Reponding to your questions about the iPhone pricing

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › Reponding to your questions about the iPhone pricing

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276 posts

Ultimate Geek

#145884 10-Jul-2008 07:37

The plans are IMHO tantalisingly close to being good.

The key is in the data allowance.

If you replaced the current allowance with my suggestions below I reckon most people would be pretty happy,

iPhone Specific Plans iPhone 1GB iPhone 3GB
iPhone 5GB
Cost per Month $80 $130 $250
Included Minutes 120 250 600
Included TXT 600 600 600
Included Data 1 GB 3 GB
5 GB
Additional Usage
Per minute $0.69 $0.55 $0.53
Per TXT $0.20 $0.20 $0.20
Per MB $0.10 $0.10 $0.03
iPhone with plan
8GB iPhone $549 $449 Free
16GB iPhone $699 $599 $299

Now, don't these suddenly look better?

So close vodafone, so close....

iPhone Specific Plans	iPhone 1GB	iPhone 3GB	iPhone 5GB
Cost per Month	$80	$130	$250
Included Minutes	120	250	600
Included TXT	600	600	600
Included Data	1 GB	3 GB	5 GB
Additional Usage
Per minute	$0.69	$0.55	$0.53
Per TXT	$0.20	$0.20	$0.20
Per MB	$0.10	$0.10	$0.03
iPhone with plan
8GB iPhone	$549	$449	Free
16GB iPhone	$699	$599	$299

This was what I posted a couple of days ago on the Rate Plans forum.

Twitter : @twocolddogs

Beretta

27 posts

Geek

#145886 10-Jul-2008 07:39

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.

I think that's going a bit too far. Yes, the data caps are crazy, but price really IS a massive problem. Vodafone's offering lags ludicriously behind world standards in BOTH of these ways.

Kitanai

81 posts

Master Geek

#145899 10-Jul-2008 08:11

MattD:
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

The reason I'm after the $1/day is there are probably only 8 days a month I will be away from WiFi, and I will mostly be using it to check a couple of emails and put appointments in my google calendar.

For me, my bill doubling from $40 to $80 is not worth it. They have priced me out.

I'm also, as vodafone forget, not a stupid user. I know full well how much data I will use, given that I work for an ISP and have been in IT for 15 years. I don't appreciate all consumers being lumped in the "need a nanny" bucket.

cqrt

11 posts

Geek

#145909 10-Jul-2008 08:32

Beretta:
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.

I think that's going a bit too far. Yes, the data caps are crazy, but price really IS a massive problem. Vodafone's offering lags ludicriously behind world standards in BOTH of these ways.

My statement was taking into consideration that Vodafone NZ's data offerings have always been ripoffs. A bigger cap across the board would make prices ok (in a crappy way) relative to the data cap.
It would then be possible to go for the $130 plan and feel good about. Right now, thinking about it makes me want to stick my finger in my eye.

Vodafone NZ has missed an opportunity to change their business model and become an attractive mobile content provider. Now, I'm not an Apple fanboy, but this is not just a phone, it's a fantastic mobile device with unlimited scalabilty that will revolutionise the way we access mobile content, and also revolutionise the way organisations can push content TO us.

And of course providing fodder for an Aussie bashing is just unforgivable. ;-)

Gizmodo AU: Back in Australia, the first step is getting over the fact that the
Kiwis beat us at getting their hands on the iPhone (you can always take
solace in the fact that no matter how bad the iPhone plans are over
here, they're much worse over there).

spazz

266 posts

Ultimate Geek

#145932 10-Jul-2008 09:16

Rogers caves on iPhone pricing

Is there hope for us yet??

http://walkingisoverrated.com

maorry

19 posts

Geek

#145954 10-Jul-2008 09:51

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

Intersting to see that throughout all the iPhone/Vodaone discussions here and elsewhere that Telecom has been cast as a saviour... I'm not sure that this will happen.

As far as I'm aware Telecom's 3G network will be only @ 2100MHz and will initially only be located in 3 cities (some rumours put those 3 cities in the Auckland area - so not even Wellington/Chch). The rest of the country will be using GPRS @ 850MHz for quite a long period of time (1/2 years?) before 3G is introduced into other cities. This seems to make the case for getting a 3G iPhone working on the Telecom system pretty poor unless you spend a lot of time in the Auckland CBD.

Then again I have been known to be wrong before and if anyone can correct me then by all means let us all know.

KevDaly

61 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#146048 10-Jul-2008 12:07

Pretty pathetic responses.

I do like "These plans are expensive" being answered with "These plans are the best value Vodafone offers". I'm sure Telecom will love that.
And as for the argument that you can't compare these plans with those for other phones because the iPhone is unique, that's simply nonsense. Rubbish. Something that comes out the tail end of a male bovid who's just had his lunch. It also insults us with an argument that amounts to "Never mind the facts. Look, shiny!".
Those aspects of the iPhone that are truly unique are irrelevant to Vodafone's role. The Apple services (such as the App Store and iTunes) involve transactions between the user and Apple, not Vodafone. There is nothing unique about internet connectivity or other features being touted: it can rightly be argued that the iPhone provides a uniquely well-desgined implementation of many features (but not all), but that's no justification for a Vodafone tax. It's the iPhone-itude of the iPhone that makes it unique (how they've done what they've done, not what they've done). Vodafone's argument seems to amount to little more than "We've got the monopoly on iPhones in New Zealand, so it's only fair that we make you suckers pay whatever we like".
As elsewhere in the world the marketing is also taking advantage of the fact that many people have been largely or completely unaware of smartphones until the arrival of the iPhone, so inflated claims of uniqueness pass unchallenged.

For what it's worth, I do think it is an excellent device, and the UI in many respects leaves the competition in the dust. But that's a reason I'll probably buy an iPod Touch at some stage (32Gb version), not a reason to allow Vodafone to treat me like a gullible fool.

Sharesies

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gehenna

8520 posts

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#146050 10-Jul-2008 12:14

Vodafone: Why does your answer here to the question "Will the iPhone work with a pre-pay sim?" contradict with your "official" QA on your website, stating NO you cannot use a pre-pay SIM with the iPhone. Not that I care as I don't use pre-pay - but still...doesn't that constitute false advertising on your website or something else that is directly misleading the customer?

chakkaradeep

799 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#146055 10-Jul-2008 12:19

As there are no answers here from Vodafone, may be its time for - "You ask the CEO: Russell Stanners, Vodafone"

Regards,
Chaks

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Mobile : iPhone 3GS

alsta

276 posts

Ultimate Geek

#146061 10-Jul-2008 12:32

I know I am beating the data cap drum a lot here, but I really hope the pressure does stay on Vodafone over this.

"double your data for $10" strongly suggests that they can afford bigger data caps on the plans.

In a perverse way, I can't wait for the headlines in 6 weeks time when the first reports of big overage charges hit the mainstream media....and they will.

The majority of first time smartphone users will get the $80 plan and soak up the higher upfront cost (it's a toy for them, not a business phone which is what the 1GB plan is surely aimed at).

These same people are going to get online with the iPhone wherever they are and unknowingly sail past their minimal 250MB.

This is another pending PR disaster for Vodafone...

I am positive that come November those caps will be lifted, but don't have the balls to sign up now on a hope that contracts taken up on the launch plans will get their plans lifted as well...

Twitter : @twocolddogs

MattD

663 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#146071 10-Jul-2008 12:48

gehenna: Vodafone: Why does your answer here to the question "Will the iPhone work with a pre-pay sim?" contradict with your "official" QA on your website, stating NO you cannot use a pre-pay SIM with the iPhone. Not that I care as I don't use pre-pay - but still...doesn't that constitute false advertising on your website or something else that is directly misleading the customer?

Just to add confusion - I was just told by a VF CSR (777) this morning that the SIM card will be a different size - so I questioned whether she meant data storage size (eg like the sims prior to 3G) and the response was that it was a physical different size.

Now I actually know that it is not true.. so some odd messages going out via various channels

JoeBloggs

355 posts

Ultimate Geek

#146083 10-Jul-2008 13:14

Haha, stating a change to the physical size? Wow.

MattD: However the iPhone would introduce a whole new demographic of users, less savvy with the issues and consumption of bandwidth

I think I understand what you mean now. It's going to unleash limited data useage on people less aware of such issues. Now if only those small data packages would increase in size

MattD

663 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#146115 10-Jul-2008 14:06

JoeBloggs: Now if only those small data packages would increase in size

Christmas in on its way!

SNAFU

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#147087 12-Jul-2008 12:17

If I read this correctly . . .

A SIM ALREADY configured in another Vodaphone GSM phone, setup for casual data, is transfered into a G3 iPhone . . .

a) the phone xfer data via G3 using the casual rate

b) will Phone calls still work on the using the original You Choose Plan

IF proven, i'm looking for an iPhone :)

scottjpalmer

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#147090 12-Jul-2008 12:23

SNAFU: If I read this correctly . . .

A SIM ALREADY configured in another Vodaphone GSM phone, setup for casual data, is transfered into a G3 iPhone . . .

a) the phone xfer data via G3 using the casual rate

b) will Phone calls still work on the using the original You Choose Plan

IF proven, i'm looking for an iPhone :)

Firstly, it's 3G not G3

a) no, the phone itself has the special iphone APN programmed into it and without the iphone box being ticked against your account at the Vodafone end (which requires you to be on a specified iphone data plan) you won't get any joy

b) yes

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