Optus Announces iPhone 3G Pricing in Australia

[MacRumors]

Mobile carrier Optus has announced iPhone 3G pricing and plans in Australia. Optus is offering both pre-paid and traditional post-paid plans.

The pre-paid price for the iPhone is $729 (8GB) and $849 (16GB) and allows you to sign up as needed without need for a long term contract. Pricing appears to start at $30 per "recharge" but without data service. 50MB is included in the $40 Turbo Cap pricing. Full details are available at Optus.

The post-paid pricing appears slightly more confusing (to this U.S. resident), with no upfront phone charge, but a monthly "handset repayment" which ranges from $0/month to $59/month depending on the plan and model of iPhone you get.

"Cap" plans start at $19/month with 100MB of internet data and "$50 of calls and text". Prices go up from there, with the highest price priced at $179/month with 1GB of data and "$1500 of calls and text". Full details are available at Optus.

Article Link

[tbohlsennswssrg]

that's expensive, hope vodafone prepay price is not that expensive


그 자식은 비싸 (F**k that's expensive)

[odedia]

Originally Posted by MacRumors

The post-paid pricing appears slightly more confusing (to this U.S. resident), with no upfront phone charge, but a monthly "handset repayment" which ranges from $0/month to $59/month depending on the plan and model of iPhone you get.
Article Link

It's very simple (this is the same way it works in Israel): Since technically, here, you are not allowed to "obligate" the customer to use your network, the loophole that the phone companies found was to buy the phone in payments - where each month the portion of the price is deducted from your credit card. I know this is not very common thing in the states, but around here this is a very common way to pay for things.

As you talk/use the phone throughout the month, you get refunds on that month's price.

[Chundles]

Sounds pretty good to me.

The outright price is the same, if not less than some other "smart" phones.

$79 per month gets you 700MB and a free phone - that's a good deal folks.

Now for the other two to let the penny drop.

[ezekielrage_99]

I just read it on news.com.au IMHO this sucks, I want a new phone but with prices like this I wont be getting an iPhone.

Stupid Australia having crap Telcos.....

[tbohlsennswssrg]

Originally Posted by Chundles

Now for the other two to let the penny drop.

Here's Telstra's Pricing:

Telstra Australia today on July 1st (from http://iphoneae.com)

Telstra have confirmed that they wil be joining the party on the 11th July and have also announced their pricing plans. The plans start at $30 a month with $279 upfront (279+30×24=$999) for the 8GB and $399 upfront for the 16GB ($1,119). You can also opt for the $80 per month plan and recieve the 8GB iPhone for no upfront cost or $100 per month for the 16GB or 8GB iPhone at no cost. Both plans will also inclde free access to Telstra’s many wireless hotspots (WiFi) around Aus. Telstra has the largest 3G network in Australia and is sure to be very tempting for many.

[retroneo]

$80 for the unlock code, or spend $80 with them and it's free.

[DGaio]

Well, there goes the "$199 tops" worldwide Jobs was aming at. *sigh*

[tbohlsennswssrg]

Originally Posted by retroneo

$80 for the unlock code, or spend $80 with them and it's free.

or unlock it yourself for free

[lorinserbenz]

thats some serious iAnal raping.

[rstretch]

actually i think this is great. if you're prepared to pay the money, you can spend $80 more and have the iPhone OFFICIALLY unlocked and able to be used on any network in the world. no more having to wait for a new hack every time there is a software update. I'm very pleased, I wouldn't have been able to buy it otherwise.

[Merry Mat]

Originally Posted by DGaio

Well, there goes the "$199 tops" worldwide Jobs was aming at. *sigh*

God dagnabit i love it when so beautiful such as a AUS$210 iPhone 3G gets eaten into a $1000+ Abomination.

[adamerr]

i dont think the prices are that bad.
i mean, im going onto pre-paid, so maybe the plans arent what everyone hoped for...

being on pre-paid gives me the chance to upgrade (probs next year) at the release of a better model...

im not really complaining...

[dolbinau]

Originally Posted by Merry Mat

God dagnabit i love it when so beautiful such as a AUS$210 iPhone 3G gets eaten into a $1000+ Abomination.

Guys, Jobs' statement was only meant to refer to the subsidised cost of iPhones. The Prepaid phones are obviously going to be very expensive.

I personally find the post paid/plan pricing very good considering Australian standards.

[noservice2001]

Voda?

[AlBDamned]

Originally Posted by rstretch

actually i think this is great. if you're prepared to pay the money, you can spend $80 more and have the iPhone OFFICIALLY unlocked and able to be used on any network in the world. no more having to wait for a new hack every time there is a software update. I'm very pleased, I wouldn't have been able to buy it otherwise.

But that's AU$809 for an unlocked phone so it is quite expensive. Pending US pre-paid prices I think there's still going to be a grey import market for these once the iphone dev team unlocks it.

As an actual handset it's really a lot of money when you consider the orginal was selling for US$399 and it's made of nicer materials. It's either a contract or big outlay to get your hands on one in the first place.

[katewes]

Don't get so excited just yet ... you people who think you can get an iPone for $80.

In Australia, when you sign up for a $80p.mth plan, you undertake to pay that $80 monthly over a period, say, 2 years.

If you terminate the contract before 2 years, the Telco makes you pay out the rest of the contract, i.e. $80 x however many months remain on the contract.

These guys are out to gouge your wallet, so they've covered all angles.

The Telco in Australia, with good rates -- 3 Mobile -- apparently is not being given the iPone from Apple. Even their online petition to get the iPone has not succeeded in budging Apple.

I'm just sticking with my mobile broadband plan where I can use my MacBook Pro online anywhere. It is silly to pay all that money to surf the net on a tiny screen. It is nothing but techno-lust.

[AlBDamned]

Originally Posted by katewes

I'm just sticking with my mobile broadband plan where I can use my MacBook Pro online anywhere. It is silly to pay all that money to surf the net on a tiny screen. It is nothing but techno-lust.

To be honest that sounds like it was from someone who has never used one. Last time I checked I couldn't fit a MacBook Pro in my pocket.

[iMii]

Woo!
$850.00 for 16GB, yes, this may seem like a heavy price, but im not complaining, its less then most smartphones outhere. the N95 is still over 1000 to buy (last time i checked, but i may be wrong)...
Pre paid is going to be perfect for me as im a student, and its just better. Obviously ill be keen to see what telstra and vodaphone deliever (and if they do it on prepaid) and 80$ to unlock or spen 80 with them sounds pretty good to me...
So, i have a question, for all thoes who read the fine print. on the optus prepaid site, look down the bottom... and you will see this
"Downloading Music to your Apple iPhone: To download music to your Apple iPhone you will require iTunes with a broadband connection."
Just what does that mean? you can't download on the phone? umm, what!
And all is good for the free internet until the 31st, but is there a catch? do you have to be in 3G area? or can you be anywhere and still recieve this nice little treat? if anyone can answer, it would be very appreciated

[Sub Minimal]

I'm just excited that there will be pre-paid options.

Reckon this means you'd be able to get a 'grey' import cheap-ish then jump on a pre-paid Optus or whoever's plan?
Sorry if this question sounds unthought out and n00bish, admittedly it is ... Happy to hear the opinions of more informed techsperts

[Kace]

Originally Posted by DGaio

Well, there goes the "$199 tops" worldwide Jobs was aming at. *sigh*

dont know why people dont like this...

if youre in australia and use blackberry or something equivalent... the prices are pretty competitive

for example,
i currently pay A$79 + A$20 a month for the pearl + unlimited email and get $550 worth of calls
with the i phone you get $550 worth of calls + 700MB data

yes the blackberry came with unlimited data. but with an edge connection it was useless (besides being used for email)
thats pretty good. plus you get the 8Gb for free or 16GB for an addl $2.... if you jump up to the $89 plan both phones are free.
thats much better i reckon... its more competitive than what i got for the blackberry...

also, in terms of the prepaid pricing, again i reckon its great. i see people paying A$1000+ for a N/E series handset only to end up using it for a prepaid account, thus not using the data features of those high end phones....
so A$859 for a 16GB iPhone with close to 1GB of data a month (depending on the plan) is great.

so far so good down here....


update: plus we get free wifi on optus - thats great for those of us who work in the city

[dolbinau]

Optus are probably offering iPhones at one of the lowest costs in the wold. This doesn't take into consideration value of money of the plan, of course, but still.

For the minimum plans on each carrier

$38 AUD over 24 months = $877.260 USD for 8GB on Optus

$199 Upfront + $36 activation fee + $70 over 24 months plan = $1915 USD on AT&T

[blouis79]

I was hoping for an insanely great product strategy... based on the announcement of affordable prepaid phones and parts analysis suggesting iphone could be <USD300.
http://gizmodo.com/5019362/iphone-3g...-says-estimate

Apple could sell insanely cheap iphone, flood the market, kill off all the competition (phones, PDAs, GPS) and make money from Apps and iTunes and still make money on huge volumes of iPhones.

Instead we get a lot of media hype and a market full of competitors for 3G phones.

Perhaps Steve should re-read the Walkman product strategy.....sell cheap, sell lots.

[batchtaster]

Originally Posted by AlBDamned

But that's AU$809 for an unlocked phone so it is quite expensive.

My Nokia 7710 was about the same amount, 3 years ago.

If I can pay $80 to actually, truly own it, and not just "own"/lease/[insert other imaginary name cooked up by the telcos], then I'm prepared to do the full outright, unlocked purchase and be done with it.

[4np]

Handset Locking: The Apple iPhone 3G is locked to the Optus network. Optus can only unlock iPhones purchased from an Optus outlet within Australia. For Mobile Account customers only who wish to use their iPhone on another network, please call Optus on 133 713.

Hm, so Optus allows you to buy a locked pre-paid iPhone, and then let you unlock it in their store? What's the catch?

However, while this is a brilliant device, I'm thinking of waiting for a 32Gb version. I currently own the 32Gb iPod Touch and I would like to replace this and my N73 with the iPhone to get an all in one device, and I don't like to downgrade to 16Gb