Telstra to revamp iPhone plans

By Suzanne Tindal and Joseph Hanlon on 31 July 2008

update Telstra has announced a rejig of some of its iPhone-associated data pricing, increasing the amount of data customers will be able to download without incurring excess fees, in the wake of Optus' success in the market.

Although the company didn't mention the iPhone specifically in its release, the hyped phone's presence was felt as Telstra raised the download quota of its 3G data packs, with consumer marketing and channels executive director Glenice Maclellan saying the rise was needed "as devices catch up with Next G capabilities".

A $10 data pack now allows users to download 150MB instead of 20MB, and the $29 data pack 300MB instead of 80MB. Excess data usage rates have also been reduced for the $10 pack, from $1 per MB to 50c per MB above 150MB and for the $29 pack from $1 per MB down to 25c per MB above 300MB.

Those already on a $10 or a $29 pack will automatically have the additional data allowance added to their plans over the next few months according to Telstra.

The price of data on the iPhone on Telstra had previously been touted as the most expensive on the market, leading to long lines outside Sydney's central Optus store a week after the device's launch, while Telstra headquarters remained crowd free.

Sources have said that the telco didn't have long enough to nut out its pricing and make it competitive in the time between them getting the iPhone late June and selling it on 11 July.

ZDNet.com.au also understands the telco has experienced a high level of porting, with people simply getting the phone, unlocking it via third-party hacks and moving to other carriers.

The drawcard for Telstra was supposed to be the free access to Wi-Fi at hotspots through the city, but even this freebie has attracted some annoyance on Whirlpool forums.

Topics: iphone, telstra, plan, data, pack

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Comments (5)

  • man.dovvn commented on 04/08/2008 10:53 Report abuse

    That's a bit of a stretch to me AOTB. Plausible though. Regardless, Telstra's customer service is just as bad as everywhere else and they continually bone their clientelle. In addition, you're only fooling yourself if you think Telstra's fine print doesn't also have some questionable material. Oh, and Optus rents a massive percentage of Telstra's infrastructure and I've never had a reception problem with them.

  • AOTB commented on 01/08/2008 10:36 Report abuse

    Or maybe, Mars, they're wanting to keep their pricing sustainable, rather than simply trying to sign up as many customers as possible with the lure of low prices (as a former Optus customer, I can tell you that coverage and customer service aren't the reasons why you'd sign with them). Sooner or later Optus will realise that they can't sustain such pricing - or can't rely on the Singapore Government bailing them out - and they'll find themselves having to invoke some often-ignored clause of their SFoA to justify a price hike. Just watch the Optus fanboys (or the Telstra haters) complain then - or will they curse Telstra for their own naivite'/gullibility?

  • Joey Jojo commented on 01/08/2008 10:04 Report abuse

    For allot of us...to late :(

  • marsblakmon commented on 01/08/2008 00:16 Report abuse

    telstra's spin doc's at work again....this company set prices and data limits alla how they normally set prices - high, with little value. at least optus is trying to give people the access to what the device is capable - from the start. im with voda, even they're dragging their heals a bit with the costs to get an iphone but i think i'll wait for n96 or 2nd gen 3g iphone.

  • Canberra_Photographer commented on 31/07/2008 21:00 Report abuse

    Awesome!

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