Andrew Colley | July 03, 2008
OPTUS has unveiled its pricing plans for the new 3G iPhone to be released later this month.
The carrier is offering an 8GB version of the iPhone to customers with no upfront cost if they are prepared to commit to spending $79 per month over two years. Under the same pricing plans, a 16GB version of the handset will cost an extra $2 dollars per month.Customers that wish to purchase the phone to use on Optus' pre-paid network will pay $729 for a black 8GB iPhone or $849 for a handset with 16GB of storage.
Optus would not be making an 8GB version of the handset available in white.
Customers would also be able to commit to shorter contracts if they were prepared to pay additional monthly handset repayments.
For example, customers who sign up for a $49 pricing plan over a year can expect to pay $37 per month and 47 per month to cover the cost of an 8GB and a 16GB handset respectively.
All iPhone handsets are fully subsidised for customers who chose a pricing plans based on a 24 month contract that require a minimum monthly spend in excess of $89.
The basic $79 plan included $550 worth of calls and 700MB worth of mobile data usage, Optus said.
Optus is offering a $179 plan aimed at high-usage customers which includes $1500 worth of calls and texts, and 1GB of data.
Under both plans, calls are charged at 35 cents per 30 seconds and text messages are 25 cents each.
“Optus iPhone 3G pricing plans focus on giving our customers free data. Post-Paid customers receive free data for the first month from connection if they connect before 31 August 2008, and Pre-Paid customers receive free data until the end of August – allowing them to completely immerse themselves in the features and functionality of the device," Mr Smith said.
Telstra and Vodafone will also carry the iPhone from June 11, but neither carrier had detailed pricing plans available at publication time.