Vodafone New Zealand has announced three iPhone 3G plans:
More info here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “SteveNZ” and “anthony” for the heads up.]
MacDailyNews Note:
• iPhone 250 = US$414 for 8GB iPhone, US$527 for 16GB iPhone, US$60/mo.
• iPhone 500 = US$339 for 8GB iPhone, US$452 for 16GB iPhone, US$98/mo.
• iPhone 1GB = US$150 for 8GB iPhone, US$263 for 16GB iPhone, US$189/mo.
• iPhone Only = US$739 for 8GB iPhone, US$852 for 16GB iPhone
Watch Mark Bushworth, Vodafone’s Chief Bullshit Weasel Media Officer attempt to justify this blatant attempt at thievery via 3 News’ Campbell Live here.
Muntlandish! This’ll go straight down the gurgler, if you ask us.
Add… no visual voice mail to the plan as well!
Total rip!!!
Considering how negative the reaction has been in some European countries and the Great White North to rates that actually look benign compared to New Zealand’s, one has to wonder what the reaction will be…
Are Kiwis used to rates like this, or are the All Blacks (NZ’s world famous rugby side) going to tackle these Vodafone execs?
These prices for plans are WAY over what we are used to seeing 🙁
In financial terms, this is much like the bigmac index which then became the iPod index.
This is the best way to show how lack of competition makes consumers pay for more. What a total ripp off.
These guys make Rogers look cheap. The Canadians have nothing to complain about compared to the poor New Zealanders.
Vodafone NZ just lost 3 Mac lovin customers with one single step!
We love the iPhone…
…love that its coming here to NZ at last,
…don’t mind that we might have to pay a monthly fee to use it on a network…
But, I HATE that they think we’re stupid enough to fork out $6,000 over two years to get the iPhone for the $199 value! and for only a 1Gig of Data…
Come on Vodafone – who ya kidding?? Where’s the $40-60 plan with 1-2Gigs of data with some minutes thrown in… whose needs 600 calling minutes on that plan!
We want is unlimited Data! – forget the minutes… give us decent data plans…
They have even prevented potential iPhone users from their recently released 30mb a day for $1 prepay plan…
Talk about screwing those who pay for your existence!
Obscene and Im a Kiwi!
Some one in New Zealand is looking at finalising a deal for $999 for a prepay 16gb iphone not on contract this is a genuine deal being finalised as we speak. Got is straight from the manager of the local firm who sells Macs online in New Zealand
VodaPhoneys are really stickin’ it to those Kiwis.
As I said on an associated thread,
No…… thank …… you.
Jeez, Vodafone!
6000 for 24gb is insane!
RIP OFF!
The MOST expensive iPhone handset prices with some of the most limited iPhone plans anywhere in the WORLD – here in NZ.
O2, you’d be welcomed with open arms if you set up shop here – there’s a couple of million Vodafone (and a lot of Telecom) customers that’d swap in a heartbeat…
Man, those are shocking! These providers have no idea how they are stifling their own growth. We’ll see more and more push towards internet communications—cutting out telephony entirely. These cell companies are signing their death warrant.
“Spark” the problem is Vodafone now owns ihug so they are a cellphone , home phone and internet provider all in one and we only have Telecom as competition so we might as well jump in the river holding hands now!
What I think a lot of Americans are overlooking is how these “pricey” iPhone plans compare to other cellphone plans on the network. To us these iPhone plans are outrageous but people living in New Zealand and other countries where the plans are high must be use to them. I’ve looked at a couple of the iPhone data plans that seem to cost the most throughout the world (Germany, Denmark, Mexico, New Zealand, etc.). At first they seem suprisingly expensive but when you look at the costs of voice and data plans for other cellphones on the network you realize that their not too far off in price and comparison. In that case these prices that we call “expensive” (compared to American network carriers like AT&T;) must be something that customers in these other countries are used to. It’s just from our point of view that their unreasonably costly. Not every place is like the United States in terms of product and service pricing.
I must add that in some instances customers are getting gouged and taken advantage of…. Especially when iPhone plans cost more then similiar plans for other smartphones on the same network.
“Xlt3zz” nope I am from New Zealand and most people complaining in here are for NZ so these plans are WAY above what we pay in NZ. Have u not read the posts above?
Forinstance a 200meg data plan cost $30 a month yet the iphone 250gb one cost $80 a month ok u get some free minutes but it is excesive compared to ALL other phones and phones plan that you by here by a LONG way. We know we live here or else we wouldnt be up in arms.
geekzone has a bunch of Kiwis planning to get in line at the opening in Auckland NZ pretending to be going to buy and then then when the door opens protest by not going in. The TV channels will be there to see the opening and see this protest. Now that means people are REALLY pissed off. Kiwis dont tend to do this sort of thing.
oops that should read 250meg not 250 gb wow if it was 250 gb id be happy!
@shane blyth:
“geekzone has a bunch of Kiwis planning to get in line at the opening in Auckland NZ pretending to be going to buy and then then when the door opens protest by not going in. The TV channels will be there to see the opening and see this protest. Now that means people are REALLY pissed off. Kiwis dont tend to do this sort of thing.”
GO FOR IT!!!
@shane blyth:
Yeah, good to hear about the planned protest. Nice one! I hope it gets coverage.
Of course the protests will be broadcast as “iPhone Protesters Turn Out in Droves!.” Somehow I doubt the distinction between Apple’s iPhone and the gouging carriers will be made. Sad, but an ugly story about the hottest new gadget will pull in more viewers than the same old complaints about exorbitant data plans, and that’s how news editors will play it.
we need another cell company.. Please , O2 or any cell company,
all ready to change here.
PS: I can send you some film as I will film it on the night MDN.
Can send it asap. or put it on my kiwihub.com site if you want.
Cambell live on tv3 NZ is NAILING vodafone over this saying that this is the dearest in the world !
go Cambell Live !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m a Kiwi and it’s times like these that I’m glad to live in Hong Kong…
Oh, goodness! And this is yet another monster now surfacing, this time among the Kiwis! Why this HAPHAZARD global pricing for the same phone with similar services is beyond reason. It is sad.
Are these operators at liberty to do whatever pleases them?
Apple, weed these greedy and unfeeling-hogs out of the apple-yard. Yes, YOU can.
If you think it’ll make a difference, an online petition has already been set up.
http://www.petitiononline.com/nzmac/petition.html
Adam Christianson well known apple podcaster did a survey of current iphone users including his own data useage for the month and it was very surprising to him the the average current ist gen iphone user users on average 50 to 100 megs of data only a month he said on a heavy usage month he gets to 150 so was surprised how low the useage level is so a 250meg account should be plenty for 90% of users.
Nz is an expensive place fullstop. Anyone thats been there recently would attest to that. And yes this is taking into account average wages in nz.
But still this is a very bad move by vodafone, unfortunately it also gives apple bad publicity.
This is a clear cut case of Vodafone ripping people off. And that pisses people off. Internet access is also pretty slow by world standards, the reason for this i have no idea.
You can say that iPhone is expensive compare to other phone. All price stated here is in NZ$.
This are the price Kiwi have to pay for regardless what type of phone you are using. As long as you are on Vodafone network.
Cost per month
250min talk plan will cost $109.95
600TXT option is $12.95
200Mb wireless broadband data plan is $29.95
An Nokia N95 8Gb will cost you $1399. If you lock into a 24months contract(talk plan) you might be able to save between $300-450 of the phone purchase price.
So the plane that they offer for iPhone is not bad in NZ standard. I do wish it can be better. If you are already spending $109.95 on just Talk plan without any other option, It will be silly no to go into the contract to get the iphone cheaper. I don’t think anyone with iPhone in had don’t surf the net.
It’s the chicken and egg problem in NZ. The market is not big enough to attract other company to compete(4.3m in population for the whole NZ) London alone is 7.5m(base on 2001 figure) and Sydney alone is 4.2m.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Video/VodafonetalkstoCampbellLiveabouttheiPhoneprice/tabid/367/articleID/62352/cat/84/Default.aspx?articleID=62352#video
kiwihub.com
wow… NZ is getting ripped majorly
lets hope Australia doesn’t get the same thing :'[
http://www.dragonkicks.com/product_info.php?cPath=908&products_id=7473
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
option 2.
I’ll ask again. Why is Apple doing business with these companies? Who they partner with reflects poorly on them.
@PC Apologist
In some countries there are no options. To sell the iPhone, Apple must work with the telco available. In a world of bad choices, what is worse: iPhone with an expensive plan or no iPhone available?
Skimming the cream of heavy users/payers, eh? This will slow adoption. The question is how much is Apple’s take?
Australia did do the same thing right? Time to use ebay auctions I think:
http://www.mobiles.org.nz/