The Government has offered Australia's three mobile operators, and vividwireless, renewal of their existing spectrum allocated on 15 year licences in the late 90s and early 2000s at set prices, while the Government expects to rake in $3 billion.
At least the data charges don’t seem to be
excessive – Optus is charging AUD $0.35 per additional, over cap
megabyte, while Vodafone is only charging NZ $0.10 per additional
megabyte on its first two plans, and only $0.03 per megabyte on the
most expensive plan.
Still compared with the Optus plans, the Vodafone NZ plans seem much more expensive.
For example, the cheapest Vodafone plan starts at NZ $80, which is around $63 in Australia.
You get 250MB download, 120 minutes of calls and 600 text messages.
You’ll pay NZ $549 or AUD $432 for the 8GB iPhone, or for the 16GB
model, NZ $699 or AUD $551
Optus’ $59 cap plan gives you 500MB data, $350 of calls, text and more,
with calls charged at 40c per 30 seconds, and a 35c flagfall and SMS
messages charged at 25c each from the cap.
Optus spreads the cost of the iPhone 3G over the term of your plan, not requiring any upfront payment.
This works out for the 8GB iPhone at $32pm over 12 months, or $2pm over
24 months. The 16GB model $42pm over 12 months or $7pm or 24 months.
In round figures this means an 8GB iPhone will cost AUD $384 over 12
months or $48 over 24 months, while the 16GB iPhone will cost $504 over
12 months or $168 over 24 months.
So here, the Optus iPhone looks like a much better deal!
Look at Vodafone’s most expensive monthly plan for NZ $250, (AUD $197)
which gives you 1GB of download, 600 minutes of voice and 600 text
messages. The iPhone 8GB will cost you NZ $199 or AUD $156, while the
16GB model costs NZ $349 or AUD $275.
Compare this with Optus’ most expensive cap at AUD $179 cap plan which
also gives you with 1GB data, but $1500 of calls, text and more, with
calls charged at 35c per 30 seconds, a 35c flagfall and SMS messages
charged at 25c each.
The 8GB iPhone is $23 pm over 12 months for a total of AUD $276, but if
you sign up to a two year plan, the iPhone is free. For the 16B iPhone,
you pay $33 pm over 12 months for a total of $396 but over a 24 month
plan the iPhone 3G is free!
I can only hope these Vodafone NZ plans aren’t replicated in Australia – or are simply much, much cheaper!
What do you think? Are New Zealanders being ripped off by Vodafone NZ?
David Bass
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