Update 2: A helpful Geekzone user has created this chart of total ownership cost on the various plans:
Original Post:
Vodafone NZ seems to be last off the block in announcing pricing for the iPhone, which is strange given that they will be the first in the world to be selling them. The frustration has led to furious debate, fueled by lack of information from Vodafone.
So today, less than one week out from release, Vodafone releases a tiny bit of information:
- Yes there will be a midnight (NZST) release
- The iPhone will “start from” NZ$199 (about US$150)
Given the lack of plan pricing, I think we can be rightly skeptical about the $199 price point. Vodafone sells the Nokia N95 off-plan for about NZ$1200, so they are not adverse to charging crazy prices. My bet is that the price of a plan required to subsidise the iPhone down to $199 will be in the order of $200 per month.
More tomorrow at 10am.
who the hell can afford $250/month for a phone?
Take a closer look at the VF site and you’ll see that you can buy the iPhone 3G WITHOUT CONTRACT for $979 (8GB) or $1129 (16GB). At current rates that’s around US$770 for an 8GB phone – pretty much what was expected for a no-contract buy.
From what i can see it’s not possible to buy the iphone WITHOUT CONTRACT….. from vodafone help….
Question
I am a Vodafone Prepay customers ? can I get iPhone 3G on Prepay
Answer
No, iPhone will not be available on Prepay.
You need to have subscribed to either an iPhone plan or alternatively a standard On account plan (You Choose, talkZone, or Corporate) with a compatible Broadband plan for mobiles.
so I’m not too sure what the whole ‘handset only’ price is all about??