Rumour: iPhone to launch in Australia on Optus
We’ve been hanging out for the iPhone for, like, forever! Even though we were told that we wouldn’t be seeing it officially released in Australia until some time this year, the past 12 months have been an agonising wait for Apple’s handset.
And that’s why we’re ready to pounce on this rumour and hope that it’s true — The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that Thailand’s biggest network, AIS, is in negotiations to bring the iPhone to the whole Asian (and Pacific) region. Apparently AIS is working with SingTel and Optus to make our dreams of owning a locked iPhone a reality.
Seeing how AIS is partially owned by SingTel, the company that just happens to own all of Optus, there could be some meat to this rumour. If it is true, though, and if it happens before a 3G iPhone is released, we’re going to be stuck on Optus’s standard 2G network — only Telstra has the 2.5G EDGE network available in Australia.
The other thing is that Telstra have openly stated that they have been in negotiations with Apple to be Australia’s iPhone distributor. So what does it all mean? Essentially that we’re no closer to really knowing when we’ll see the iPhone released in Australia. We just hope it happens soon…
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Comments
I hope Telstra picks it up when the phone goes 3g so regional people can get next g with it
iPhone is only 2G, so no go for NextG with this model. Even when/if a 3G iPhone comes to Australia, I dont believe Telstra will get the contract as Apple’s sales model advocates free data carriage to encourage subscribers to feel free to consume services such as music, movie and 3rd party application downloads.
So we can get charged an arm and a leg for so I get weather updates and surf the net at stupid data download prices.
My only hope is that there is a way to get an external antenna for it cause in regional areas it will be yet another phone that wont cut the mustard.
Its a great idea but the phone will be only as good as the support network and connecting infrastructure. its killer application would be the ability to access email aka blackberry.
Sounds great. I’m already using an unlocked US phone (1.1.2) on Australia’s Optus network and thoroughly enjoying it. I’d go legit if they offered it properly.
Yeah I have an iMate JasJam atm which is pretty good (TomTom + bluetooth GPS unit, heaps of other software & games, Telstra’s decently-speedy nextG, qwerty keyboard) but would seriously consider a 2nd gen 3G version of the iPhone as its replacement, hopefully with GPS as well by then. Needs more 3rd party software support though! The iPhone imo only just finally came up to the level of “a good phone” with the latest firmware update (ie. it can now do basic things like multiple recipient SMSes for example)
better be released on nextg or 3g. I need my iphone now.
Wont be Telstra, they burnt their bridges a while ago