Optus has held nothing back in its latest ad campaign, unleashing all the fury of a long-time underdog in a damning portrayal of arch-rival Telstra.

The latest ad campaign from Optus says there is essentially no difference between the mobile internet infrastructures of itself and Telstra.

“When it comes to the percentage of Australians the Optus mobile network reaches there isn’t much difference between us and Telstra,” Optus said in its latest television ad spot.

“In fact it’s less than 1 per cent. But when you compare our sixty-dollar plans and what you could be charged in excess fees if you slip over your talk or data limit the difference becomes much, much, much bigger.”

Telstra does in fact have a reasonable advantage in 4G services at least. Telstra will have about 3,500 4G base stations around the country by the end of the year. Optus will finish 2013 with 1,000 to 1,250 4G stations and Vodafone with 1,000.

Australian financial media outlets report that the ads will run across television and social media.

Optus chief Kevin Russell said in an interview that the company is looking to set itself apart from Telstra, by highlighting the similarities between the two.

Industry analyst Raymond Tong from Goldman Sach said in a recent statement to clients that something of an ad-war may be brewing, if expenditure is anything to go by.

“Telco sector advertising [increased] 29.6 per cent year on year to $32 million... driven by increased marketing in mobiles,” he said.

“This is the highest expenditure since November 2012 ... and the strongest year on year increase since May 2012.”