Reponding to your questions about the iPhone pricing

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#145744 9-Jul-2008 21:29

While I don't think there is any disputing the plans are good value compared to exisitng VFNZ On Account plans, I think Vodafone have set the price point too high in this case, and effectively priced themselves out of their target market.

Sbiddle was right on the money when he said "Vodafone still don't understand the data business. Period." This was an excellent opportunity for Vodafone to hook thousands of interested customers into a data plan, however at $80/m minimum the iPhone is only going to be in the pockets of Geeks and Fan-Boys (And Girls).

The smart will buy one outright (And c'mon guys, they are pretty well priced - Look what an N95 cost at launch) and choose a plan that is better suited to their needs (And not what Vodafone thinks their needs are).

MattD

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#145747 9-Jul-2008 21:32

DAMOKOSH: Awesome thanks for clearing that up! Great! if I could only set up a wifi hotspot at my house I could be able to surf for free wouldn't I

Now that's a fairly low cost to setup... and plenty of geeks here to help you.. in a different section.

DAMOKOSH

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#145749 9-Jul-2008 21:33

Yeah I'm a iphone virgin however I couldn't be more excited Ive come to love apple products, OUTright for sure! iPHONE RELEASE TOMMOROW EVERYONE :)

DAMOKOSH

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#145760 9-Jul-2008 21:41

MattD:
DAMOKOSH: Awesome thanks for clearing that up! Great! if I could only set up a wifi hotspot at my house I could be able to surf for free wouldn't I
Now that's a fairly low cost to setup... and plenty of geeks here to help you.. in a different section.

:) I've just done my homework and looked up a few wireless routers on trademe netgears sparked the most interest for me, at only $99 too!

MattD

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#145796 9-Jul-2008 22:22

Kitanai: Pathetic.
If you guys had let me go on a $19 You Choose no term with the $1/month casual data I would be in line for a full price 16GB right now.

I don't undertand the obsession for the current casual data offering!

$1 10MB reset daily... over that it's $1 per MB

by the time you realise the first day blunder you have probably spent $15

30MB and you are already up for $21.. that's nearly the cost of a 200MB plan

Full page browsing on iPhone will gulp megabytes and has already been stated that googlemaps is a hog.

Unless you restrict email, and use mobile specific web apps... you are at risk of huge bill shock.

In comparison with the plans you can get 200MB for $30 at anytime in the month, or $50 for 1GB at anytime in the much

agree these are still EXPENSIVE, but nowhere near as expensive as the $1/day plan.

1GB would be $1024 on this plan.. and $754 if spread over 30days

It would be irresponsible to let users loose on casual with this type of device and then comeback with complaints in first month

KurstenShalfoon: To ensure that a customer gets the best out of this and is in control of their costs a data bundle approach was taken.

Not defending VF as I think the data aspects are outrageous and out of touch with their customers' needs, however put a pragmatic view on what is suggested.

edit: blah copy paste has auto html inserting ; background-color: #ffffff

JoeBloggs

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#145820 9-Jul-2008 23:06

Matt, I've used an N95 on the previously ridiculous casual rates for over 8 months. The N95, if you're not aware, is much faster than the 3G iphone, having an HSDPA chip embedded in it. I think saying that allowing the user to choose their own data rates is irresponsible is downright condescending. I would use this device for the odd email and AGPS - that is profoundly useful for me and I usually use less than 3mb a month.

No one is claiming these plans are worse value than Vodafone customarily offers. We're saying that Vodafone in general offers us terrible value, and using this as an opportunity to highlight the international differences.

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Geektastic

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#145846 10-Jul-2008 00:01

redjet: Hi Kursten thanks for the post, it's good to see VF actually responding.

I think the price of the plans isn't so much the issue but rather it's the data limits you've packaged with them. They may be cheaper than your current data plans, but let's be honest here your current plans are a rip off. The iPhone is unlike any other device VF currently sells and is the best mobile device for surfing the Net by far. As a result users of the iPhone will typically use more data than other devices - that's why there has been such an outcry when you've priced the data so close to your current plans.

If you really want to recover from all this negative PR that has been generated then I would recommend that you bite the bullet, swallow some pride and double the data caps for the 3G iPhone.

Hear, hear. Why no uncapped data plan as is offered in the UK, USA etc? Why no plan with 100% subsidy on the handset as also offered in other places? It is hard to escape the conclusion that VF are charging thses prices "because they can".

Geektastic

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#145848 10-Jul-2008 00:11

Would an iPhone browse at home using my Apple Airport or would it be on Voda?

theEd

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#145849 10-Jul-2008 00:16

Geektastic: Would an iPhone browse at home using my Apple Airport or would it be on Voda?

Wherever possible it will use WiFi over the cell network.

RmACK

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#145851 10-Jul-2008 00:27

I'm considering getting one outright. Pay up cash for a new ipod & new phone and whole lot of awesomeness in one but no change to my ongoing running costs. A saving of about $1500 over 2 years. Oh and my phone will still cost less than my car to run!

MattD

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#145854 10-Jul-2008 00:48

JoeBloggs: I think saying that allowing the user to choose their own data rates is irresponsible is downright condescending.

I think you have misinterpreted as was not meaning to be condescending nor targeted at yourself.

Certainly take on board and can understand that many who have been frugal on limited data plans for many years understand what they are doing, however a lot of these users would not be attracted to the iPhone as in many ways it will be inferior device to what they already have.

Having been a smartphone user for over 5 years, have also learnt to manage the settings, have experienced that most webpages were not optimised for such usage, and even with limitation on mail to just Xkb of text, total usage still consumed a fair amount of data.

However the iPhone would introduce a whole new demographic of users, less savvy with the issues and consumption of bandwidth (generation of YouTubers and music streamers, facebook and flickr), and probably not know how to set preferences to manage a small data allowance. For these users with a full browser and defaults that download email and attachments would very quickly consume excessive data within first session. (again a gross generalisation so should probably pass on that too ;-) )

Introducing a device like this should be backed with appropriate data plans, but I do agree with you... users should have the choice if they want that option with limitations and costs. Maybe just make it extremely clear before they accept the terms for the usage (Possibly a lot of folk that would talk about the casual rate would want to (or need to) step up once using it.

No one is claiming these plans are worse value than Vodafone customarily offers. We're saying that Vodafone in general offers us terrible value, and using this as an opportunity to highlight the international differences.

Indeed and time for change

Once again apologies if offended, your requirement and possibly other 'gz'ers may not fit the greater target market (this does not mean should be excluded though). I think from most of the attendees last the weekend, not one said they would get an iPhone. Myself I would be in two minds as it is too limited and lacks features I already use (eg tethered HSDPA modem). Then again having used a colleagues 2G I did like the useability and the applications and strong integration with OS X working environment.

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euanandrews

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#145864 10-Jul-2008 02:17

KurstenShalfoon:

Will the Iphone work with a prepay SIM?
A strange answer but yes and no. Yes the phone will work for Voice and Txt but will not work for data as the data connection uses a specific APN that is only available on On Account.

Why don’t you have prepay?
We have focused our efforts on On Account connections for four main reasons
1)     Our plans are better value on account – such as Talker, Txter and Mega. BestMates is also better value on On Account than Prepay ($12 vs $18 for 3 BestMates).
2)     We don’t have data bundles available on prepay – and accessing the internet and other features such as email are just two of the reasons why this device is so special
3)     By committing to a contract we are able to offer customers a subsidy for the iPhone – this is the biggest subsidy we have ever offered on a new release device)
Also, of the current 2G iPhones that we have on our network the majority of these customers are on account We will look at prepay data bundles down the track, but this will be months not weeks away.

Why is there no $1 per day data pricing?
The $1 pricing is designed for casual users of data. As you will know, one of the great things about this device is the web browsing experience. To ensure that a customer gets the best out of this and is in control of their costs a data bundle approach was taken.

Can we sign up on one of these if we don't have an iPhone?
The 3G broadband add ons are available on other On Account plans however we have ensured that the iPhone gets our best plans and best subsidy.

In my mind, the issue os not actually the pricing...the pricing you are offering for the iPhone is relative to what is available now, and does offer some savings...those who thought there would be masively cheap full featured plans available especially for the iPhone where living in fantasy land...

The issue is the options available, or lack of.

If someone wants to pay full price for an unlocked iPhone, that should be available.
If someone only requires a small amount of data bandwidth for minimal and casual browsing, that should be available.

Let me give you myself as an exampe of a customer and my needs:
- I am willing to pay full price for the device if unlocked so to have no contract
- I want to use prepay, to keep my costs down, and choose my own add-ons as required
- I want to be able to the $1 per day casual data rate, as I will not require large amounts, nor wish to use it everyday...

By only offering packages, you are removing these choices.
By restricting some services on pre-pay, such as the $1 a day data rate, you are removing these choices.

Currently, there is no other way to get full functionalty out of the iPhoe without signing up for plans or packages that include more than is maybe desired by a user (such as me)

To use a iPhone to its full extent, you are forcing people to pay for more than they need, for a minimum contract term.

That is what is wrong
That is what is rude.

And you dont have long to remedy the situation, before Telcoms new network is up and running, this giving good reason to change providers.

cqrt

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#145878 10-Jul-2008 07:21

Vodafone NZ has completely dropped the ball on this one.

The price of the plans aren't really the real problem, the problems are the DATA CAPS. Apple has designed the iPhone to be a multimedia powerhouse. The data plans offered by Vodafone NZ are completely uncompatible with Job's vision of multimedia in your hand.

What have we got these days? Web pages are getting bigger in size (KB's - in some cases MB's) in response to faster broadband connections, Mobile Safari will load the full pages people, if not optimised for mobile access.
Google maps (data intensive), youtube videos, facebook (apps) and a lot more. There are hundreds of fantastic apps to be made available from the Apps Store, a lot of them free and requiring a healthy access to oodles of data. (pppst Vodafone NZ...we aren't smothered in Wifi Hotspots like most major US cities).

Vodafone NZ, the iPhone is about DATA DATA DATA. The caps included with the plans are POOR POOR POOR. The iPhone 3G is like having a broadband connected computer in your pocket.

I saw another post that recommended 1GB , 2GB, 4GB respectively. I say, a good start at the very least.....

I was excited about the NZ iPhone 3G release.

Now I'm not.

martin308

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#145881 10-Jul-2008 07:33

cqrt: Vodafone NZ has completely dropped the ball on this one.

The price of the plans aren't really the real problem, the problems are the DATA CAPS. Apple has designed the iPhone to be a multimedia powerhouse. The data plans offered by Vodafone NZ are completely uncompatible with Job's vision of multimedia in your hand.

What have we got these days? Web pages are getting bigger in size (KB's - in some cases MB's) in response to faster broadband connections, Mobile Safari will load the full pages people, if not optimised for mobile access.
Google maps (data intensive), youtube videos, facebook (apps) and a lot more. There are hundreds of fantastic apps to be made available from the Apps Store, a lot of them free and requiring a healthy access to oodles of data. (pppst Vodafone NZ...we aren't smothered in Wifi Hotspots like most major US cities).

Vodafone NZ, the iPhone is about DATA DATA DATA. The caps included with the plans are POOR POOR POOR. The iPhone 3G is like having a broadband connected computer in your pocket.

I saw another post that recommended 1GB , 2GB, 4GB respectively. I say, a good start at the very least.....

I was excited about the NZ iPhone 3G release.

Now I'm not.

+1 :)

Lets see the same as the canadians got, with min 6GB a month of data. The prices to me are inline with what i expected, but the data is ridiculosly low

Geektastic

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#145882 10-Jul-2008 07:33

cqrt: Vodafone NZ has completely dropped the ball on this one.

The price of the plans aren't really the real problem, the problems are the DATA CAPS. Apple has designed the iPhone to be a multimedia powerhouse. The data plans offered by Vodafone NZ are completely uncompatible with Job's vision of multimedia in your hand.

What have we got these days? Web pages are getting bigger in size (KB's - in some cases MB's) in response to faster broadband connections, Mobile Safari will load the full pages people, if not optimised for mobile access.
Google maps (data intensive), youtube videos, facebook (apps) and a lot more. There are hundreds of fantastic apps to be made available from the Apps Store, a lot of them free and requiring a healthy access to oodles of data. (pppst Vodafone NZ...we aren't smothered in Wifi Hotspots like most major US cities).

Vodafone NZ, the iPhone is about DATA DATA DATA. The caps included with the plans are POOR POOR POOR. The iPhone 3G is like having a broadband connected computer in your pocket.

I saw another post that recommended 1GB , 2GB, 4GB respectively. I say, a good start at the very least.....

I was excited about the NZ iPhone 3G release.

Now I'm not.

FWIW I agree 110%. However, I think there is only one sane option and that is UNLIMITED data as available in UK, USA and others. I have seen no valid explanation of why this cannot be offered here.

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