APC Magazine has its hands on “leaked” Telstra plans that – if true – are another disappointment.
The cheapest plan, $35/month, includes just 5MB of data and $25 of calls. It’s not until $119/month that the data allowances hit more than 200MB. On that plan you get 1GB of data, but still just $25 of calls. The telco also slogs you $279 upfront for the 8GB handset and $399 for the 16GB unit.
There’s no fine print, and I suppose the pricing could become competitive if calls are 1c/minute. Telstra’s telling journos full pricing won’t be available until tomorrow.
Here’s hoping the information’s false – though that hasn’t worked for us recently.
Marc
Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 1:10 PMJesus, you’d hope it’s false…compare that to the Hiptop plans, and Telstra wouldn’t come off looking too good at all.
Dylan
Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 1:17 PMThis plans are seriously bullshit. Why aren’t more Australians getting mad about these prices.
Dave
Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 1:21 PMWow! I thought Tel$tra were greedy but this is breathtaking!
Segiy
Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 1:31 PMI called into our local telstra store today to enquire switching or canceling my existing contract (which i did find out runs out in nov, 2-3 months earlier than i thought). When asked what I wanted from the iPhone plan i answered data, they told me there was no change from the normal phone plans and the only “real” included data was hotspots
JayD
Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 1:33 PMI just spoke to a customer rep at Telstra – basically confirmed this leak. Said $30/month plan would include $30 of calls, and $100 plan would include $100 worth of calls! Doesn’t even include data in those prices – you have to add on their incredibly expensive data packs on top. THIS IS INSANE!
I wish we had more time to complain to Apple like they did in Canada when theri carrier tried to rip them off.
Marty
Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 1:43 PMIve got an ipod touch, and it needs to download maps when you use google maps.. are the maps on the memory for the iphone? if not, 5 meg will disappear very quickly.
I dont understand their pricing.. its ridiculous, esp. when 3 offer the usb gsm internet or whatever for $30 for 1 gig of data
Nick
Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 1:48 PMI just spoke with a Telstra person, and while he was pretty much saying he didn’t have any information yet, he DID disclose that on a 24 month $30 plan, the price would be $279 for the 8GB iPhone, and $399 for the 16GB. This matches those figures above, so maybe it’s not far from the truth.
Feels like there’s a smackering of greed coming from Voda & Telstra. There’s no way I’ll ever use Optus again, so I guess I’ll just stick with my RazR & iPod Touch for now.
o
Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 1:56 PMeven telstas coverage isnt gonna get them out of this.Why can they give us a good honest deal like AT&T in the US.Im still going telstra and i have my eye on the telsta yes 39 plan
tim
Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 2:09 PMtelcos = drug dealers and us punters are like crack ho’s!!…. and they know it. It’s a case of picking the lesser evil.
How dare Telstra hold out on full pricing until tomorrow morning!!! I went to T-life (melb) just then and got told they know nothing until Friday. Pricks! I said on Monday I was told on Thursday you would know full pricing details and the bloke just shrugged his shoulders. I asked how many units they are stocking tomorrow and he said “I think about 1,100″ but turn up early to get one.
OMG!! … I don’t wanna be Telstra biatch but me needs a hit of wifi goodness. aaaarrrrrggghhhhhhhh!!! Maybe doing the outright Optus pre-paid is the way to go? Use it for a month for free data, pay $80 to unlock and then pick a carrier? I dunno?
Phil
Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 2:26 PMDear Telstra,
Once our current plans run out, we will move to whoever has the best plans for the iphone, and I will take the whole company with me, voice wise it is ok that you are a bit more expensive than the competitors, but data wise you guys are treating us (your loyal customers) like idiots, from the plans that you released it looks like you’re at least 6 times more expensive than the competitors
Jude
Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 2:38 PMApparently (the local Telstra store manager tells me) the definition of data is different. Optus data includes wifi use, which isn’t so for Telstra. Plus all bigpond offerings are free with Telstra – my email, news, weather, sensis, whereis etc – which is a big component of my surfing. So Telstra pricing doesn’t look too bad – if this is all true.
Marc
Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 2:50 PMI wait to see how the unlocked ones run with a Virgin sum. Their data plans are 100 x better, even if the coverage isn’t all that great.
Rohan
Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 4:03 PMOur business account manager at telstra is taking an order for 2 iphones for my bosses. They were discussing it with him today and with the pricing, he has told them that they should have an $80 plan with a $59 data pack. DATA PACK?? That would be better! This would suggest that the pricing we’re currently seeing is not the way that telstra will structure their pricing. Let’s hope that’s the case!
Josh
Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 6:57 PMThese cant be real Telstra said in there press release on July 30th the lowest plan would be $30 with up front of $279 Exerpt from PR:
“The new 8GB iPhone will be available with Telstra for $279 upfront on a two-year contract at $30 per month, or for free on the carrier’s $80 per month plan.
The 16GB model will be available for $399 on a $30 per month contract or included for free with a $100 per month contract”
If true its bull and I hope that Telstra will wake up and compete and not wound there customers like wounded bulls!!!
yamil
Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 6:58 PMTelco’s treat australians like a farmer treats his cheeps and like the cheeps australians meheeehee!!!!! and don’t do shit. Telstra/vodafone/Optus fuck youuuuuuuuuu.
TheSkorm
Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 7:47 PMA lot of people are jumping up and down about “wifi” data. I don’t care about wifi data, the only wireless data from a phone carriar I see is at MacDonalds. And usually at Maccas, you have phone signal, so you can use the data from your phone anyway.
Telstra is still using it’s whole $150 per gigabyte trick on un supsecting customers. I’m hoping for a nice HipTop like deal for this, but it doesn’t look good.
As for not releasing the plans, it’s a marketing strat. They want you to come into the store, play with a bit and fall in love with, handing over as much cash as you have.
To me the plan looks fairly really, as what they’ve done is got a normal plan, and put it in an iPhone. Normal phone plans have jackshit data. Now why can’t we get a plan like the hiptops?
Craig
Friday, July 11, 2008 at 12:13 AMThese rates and comments disturbing. Tommorrow I’ll organise for our Telstra rep to front up and explain these charges. We have a young team here and they have been calling out for the IPhone. The IPhone I don’t have a problemen with, but not at these rates. Or not through Telstra. The costs cannot be justified. It makes me wonder why we have stuck with Telstra in the first place.
Glenn
Friday, July 11, 2008 at 12:37 AMGet one out right and unlock it yourself. Go virgin $20 + $15 for 1 gig of data. I use that on my first gen iphone. How do these companies get away with this. Don’t by a 3g iphone from them Get one off ebay, anywhere but from these crooks!!!!!!!