Carriers hampering iPhone 3G with stingy data plans

Stephen Withers
Thursday, 10 July 2008 09:45

Your IT - Mobility

3's minimum plan is a $29 cap, which could give you 55 three minute calls or 600 texts. Add on 1G of data for $15, and you're saving around $55 on Optus's nearest equivalent. Sounds good? The catch is that over 24 months, that comes to $2249 including the 16G iPhone itself, compared with $2376 from Optus. The difference is only $1.22 a week, and even that doesn't take into consideration the need to pay for the handset upfront rather than over the life of the contract.

But if Apple allowed 3 to sell the iPhone in Australia as it does in some other countries, we might see some deals that would set the cat among the pigeons.

Admittedly, 3's relatively limited coverage means it isn't for everyone, but its data prices are very attractive for those who rarely venture outside Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth or Canberra. Though you'd need to be very wary of data charges incurred if you roam onto Telstra's GSM network.

But what really seems strange to some is that it appears that Apple Australia won't be selling the iPhone 3G itself: the relevant web page directs potential buyers to the Optus, Telstra or Vodafone sites.

You might have thought Apple could have sold the phone with the buyer's choice of plans from any of the carriers, but maybe the logistics of that were just too difficult. And we suspect the Trade Practices Act issues that we've canvassed in the past played a part in the company's decision.

Correction: On the morning that it went on sale, Apple Australia announced that the iPhone 3G would be available at the Apple Store in Sydney, with the choice of Optus, Telstra or Vodafone contracts.

So to sum up: bad form, Telstra, Optus and Vodafone - we want more data and we want it at the affordable prices 3 has shown are possible.