The last we heard, Optus had pretty much ditched the entire pre-paid option for iPhone 3G users, unless you went to pick it up from the George street store in Sydney. Now, it looks like you can get your Jesusphone action anywhere again, including Optus's online store. The 8GB model goes for $799 while both coloured 16GB models go for $899. And while there's no mention online about unlocking the handset unless you're on a post-paid plan, tipster readerr0r informs us that his local Optus World informed him that it would cost $120 to unlock regardless of how long you've had the phone. So if you're after some prepaid iPhone action, without the perils of a 24 month contract with Optus, this could be the way to go...

[Optus - Thanks readerr0r!]

If you're a Vodafone prepaid customer, topping up your account each month just got a whole lot easier, with Voda introducing PayPal mobile recharge capabilities. Once you've got a PayPal account, you can recharge your prepaid account directly through the Vodafone Live! portal on your phone. In a bizarre twist, Australia is actually the second country in the world to offer mobile recharging via PayPal after Italy...I know it's not a big thing to get before the rest of the world, but you take what you can get when you're on the arse end of global technology releases like we are...

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One of the main reasons I won't go near prepaid mobile internet options is because I hate not getting what I pay for. I mean, if I buy 1GB worth of data, I should be able to use that 1GB whenever I want, not just within the next 30 days. And although that's unlikely to change with any of the networks in the near future, 3 has just slightly improved the situation by offering pre-paid mobile internet that has a 365 day expiration period.

For $149, you get 12GB of data that you can use any time you wish over the next 12 months. Of course, you'll also have to pick yourself up an internet key ($129) to use the service, but that's not too bad. And if you, unlike me, reckon you could fly through your mobile data within 30 days, there are also a heap of other options for you, which are detailed below the fold...

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The days of being asked whether some dodgy looking stranger can use my mobile to send a text message because they've run out of credit are finally numbered. Optus has today announced their emergency credit service, which will let their prepaid customers borrow $3 worth of credit by texting 'IOU' to 468. The money will automatically be deducted from their account the next time they recharge their account. This is an awesome service, if only because it means I don't have to fear for my life the next time I tell that massive bogan wanting my phone, "no".

[Optus]

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While the vast majority of iPhone customers opt for all-inclusive (but expensive) contracts, those miserly pay as you go customers that depend on the $US20 MEdia Net unlimited data add-on to save money in the long term will be... Read More »

Shockingly, AT&T has discovered that *gasp* people are abusing their unlimited pre-paid data service by tapping into it with their laptops. As a result, the plug is being pulled on the $US19.99/month option starting on November 12th. AT&T will also place a cap on the legitimate laptop DataConnect plan that works out to 5GB a month for $US60. Overages will be billed at $US0.00048 per kilobyte, which translates into a bank account-busting $US480 per gigabyte. However, rumours claim that AT&T will terminate service once a $US100 overage threshold has been reached. [PhoneNews via Engadget Mobile via MobileBurn]

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Need some wireless internet love, but without the hassles of a 24-month contract? Have oodles of money to spend? Then Telstra's got the pre-paid wireless internet solution for you!

The Big T has released its own pre-paid wireless internet solution. For $149 you get yourself that wireless modem you see in the pic above, plus $10 worth of credit. The cost of the actual data varies, ranging from $20 for 150MB to $100 for 6GB.

Credit expires within 30 days. Unless you buy some more credit that is, in which case it carries over to the next month.

We bag Telstra's data pricing (and rightly so), but for some people, the Big T is the only option, especially in outback Australia. So it's good to see them offering pre-paid for those customers who wouldn't necessarily have the coin to sign away two years of their life on wireless data.

[via Lifehacker and Tipster Stuart - Thanks Stuart!]

Before the iPhone launched back in July, Optus made a big deal about the fact that they were offering the phone to pre-paid customers as well as on contract. But now, just two short months later, it seems that Optus have quietly decided to stop selling the iPhone outright for pre-paid customers.

Reader David was told when he went to purchase a pre-paid iPhone from Optus' Ringwood store that "all new iPhones will be on contract". And a quick look at the Optus website shows that any option for pre-paid iPhone pricing has disappeared.

Naturally, we've contacted Optus for some clarification on the issue, and we're still waiting to hear back. While we wait, has anybody else tried to pick up an Optus pre-paid iPhone only to face the bitter taste of rejection?

UPDATE: I've just heard back from Optus - turns out that you can still pick up a pre-paid iPhone 3G, but only from the George street Optus Store in Sydney. Apparently it's got something to do with stock issues, but when asked whether or not it was a permanent change, we got the old "no comment".

We'll keep you updated with any further developments - but if you happen to want a pre-paid iPhone from Optus and you don't live in Sydney, looks like you're out of luck.