Vodafone New Zealand's iPhone pricing taking a lot of heat
So we're getting the impression that there are a lot of Kiwis out there who think they're getting a raw deal from Vodafone on the iPhone 3G. That wouldn't totally surprise us -- they know when they've got an exclusive on a hot item, and they're going to try to milk it for everything it's worth -- but with the Rogers fallout rumors flying, Voda might want to tread lightly here.
Anyway, here's out it breaks down: on a maxed-out plan, you get a 16GB iPhone 3G for $349 and pay $250 a month, which nets you 600 anytime minutes, 600 texts, and 1GB of data. That works out to $264 for the phone and $189 for the plan in US currency, so you get a little bit of a break on the phone (AT&T charges $299), but in exchange, you get totally hosed beyond comprehension on the plan. Americans shelling out $149.99 will get unlimited voice, unlimited data, and unlimited texts, for which they'll gladly pay the $35 extra up front we'd imagine -- so yeah, by our voodoo calculations, that's about a raw a deal as any we've seen.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Anyway, here's out it breaks down: on a maxed-out plan, you get a 16GB iPhone 3G for $349 and pay $250 a month, which nets you 600 anytime minutes, 600 texts, and 1GB of data. That works out to $264 for the phone and $189 for the plan in US currency, so you get a little bit of a break on the phone (AT&T charges $299), but in exchange, you get totally hosed beyond comprehension on the plan. Americans shelling out $149.99 will get unlimited voice, unlimited data, and unlimited texts, for which they'll gladly pay the $35 extra up front we'd imagine -- so yeah, by our voodoo calculations, that's about a raw a deal as any we've seen.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]













Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Matt @ Jul 8th 2008 3:18PM
Correction. The unlimited ATT plan is 129.99 a month.
Chris Ziegler @ Jul 8th 2008 3:18PM
Not with unlimited texting added.
Jeff @ Jul 8th 2008 3:34PM
Unlimited Voice: $99.99
Unlimited Data (Personal): $30
Unlimited Text: $20
Total = $149.99
OUCH Vodafone - OUCH.
Let's put this in even more perspective...
AT&T 450 minutes: $39.99, AT&T 900 minutes: $59.99
Unlimited Non-Enterprise Data: $30
Unlimited Text: $20
Total for 450 minutes: $89.99 Total for 900 minutes: $109.99
I wonder what Vodafone's normal data charges are?
roach @ Jul 8th 2008 3:53PM
Quick to own, Chris Ziegler. Love it.
rock99rock @ Jul 8th 2008 3:38PM
Vodafone, the new Rogers
Havanahjoe @ Jul 8th 2008 3:45PM
Mexicans get to pay $78 USD a month for 400 minutes, 200 MB and 200 SMS. They can add an unlimited data option for about $56 more. Total for unlimited data with the highest minute/sms combination available is $133 USD.
The cheapest plan with unlimited data is the $44 USD plan with 200 minutes, 100 MB and 100 SMS plus the $56 USD unlimited data add-on for a whopping $100 a month.
Minimum wage in New Zealand is $8.97 an hour. Mexico's minimum wage is $5.1 USD an hour (in the highest paid zones in the country).
tande @ Jul 8th 2008 5:01PM
Thats a good point.
What are you looking at in general cost of living between NZ and the average US city (ie, not NYC)? Are the incomes between the two vastly different?
You haven't really heard the uproar from NZ that you've heard from Canada (who everyone can agree is getting really screwed). Where as Canada's seems very disportionate to everything else in the country maybe NZ's iPhone plans are right in line with what they pay for other things.
I really don't know. Google seemed to give conflicting info on it.
Dead_Rebel @ Jul 8th 2008 3:56PM
Looks like $39.99/month with Vodafone will net you a whopping 60 AT minutes and 600 SMS.
http://store.vodafone.co.nz/Plan_Details.aspx?PlanID=14
Those poor NZ'rs butt hole's gotta feel violated whenever they get a bill in the mail.
De @ Jul 8th 2008 5:41PM
i think the price of the iphone before the subsidy from the carriers are what are causing the high prices. The carriers are just passing that to their customers
moe @ Jul 8th 2008 7:49PM
there are a number of faults to the complaints lately with rogers and other companies. nobody is offering unlimited tethered data. what is being offered is something called unlimited personal data which is garbage and should be free anyway. all it includes is surfing and possibly email. this accounts for a small amount of kb. tethered data is different and everyone is charging about the same for this raw data. in fact at&t is charging the same as rogers. the actual iphone rate plan is garbage and rogers says in their small print that if you have a data plan already(tethered) you can do away with the plan. the reason apple is mad at rogers is that they are letting the consumer choose to not use the apple plan.
also fido and rogers are lowering their roaming data from 5 cents to 3 cents which no one else that i know of is doing.
Mad Mike @ Jul 8th 2008 7:55PM
Prices on O2 Ireland are quite comparable to Vodafone NZ, but the contract is only 18 months and not 24
On max tariff (all prices converted to US dollars)
16GB phone cost: $202
Monthly Plan: $157
700 minutes, 250 sms, 1GB data
Plan adjusted to try match sms allowance of VF NZ
Monthly Plan: $189
700 minutes, 650 sms, 1GB data
thedisilusioned @ Jul 8th 2008 8:46PM
actually the NZ vodafone charges aren't bad WHEN compared to the amount we usually pay here.... difference is the simultaneous release of the 3G iphone has provided so much publicity it has highlighted just how much we get shafted down under.
..oh and reaction IS bad here as well, we're getting dumped more than Canada and vodafone must be feeling the heat. There's numerous petitions running, forums and its been all over the national new channels and newspapers.
Apple should pull their deal with vodafone and offer them unlocked for a full retail price. Even if you buy the phone without a contract, vodafone has locked them so you have to sign up to a service plan!!! so you pay around $800US and you don't even really own it. Aligning yourself with such a hated company is never a good idea.