Although 4G supremacy once was the province of Australia’s 800 pound telcorilla, Telstra, and still remains so when it comes to the sheer size of its 4G coverage, 4G competition is well and truly underway.
Sure, the competition is Optus – and either Optus-owned companies such as Virgin Mobile, or Optus wholesale customers such as iiNet (and its Westnet and Netspace subsidiaries), but with competition has already come more competitive prices – just as you’d expect.
This puts pressure on Telstra to roll out its 4G network ever faster, thus maintaining the premium nature of its network and maintaining the reason why it can legitimately charge higher prices, while giving coverage constrained competitors a chance to undercut on price, while presumably still making a profit.
iiNet, along with its Westnet and Netspace brands, has chosen to go for pricing and contract flexibility with its 4G options on a “range of plans”, headlining its AUD $29.95 and $79.95 plans, with both available on either month-to-month contracts, or 24 month contracts.
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Naturally, given iiNet’s reselling of the Optus 4G network, iiNet’s 4G coverage is available in the Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Newcastle metro areas.
Unsurprisingly, iiNet has also launched two 4G devices – the ii-naming-convention iiNspired “MobiiHotspot 4G”, which is a mobile 4G wi-fi router that works with up to 10 wi-fi capable devices, and the MobiiBroadband 4G, which is a USB 4G modem.
The 4G wi-fi hotspot is available for $229 outright, or costs $49 on a 24-month contract, while the USB 4G modem costs $189 outright, or costs nothing on a 24-month contact.
Steve Harley, who revs and rumbles along presumably appropriately loudly in iiNet’s Chief Product Officer spot, naturally noted that “Both devices are great for travelling professionals and families, allowing them to take their wireless network on the road.”
Naturally, that road will only be running at 4G speeds in 4G coverage areas, and will obviously fall back to 3G speeds when elsewhere.
So, if you feel the need for 4G speed, and live or work in 4G coverage zones, but wished prices were a tad more affordable, iiNet’s new 4G plans may well be the ones to float your wireless boat – while harkening towards an even more affordable 4G future to come.
