia only late last year, realme are now selling phones through a local carrier, with the realme C3 now available on Optus pre-paid for $199.

The realme C3 represents real value for money priced at it’s retail price of $269, but as an Optus pre-paid phone it’s an absolute steal. The phone is locked to the Optus network – though it can be unlocked for a fee – but if you’re an Optus customer, this is a bargain.

In terms of hardware the realme C3 includes a big 6.5-inch HD+ (720×1600) resolution display which includes a discreet teardrop notch with a 5MP selfie camera. The phone includes an octa-core Mediatek Helio G70 CPU, 3GB RAM and 64GB of storage – and all powered by a massive 5,000mAh battery.

It’s a massive move for a young company to nab a partnership with a telco with realme Managing Director Andy Yang, saying of the new partnership ‘This business development represents an incredibly exciting step forward for realme. Partnering with one of Australia’s leading telecommunications companies demonstrates our determination to expand further into the Australian market. It remains our priority to ensure Aussie consumers are armed with smartphones that have the latest and most impressive features all for a competitive price, and by working with Optus, this will enable us to connect with more consumers across the country.’

The phone is available in both blue and red – though Coles and Woolies wanted different colours. The realme C3 is available from Yes Optus, Kmart, Big W, Target, Aupost, Woolworths (Red only) and Coles (Blue only).