Ok, question for you all, how much do you think Vodafone is making on the plans/Iphone? Do you actually believe that vodafone is raking in millions and millions on these? Because the reality is the polar opposite! Im not gonna defend the plans or the phone, because well im not a huge Iphone fan, (or apple for that matter) and i really love my N958GB. But Im just curious to hear how much you guys think Vodafone makes?
(7:02:07 AM) Friend: so far Vodafone uses 2100 MHz for their 3G in NZ, but their coverage is crap there's a strong possibility that they will expand using 900 MHz too also, I think Telecom NZ was planning to do 850 MHz GSM and 900 MHz 3G, but there's a possibility they'll go with sharing 850/850 for both to better support the iPhone
HSDPA doesn't support 900mhz. So I had it backwards. Still, that means you'll get slower performance in rural areas on an iPhone and Telecom might be the ones to rectify it. Either way it doesn't seem like a large market.
Overall, I think the arguments for waiting for Telecom to finish their 3G deployment before buying an iPhone are compelling.
SphinxNZ: Ok, question for you all, how much do you think Vodafone is making on the plans/Iphone? Do you actually believe that vodafone is raking in millions and millions on these? Because the reality is the polar opposite! Im not gonna defend the plans or the phone, because well im not a huge Iphone fan, (or apple for that matter) and i really love my N958GB. But Im just curious to hear how much you guys think Vodafone makes?
I think Vodafone underestimated demand and overestimated how much their normal luxury phone target market would pay. Only Vodafone knows if they'd have pulled in a bigger profit by not setting up restrictive, unrealistic pricing, but I like to think the end goal is a consumer on contract regardless of how much that contract is. They lost a lot of potential contract plans with the prices they have announced.
nih: Ah, I misremembered the 900Mhz thing entirely.
(7:02:07 AM) Friend: so far Vodafone uses 2100 MHz for their 3G in NZ, but their coverage is crap there's a strong possibility that they will expand using 900 MHz too also, I think Telecom NZ was planning to do 850 MHz GSM and 900 MHz 3G, but there's a possibility they'll go with sharing 850/850 for both to better support the iPhone
HSDPA doesn't support 900mhz. So I had it backwards. Still, that means you'll get slower performance in rural areas on an iPhone and Telecom might be the ones to rectify it. Either way it doesn't seem like a large market.
Overall, I think the arguments for waiting for Telecom to finish their 3G deployment before buying an iPhone are compelling.
To clarify: Telecom 3G - 2100 - metro 2G - 850 - nationwide
Telecom isn't doing 3G @ 850 OR 900 - Vodafone is currently rolling out 3G @ 900. Vodafone will have a significantly larger 3G (WCDMA) footprint than Telecom.
nih: Ah, I misremembered the 900Mhz thing entirely.
(7:02:07 AM) Friend: so far Vodafone uses 2100 MHz for their 3G in NZ, but their coverage is crap there's a strong possibility that they will expand using 900 MHz too also, I think Telecom NZ was planning to do 850 MHz GSM and 900 MHz 3G, but there's a possibility they'll go with sharing 850/850 for both to better support the iPhone
HSDPA doesn't support 900mhz. So I had it backwards. Still, that means you'll get slower performance in rural areas on an iPhone and Telecom might be the ones to rectify it. Either way it doesn't seem like a large market.
Overall, I think the arguments for waiting for Telecom to finish their 3G deployment before buying an iPhone are compelling.
Are you saying UMTS 900mhz does not support HSDPA?
You are well aware 900 UMTS (HSDPA) is live in many areas and soon to be HSUPA (HSPA) High speed packet access!
Shadowfoot: Does anyone know what their roaming charges to NZ are like?
I see where you're going with that ;)
Look, the big thing here is our plans. I'm used to being shafted on Apple products by having to pay a premium on the hardware. It's fine, I'm over it, it's never going to change. What gets me is the pricing of the plans which is purely a Vodafone choice and issue. Then you get Mark Rushworth or whatever his name is on telly bringing that Apple premium quality arguement into their pricing. But it's nothing to do with Apple, and it's nothing to do with the cost of the device itself. It's purely them realising that the demand for their data network is going to increase and that they can now get away with increasing their charges.
Bottom line is that there should be an unlimited data plan for the iPhone - i've said that ever since day dot of iPhone mania. Once media and bandwidth intensive applications hit the store (iTunes/YouTube are already there!) peoples usage will hit the roof. It makes no sense to cap bandwidth on this device. Vodafone is limiting the things we can do with the phone by making it cost prohibitive. That is going to decrease demand for bandwidth hungry media rich applications. It's stifling the development market here in NZ by saying "you have to write lightweight airy fairy applications because people don't want to use up their cap on your software"....when in fact we WANT heavy duty cool apps, location based this and that, multiplayer gaming, video/audio such and such. Once again we're going to see the rest of the world having fun and being productive, while we're down here dealing with unconscionably expensive fuel and food, overpriced broadband, and unrealistic mobile data plans. All of this is going to push us further toward the bottom of the scale - when it comes time to release the next big device or service I am terrified that poor little NZ just won't get a look in because hey, why should someone provide a product or service to us that we can't even afford to use?!
SphinxNZ: Ok, question for you all, how much do you think Vodafone is making on the plans/Iphone? Do you actually believe that vodafone is raking in millions and millions on these? Because the reality is the polar opposite! Im not gonna defend the plans or the phone, because well im not a huge Iphone fan, (or apple for that matter) and i really love my N958GB. But Im just curious to hear how much you guys think Vodafone makes?
It states that Vodafone has 2,244,000 users as at 30 December 2007, each spending $46.05. This equals $103,336,200 per year. I'm sure some more knowledgeable users here can give accurate figures on how much expansion and upkeep costs. Also remember that with the recent aquisition of IHug their revenue source is infinitely bigger.
Shadowfoot: Does anyone know what their roaming charges to NZ are like?
I see where you're going with that ;)
Look, the big thing here is our plans. I'm used to being shafted on Apple products by having to pay a premium on the hardware. It's fine, I'm over it, it's never going to change. What gets me is the pricing of the plans which is purely a Vodafone choice and issue. Then you get Mark Rushworth or whatever his name is on telly bringing that Apple premium quality arguement into their pricing. But it's nothing to do with Apple, and it's nothing to do with the cost of the device itself. It's purely them realising that the demand for their data network is going to increase and that they can now get away with increasing their charges.
Bottom line is that there should be an unlimited data plan for the iPhone - i've said that ever since day dot of iPhone mania. Once media and bandwidth intensive applications hit the store (iTunes/YouTube are already there!) peoples usage will hit the roof. It makes no sense to cap bandwidth on this device. Vodafone is limiting the things we can do with the phone by making it cost prohibitive. That is going to decrease demand for bandwidth hungry media rich applications. It's stifling the development market here in NZ by saying "you have to write lightweight airy fairy applications because people don't want to use up their cap on your software"....when in fact we WANT heavy duty cool apps, location based this and that, multiplayer gaming, video/audio such and such. Once again we're going to see the rest of the world having fun and being productive, while we're down here dealing with unconscionably expensive fuel and food, overpriced broadband, and unrealistic mobile data plans. All of this is going to push us further toward the bottom of the scale - when it comes time to release the next big device or service I am terrified that poor little NZ just won't get a look in because hey, why should someone provide a product or service to us that we can't even afford to use?!
Meh.
Absolutely right.
And they wonder why so many people move to Australia?!
I am no fan of the EU, believe me - but sometimes, being part of something bigger than you are has a lot to be said for it. Unlimited data is the only worthwhile option and that is simply going to become more and more the case as each day passes and the apps and technology get better and better.
At the moment, it is like being offered a Ferrari and being told you can only buy diesel for it!
johnr: Are you saying UMTS 900mhz does not support HSDPA?
You are well aware 900 UMTS (HSDPA) is live in many areas and soon to be HSUPA (HSPA) High speed packet access!
Or have I read this wrong
The iPhone itself doesn't seem to support 900Mhz HDSPA: http://www.apple.com/iphone/specs.html
I was quite backwards in my initial post but the end result is Vodafone won't be doing HDSPA in outlying areas.
Just because the iPhone doesn't support 900MHz 3G, doesn't mean that 900MHz UMTS won't be supporting HSDPA.
Optus and Vodafone in Australia have a 900MHz 3G network, which also is unable to be used by the iPhone 3G for 3G connection, which will run on the 2100MHz 3G network, which has also been criticised for the small coverage.
A nice place to rant to VFNZ I guess, maybe with the vast amount of complaints regarding the pricing of the plans they may see the light? Who knows, but it would do more good than anything.
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