Gus over at Lifehacker‘s got the goss on the pricing for Vodafone’s version of the HTC Magic, and it looks like they’ve trumped their new bedfellows 3 with a better valued deal.Voda’s cheapest offering gives you a free handset for just $69 a month over 24 months, including 1GB of data and $400 worth of calls. Three’s best plan with a free phone was $99 a month.
It is important to remember though that each version of the phone has certain advantages over the other, with 3′s version being proper Exchange server integration. I did a quick look for exchange software on the Marketplace with the Vodafone version, and the results didn’t instill too much confidence in the third party options currently available. Whether that’s worth a $30 a month premium though is a matter for each buyer.
[Vodafone via Lifehacker]
Telv
Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at 1:17 PMis 3′s premium worth it?
No. Not when Dataviz’s Roadsync is already in open beta (a free download!)
TFS
Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at 1:46 PMAny word on prepaid/outright pricing from Vodafone?
Nathan
Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at 1:55 PMAren’t Vodaphone and 3 merging? This could mean that 3′s Exchange server integration could be migrated to Vodaphone customers as it’s the better service and any plan you got on Vodaphone or vice versa on 3 will be honored by the new company. Meaning you get Vodaphone pricing at 3 Network and service before the inevitable price rise. Maybe.
Adam
Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at 2:54 PMGrrr, I want this phone so much.
Ryan
Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at 4:09 PMHow come so many people spell vodafone as vodaPHONE…?
Wises
Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 11:58 AMI agree with you there to some extent, instead rather they should be called , MonoPhone or VodaRip, ALong with Monocom or TeleRip.
unfortunately here in NZ these so called service providers think it smart to charge our little islands 200% of what everyone else pays Worldwide.
I personally would like to see Regulations being bought against these Gluttons.
Especially regarding enforced user caps on phone plans and Slashed Termination Fee’s.
by User Caps I mean, that user acciunt holders will be able to specify a monthly limit that they are willing to pay and disclose to whomever the telco glutton is. then we dont get these exuberant BS charges for leaving these Vendors (Telecom).
never again will I go back to these Gluttons.
look forward to the next telco Glutton to join the rather small teleco marketplace.
my 2cents.
Neerav
Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at 5:09 PMGday Nick
in case you didnt see my tweet: you’re linking to http://www.vodafone.com.au/htcmagic instead of to Gus’s Lifehacker story http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2009/06/vodafone-goes-cheap-with-android-htc-magic/