Optus, one of three Australian iPhone carriers, has revealed its plans and pricing for the iPhone 3G. Unlike most other carriers, Optus is offering the iPhone 3G to subscribers on a monthly payment basis, in lieu of taking one large upfront payment for the handset. The company will offer the iPhone 3G with two different lines of contract service plans. The company’s ‘yes’ Cap Plans offer a set amount of data, a credit amount used towards calls and texts which is much higher than the minimum monthly payment, and a national Call Rate of A$0.47 to A$0.35, depending on which Cap Plan the customer selects. Likewise, the monthly payment the customer must pay towards the cost of the iPhone 3G hardware varies based on the plan selected. All texts up to 160 characters cost A$0.25, which is taken out of the credit amount included with the plan. In addition, all ‘yes’ Cap Plans include voicemail, free 20 minutes calls to other Optus GSM mobiles in Australia from 8pm to midnight 7 nights a week, and free 5 minute calls to numbers on the same account.
The A$19 Cap Plan offers 100MB of data, and A$50 of calls and texts per month at a call rate of A$0.47. On a 12-month contract, the 8GB iPhone 3G will cost A$51 per month on the A$19 plan, or A$21 a month on the same plan with a 24-month contract. The 16GB model will cost A$61 a month with the A$19 plan on a 12-month contract, and A$26 a month on a 24-month A$19 plan.
The A$49 Cap Plan provides 250MB of data and A$300 of credit with a call rate of A$0.40. With the A$49 Cap Plan the 8GB iPhone 3G is A$37 a month on a 12-month contract, or A$7 monthly with a 24-month agreement. The 16GB model runs A$47 a month with the A$49 plan on a 12-month contract, and A$12 a month on a 24-month basis. The A$59 Cap Plan comes with 500MB of data and $350 of credit with a call rate of A$0.40. On this plan the 8GB model is A$32 monthly on a 12 month contract or A$2 monthly on a 24-month basis, while the 16GB model is A$42 a month with a 12 month agreement and A$7 monthly with a 24 month contract.
700MB of data and $550 of credit with a call rate of A$0.35 come with the A$79 Cap Plan, which brings the monthly cost of the 8GB iPhone 3G to A$27 on a 12-month contract or free with a 24-month agreement, the monthly charges for the 16GB model are A$37 and A$2, respectively. With the A$89 Cap Plan, which provides 850MB of data and $600 of credit with a A$0.35 call rate, the 8GB model is A$23 and the 16GB model A$33 monthly with a 12-month contract; both are free with a 24-month agreement. These same monthly prices apply to the A$149, and A$179 Cap Plans, which provide 1GB of data and A$1,200 or A$1,500 of credit, respectively.
Optus will also offer the iPhone 3G with ‘yes’ Plans, which are similar in execution to the Cap Plans but offer slightly different benefits, lower monthly credit amounts, generally reduced call rates that cover both national and international calls, and a user-selectable bonus calling offer.
Users may select from free 5 minute calls to five select Optus mobile or landline phones, up to 100 free texts a month, free 20 minutes calls to other Optus mobile phones in Australia, or the ‘yes’ text & talk feature, which drops the call rate to A$0.22 per 30 seconds and texts to A$0.22 per, with the call rate dropping further on plans costing A$39 and above. Automatic benefits of the ‘yes’ plans include rollover of unused credits, contract reduction should the user go over their alloted credits, free 5 minute calls to all numbers on the same account, and an international call cap. All texts are the same as the Cap Plans — A$0.25 per text up to 160 characters.
With the A$19 ‘yes’ plan, users get 100MB of data, A$14 of credit for calls and texts at a call rate of A$0.46. On a 12-month contract with this plan, the 8GB iPhone 3G is A$49 per month, while the 16GB model is A$59 monthly. The 8GB model runs A$19 monthly and the 16GB A$24 monthly with a 24-month contract on the same plan. The A$29 ‘yes’ plan offers 250MB of data and $24 of credit with a call rate of A$0.43. The 8GB iPhone 3G is A$42 and the 16GB A$52 with a 12-month contract on this plan, while a 24-month contract set the monthly prices at A$12 for the 8GB model and A$17 for the 16GB model. The monthly prices of both the 8GB and 16GB iPhone 3G stay constant between the A$39 and A$49 plans, both of which offer 500MB of data, with A$34 credit and a call rate of A$0.33 for the former and A$44 of credit and a call rate of A$0.29 for the latter.
