Aus iPhone Rate Plans?

[nathanbookpro]

Anyone in Australia willing to speculate on the plans you think will be available? and especially the price points?

My guess is that the iPhone will be available in stores, and from phone carrier shops..

I'm thinking something like $79/m for unlimited data/internet/email, and then from there, there is a few different avenues that are possibilities in regards to sms and calls.

They could go with unlimited sms as well, or say 200 inc per month (or similar, as seen with at&t in the states) + a certain amount of calls inc.

Or, from there it could be similar to the current Cap Plans that most mobile telcos have, so a $79/m Cap may have say $300 worth of inc calls and sms. I highly doubt that it would inc as much calls and sms as a typical $79 cap would considering the included data.

Its going to be interesting to see just what the offerings will be, however im hoping to see a suitable plan for me at around a $50 price point, although i doubt that will happen. I dont think i will be able to afford anymore than a $79 plan.

 

[sassenach74]

I think in general, most iPhone plans tend to be a set price for something like 600 mins calls, 500 text, unlimited data (which includes web browsing, emails etc etc)
I know o2 in the UK has a three tier system, obviously the more you pay the more mins and texts you get per month.

As for what those prices may be in Aus, I have no idea but I would suspect they would be close if not the same as UK/US prices. As the iPhone (v1) was never released in Aus it's hard to gauge what the prices may be.

Hope that's of some help, if not then atleast I tried

p.s I know you asked for replies from ppl in Aus, but any info is a bonus right?

 

[DoFoT9]

I think in general, most iPhone plans tend to be a set price for something like 600 mins calls, 500 text, unlimited data (which includes web browsing, emails etc etc)
I know o2 in the UK has a three tier system, obviously the more you pay the more mins and texts you get per month.

As for what those prices may be in Aus, I have no idea but I would suspect they would be close if not the same as UK/US prices. As the iPhone (v1) was never released in Aus it's hard to gauge what the prices may be.

Hope that's of some help, if not then atleast I tried

p.s I know you asked for replies from ppl in Aus, but any info is a bonus right?

australia doesnt get free internet lol...

ie. no unlimited data!

 

[Chundles]

Won't be unlimited data - no way in hell. No telco has an unlimited/flat rate data plan here and the prices are ultra-expensive for even the smallest amounts (5MB).

We don't have "minutes" as units in the plans, just "worth of calls" with all calls costing a certain amount (but the same amount regardless of where you are calling, bar international) only outgoing calls are charged to you - you do not pay for incoming calls. So a $50 per month plan would generally include $50 worth of calls and SMS etc but data is extra and exxy.

I really want to see what they do with the plans here, knowing our telcos they will be expensive and the opposite of forward-thinking.

I'd rather grab an unlocked phone and get a pre-paid SIM so I can control my spending. If it's like any other phone here I should be able to buy an unlocked one, albeit for a higher price than a subsidised and locked version from one of the telcos.

 

[DoFoT9]

Won't be unlimited data - no way in hell. No telco has an unlimited/flat rate data plan here and the prices are ultra-expensive for even the smallest amounts (5MB).

We don't have "minutes" as units in the plans, just "worth of calls" with all calls costing a certain amount (but the same amount regardless of where you are calling, bar international) only outgoing calls are charged to you - you do not pay for incoming calls. So a $50 per month plan would generally include $50 worth of calls and SMS etc but data is extra and exxy.

I really want to see what they do with the plans here, knowing our telcos they will be expensive and the opposite of forward-thinking.

I'd rather grab an unlocked phone and get a pre-paid SIM so I can control my spending. If it's like any other phone here I should be able to buy an unlocked one, albeit for a higher price than a subsidised and locked version from one of the telcos.

exactly my thoughts, i am an optus customer, so i will just buy an unlocked version somehow. make it worth my while.

 

[nathanbookpro]

Won't be unlimited data - no way in hell. No telco has an unlimited/flat rate data plan here and the prices are ultra-expensive for even the smallest amounts (5MB).

We don't have "minutes" as units in the plans, just "worth of calls" with all calls costing a certain amount (but the same amount regardless of where you are calling, bar international) only outgoing calls are charged to you - you do not pay for incoming calls. So a $50 per month plan would generally include $50 worth of calls and SMS etc but data is extra and exxy.

I really want to see what they do with the plans here, knowing our telcos they will be expensive and the opposite of forward-thinking.

I'd rather grab an unlocked phone and get a pre-paid SIM so I can control my spending. If it's like any other phone here I should be able to buy an unlocked one, albeit for a higher price than a subsidised and locked version from one of the telcos.

Actually generally here the plans are moving towards caps, where i pay $29/m for $120 worth of calls and sms. Also, Telstra have the HipTop (sidekick) on a plan that includes unlimted web browsing and email, msn etc. Thats why I have provided my estimate based on these facts.

Also like to add that I cam to the conclusion of a $79 price point due to 3 factors:

- telstra provides hiptop data plan for $30 (and we all know theyre a rip off)
- add say a $49 cap to that
- and, this is feasible because the price of the phone will not be subsidized into the plan like 99% of the post paid mobile phone plans in Australia.

 

[nathanbookpro]

Nobody else have any ideas?

 

[DoFoT9]

Nobody else have any ideas?

i dont think they will include a cap.

both optus nor vodafone are going to include caps just for the iphone, they are going to use pre-existing plans... (IMHO).

 

[onlycopunk]

I was going to say there's no way Vodafone is going to give unlimited data. If they did it would be like $100 a month. Although the laptop attachments are fairly reasonable, so maybe so much so much data a month. But really how much data could you use on a phone? It's not like you'd be downloading anything.

I'd love a data cap plan though.

 

[Chundles]

Actually generally here the plans are moving towards caps, where i pay $29/m for $120 worth of calls and sms. Also, Telstra have the HipTop (sidekick) on a plan that includes unlimted web browsing and email, msn etc. Thats why I have provided my estimate based on these facts.

Also like to add that I cam to the conclusion of a $79 price point due to 3 factors:

- telstra provides hiptop data plan for $30 (and we all know theyre a rip off)
- add say a $49 cap to that
- and, this is feasible because the price of the phone will not be subsidized into the plan like 99% of the post paid mobile phone plans in Australia.

A cap plan is simply a dressed up pre-pay plan. You're not getting $120 worth of calls, they simply charge you less but don't tell you. They can charge whatever they want for the calls and SMS and stuff.

It wouldn't surprise me to see cap plans on the iPhone at all but there's no point pretending that a cap plan is something amazingly different to a standard pre-pay plan.

 

[nathanbookpro]

A cap plan is simply a dressed up pre-pay plan. You're not getting $120 worth of calls, they simply charge you less but don't tell you. They can charge whatever they want for the calls and SMS and stuff.

It wouldn't surprise me to see cap plans on the iPhone at all but there's no point pretending that a cap plan is something amazingly different to a standard pre-pay plan.

Actually, you ARE recieving that amount worth of calls/sms, because each SMS still costs 25c, its not charged at a lower rate. I know this because I am with 3 and i can track what ive spent as i spend it, so after I send 3 sms, its shows ive spent 75c. Even though it may not cost voda/telstra/optus that for each message, a consumer still needs to pay that much, so value wise, you are still recieving $120 <i>worth</i> (in consumer costs price sense) of calls and sms.

Also, I'm not pretending at all that it is much different to a pre-paid plan, i was one before my post-paid plan.

 

[Chundles]

Actually, you ARE recieving that amount worth of calls/sms, because each SMS still costs 25c, its not charged at a lower rate. I know this because I am with 3 and i can track what ive spent as i spend it, so after I send 3 sms, its shows ive spent 75c. Even though it may not cost voda/telstra/optus that for each message, a consumer still needs to pay that much, so value wise, you are still recieving $120 <i>worth</i> (in consumer costs price sense) of calls and sms.

Also, I'm not pretending at all that it is much different to a pre-paid plan, i was one before my post-paid plan.

Yeah - it shows you've spent 75c. 3 will simply run it through at a lower rate.

 

[nathanbookpro]

I was going to say there's no way Vodafone is going to give unlimited data. If they did it would be like $100 a month. Although the laptop attachments are fairly reasonable, so maybe so much so much data a month. But really how much data could you use on a phone? It's not like you'd be downloading anything.

I'd love a data cap plan though.

I dont know about vodafone, but optus provides a reasonable plan with the blackberry ($79 with unlimited email & internet, and $300 worth of calls/sms) and telstra with the hiptop ($30 for unlimted sms/email/internet). So I cant see why something comparable couldnt be available for the iPhone.

Optus: Blackberry Pricing/Plan
&
Telstra: Hip Top Pricing/Plan

 

[nathanbookpro]

Yeah - it shows you've spent 75c. 3 will simply run it through at a lower rate.

But that still provides you with the same value. Monetary value is not important, what is important is the utlity you recieve, and thats what you are essentially getting, because thats the cost anywhere else or on another plan/cap/whatever.

 

[DoFoT9]

I dont know about vodafone, but optus provides a reasonable plan with the blackberry ($79 with unlimited email & internet, and $300 worth of calls/sms) and telstra with the hiptop ($30 for unlimted sms/email/internet). So I cant see why something comparable couldnt be available for the iPhone.

Optus: Blackberry Pricing/Plan
&
Telstra: Hip Top Pricing/Plan

telstra isnt bringing the iPhone out to australia, we do not need to look at its god-forsaken-yuckness.

i did not know that optus offered a cap-type plan. however something seems fishy, is it really unlimited free data??

edit\: its gonna be a RIP off under a plan, im gonna stay with prepaid

 

[nathanbookpro]

telstra isnt bringing the iPhone out to australia, we do not need to look at its god-forsaken-yuckness.

i did not know that optus offered a cap-type plan. however something seems fishy, is it really unlimited free data??

edit\: its gonna be a RIP off under a plan, im gonna stay with prepaid

The only reason i bring up telstra is because it shows that even such a dissapointing and RIP OFF of a company has a reasonable plan in this case. Also, yes it is unlimited, and I think it is quite a good price considering the calls included. A colleague of mine has one, and would be classed a heavy user, especially in a mobile sense, and has never paid any excess usage charges.

Pre paid is a good idea, especially with the great cap deals out at the moment, however, a big reason I want this phone is for the internet/email/possibly IM functions, and i doubt pre-paid would provide a good value for money option with the amount of usage I want from them.

 

[DoFoT9]

The only reason i bring up telstra is because it shows that even such a dissapointing and RIP OFF of a company has a reasonable plan in this case. Also, yes it is unlimited, and I think it is quite a good price considering the calls included. A colleague of mine has one, and would be classed a heavy user, especially in a mobile sense, and has never paid any excess usage charges.

Pre paid is a good idea, especially with the great cap deals out at the moment, however, a big reason I want this phone is for the internet/email/possibly IM functions, and i doubt pre-paid would provide a good value for money option with the amount of usage I want from them.

i must agree somewhat, telstra is fairly good in their mobile plans if you can afford it (plans over say... $50 a month)

optus is a bit of a dog with that, i looked at the blackberry and i found the unlimited plan. but it said something about "unlimited up to the allocate amount" or something similar, that tends to mean to me that there is a cap. however, i could not find this limit in the fine print.

pre paid is good for lots of texting, phoning (i am a heavy texter and would be a heavy internet user if i had a good mobile). turbo charge is especially good when you use it up in a month i get about $300 for $50 recharges, which i use all of it.

im thinking that i might have to go to a plan if i wish to get the unlimited when the iphone comes out, but i will probably still use my computer at uni for internet as opposed to iphone. i would only use wifi net on iphone at home wandering around the house.

anyways...

 

[DENZIE]

I think another thing to factor in is that you'll have to pay for the phone first and then the contract/cap/prepaid amounts later.

whereas most other phones when you buy them on a contract/cap are free.

 

[DoFoT9]

I think another thing to factor in is that you'll have to pay for the phone first and then the contract/cap/prepaid amounts later.

whereas most other phones when you buy them on a contract/cap are free.

because apple needs their profits, he speaks the truth!

 

[nathanbookpro]

i must agree somewhat, telstra is fairly good in their mobile plans if you can afford it (plans over say... $50 a month)

optus is a bit of a dog with that, i looked at the blackberry and i found the unlimited plan. but it said something about "unlimited up to the allocate amount" or something similar, that tends to mean to me that there is a cap. however, i could not find this limit in the fine print.

pre paid is good for lots of texting, phoning (i am a heavy texter and would be a heavy internet user if i had a good mobile). turbo charge is especially good when you use it up in a month i get about $300 for $50 recharges, which i use all of it.

im thinking that i might have to go to a plan if i wish to get the unlimited when the iphone comes out, but i will probably still use my computer at uni for internet as opposed to iphone. i would only use wifi net on iphone at home wandering around the house.

anyways...

Im certainly in the same boat with you in a lot of things.
I was on the turbocharge, but $29, and it was quite good. And I also am a heavy texter, not so much calls.. and definitely internet if I had the iPhone, but I think I would use it at uni over my mbp, when just wanting to browse and not work.

And that allocted amount im sure is the "fair use policy" amount, which is so high you would never reach it. But it could also be marked there because there are some other data plans for the blackberry you can sign up for, so it is actually accounting for that.