Optus has released information on iPhone plan pricing for Australia. There are two options: post-paid and pre-paid.The post-paid option includes what they're calling a "Cap Plan" and a "Yes Plan." The Cap Plan (all prices are Australian dollars) starts at $19 and offers 100MB of mobile internet data and $50 of calls and text, and maxes out at 1GB of data and $1500 of calls for $179.
All Cap Plans include free 20-minute voice calls to other Optus GSM mobiles in Australia (within hourly restrictions), and free 5-minute voice calls to phones on the same account, 24/7.
The Yes Plans start at $19 for 100MB of data and $14 of calls, and maxes out at 1GB of data and $144 of calls for $149. There are several text and rollover options for both.
The pre-paid options offer an 8GB iPhone for $729 and a 16GB phone for $849. These phones can be unlocked free of charge after six months, or for a $60 fee any time before then (including the time of purchase). So, totally unlocked iPhone 3G will be sold in Australia for $789 (the 8GB model) or $929 (16GB).
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-03-2008 @ 11:37AM
Saxon said...
"$1500 of calls for $179."
...what?
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7-03-2008 @ 8:43PM
Karan said...
there's no specification of "free minutes/text" in Australia - you get a certain amount of "cap credit", which includes both calls and text, as well as any other "eligible services", e.g. voicemail.
7-03-2008 @ 11:43AM
Dirk S said...
Find the whole thing confusing. Are we talking US $ or AUS $?
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7-03-2008 @ 11:53AM
SirCrumpet said...
Sine they are within a few cents of each other it makes no real difference (possibly a dollar here or there).
Also worth pointing out that we are still waiting on full details from Telstra, as well as pricing for Vodafone...
7-03-2008 @ 12:59PM
Benjamin said...
Why would an Australian phone company have their prices in USD?
7-03-2008 @ 12:01PM
Daniel Cheung said...
What a horribly written article!
For the time spent on writing that, why not just create a chart like Optus did for their website?
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7-03-2008 @ 12:20PM
Beau said...
and it's $80, not $60.
bleh.
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7-03-2008 @ 8:40PM
karan said...
Yep, if you look at the T&Cs it's got:
"Network Locking: Apple iPhone handsets are locked to the Optus network. An $80 fee applies if network locking is removed within the first 6 months from the activation date. Alternatively, if you recharge to the value of $80, no fee applies."
7-03-2008 @ 1:01PM
Benjamin said...
Telstra do have some details on their website:
http://telstramobile.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/telstramobile.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?p_page=1&p_pv=1.304&p_prods=304&prod_lvl1=304&p_new_search=1
If that link isn't permanent, go to telstra.com, click on the iPhone, then click on the FAQ link.
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7-03-2008 @ 1:54PM
kris said...
Those plans are rape, but damn sweet unlocking options.
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7-03-2008 @ 5:24PM
ekinnee said...
I see there is much less nerd rage over this than the AT&T prices.
Why's that?
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7-03-2008 @ 5:43PM
Dan said...
Down here we have a basic expectation to be completely ripped off with anything regarding mobile phones. So not so much rage, just the disappointing realization of our expectations.
7-03-2008 @ 5:57PM
lee green said...
Telstra will want to fix their data plans.
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7-03-2008 @ 7:14PM
nando said...
With Optus you also get free access to their wifi hotspots..
as well as with Telstra..
Note too that with Optus you can not know how much data u have use! so again forget bout watching YouTube on 3G...
stick to Wifi....at home (where you will rather use a computer!)
or to an Optus wifi hotspot....
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7-03-2008 @ 9:45PM
Andrew Harrison said...
So
$729 + $80 = 8GB unlocked for $809
$849 + $80 = 16GB unlocked for $929
If you're willing to buy it now and wait 6 months, you don't need to pay that $80.
$929 is a LOT of money for a phone... but i'll pay it.
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7-04-2008 @ 2:45AM
Noam said...
Seconding Dan's response to ekinnee, in Oz we know we are going to be ripped off re mobile phone/data prices.
As far as I'm aware telecommunications is the only IT-based service where prices have actually risen.
A while ago Vodafone introduced per second billing for mobile phone calls. Optus and Telstra were forced to follow suit or loose great chunks of their users. Some time later Telstra quietly went back to charging per 30 second blocks and then raised the price to 35 cents per 30 seconds. Optus and everyone else followed. Absolutely hopeless. I only wish that an Australian government had the guts to take the hit and attack the underlying assumption that only Telstra can service the bush/country areas. One day when we're still being charged robber-baron, rent-seeking prices and South Korea is kicking our ass someone in government will wake up to the problem and do something about it. Until then we can only envy everyone else....
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7-04-2008 @ 8:22PM
KittyBaroque said...
Yep, bloody typical!
There is NO WAY I am paying these prices as much as I am BUSTING to have an Iphone!!! Seriously, if I can buy one on Ebay for less - even if it has to be hacked - what's the point!
As always, there will be suckers....Australia is ALWAYS this way thats why we are so huge on the net, we all do our shopping overseas as we are used to getting ripped off otherwise.....
ACK, and I was SOOOOO excited! Might wait a few months and see how it plays out......
KittyB
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