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.
A $99 plan from Optus includes a 32G iPhone 3GS, unlimited national calls and SMS, and 1.5G of data. If you want 3G of data, you'll need the $129 plan.
You can be excused for thinking that carriers design their plans to prevent direct comparisons.
3 does make allowance for existing customers that want an iPhone on their existing plan and without having to wait for the current contract to expire.
For people in that situation, iPhone instalments (all per month over 24 months) are $35 for the 8G iPhone 3G, $40 for the 16G iPhone 3GS, and $45 for the 32G model.
That comes to $840, $960, or $1080. Rather more than buying direct from Apple, though this deal does include 1G of data per month, apparently on top of whatever your current plan provides.
Prefer prepaid?
3 offers the 8G iPhone 3G for $759, the 16G 3GS for $929, or the 32G 3GS for $1129. These are all locked, with a $199 unlocking fee.
Given that you can buy unlocked iPhones directly from Apple for $719, $A879 or $A1040, you have to ask why anyone would buy one from 3, especially when a 3 prepaid SIM only costs $2.95 if you buy it online.
Anyway, 3's $29 prepaid cap provides up to $150 of calls and up to 150M of data within 3 broadband zones. Or you can have $350 of calls and 500M for $49, $650 and 1G for $69, or $1000 and 2G for $99.
These plans also include varying amounts of free calls (180-2500 minutes) to other 3 users providing you're within the broadband zones.
The iPhone 3GS went on sale in Australia on June 26.
David Bass
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