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The iPhone 3GS has hit Australian shelves and network providers are scrambling to lock in as many new smartphone customers as they can.
Four Australian carriers – Optus, Vodafone, Telstra and Virgin Mobile – are already offering the long-awaited 3GS and a fifth company , 3 Mobile, is soon to join them.
Each carrier is offering several “$0 upfront” plans and you can also purchase a 3GS handset outright from Vodafone or from an Apple store.
At the top of the new phone range is the 32GB 3GS.
You can pick up this model for “$0 upfront” several ways.
Optus will charge you $99 a month for unlimited calls and 1.5GB of included data on a 24 month contract.
Vodafone will charge you $114 a month for unlimited calls and 2GB of included data on a 24 month contract.
Telstra will charge you $150 a month for $1500 worth of calls and 150MB of included data on a 24-month contract.
The next model to consider is the 16GB 3GS.
Optus is offering a $79 per month plan that includes $1250 of calls and 1GB of data on a 24 month contract.
Vodafone will set you back $69 a month for $400 of calls and 1GB of data on a 24-month contract.
Over at Telstra, you need to pay $100 a month for $90 of included calls and no data allowance on a 24-month contract.
If you don’t want to pay the higher prices for the 3GS model, you could pick up the original 8G 3G model at a lesser cost.
Optus and Vodafone offer basically identical plans here. $59 per month for $350 included calls and 500MB data.
Telstra will charge you $60 per month for $50 included calls and no data.
Another option is to bypass the contract plans completely and buy your own handset outright.
The only two ways to do this at the moment are through Vodafone and Apple directly.
Apple is the cheapest, offering the 32GB 3GS at $1040 and the 16GB version for $879.
Vodafone will sell you a 32GB handset for $1129 and a 16GB model for $929.
As you can see, the iPhone market has changed with the introduction of the 3GS. But it is not yet clear if these plans will become cheaper in the short term or over a longer period.
Many consumers miscalculate the monthly cost of using their iPhone, thanks largely to the cost of buying apps and the costs of using data.
It is probably a good idea to wait until 3 Mobile releases its plans before committing to a contract.
The new carrier might be able to offer a cheaper or better all-round deal than the current options.
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