iPhone Australia Twist: three of four operators/carriers have it, last is asking customers to help get it

Funny tidbit from the weird world of the iPhone 3G. I spotted this by Shane Williamson at Forum Oxford.

In Australia Apple has made deals with three of the four mobile operators/carriers to provide the iPhone 3G. So it is available on Telstra, Optus and Vodafone networks. But there is a fourth operator, also on 3G, which is Three/Hutchison. They have embarked upon quite a novel way to try to get the Apple contract, they have asked Three customers to sign up an online petition to get the iPhone. It is driven by the Three blogsite at  http://www.3shopdirect.com.au/blog/

Interesting. Lets see if this turns into anything. I would think, that if Apple already offers the iPhone 3G for three of the four operators in Australia, then why not have it on all four networks? Just make the iPhone 3G available for Three on the same terms as the other three operators/carriers have it? Well, its a strange world, this mobile telecoms world ha-ha..

Comments

[CP]

Well I'm with 3, and I'm one of the customers who's joined the petition. I don't get why Apple won't let 3 sell the phone. At the moment, 3 has the best priced data plan of all of the four 3G carriers in Australia. It infuriates me to no end that I can't get this phone with my preferred carrier of choice! Where's the ACCC and fair competition laws when you need it?! Anyway, the reason why I won't sign up with the likes of Telstra, Vodafone and Optus is that I've been ripped off by all of them and no incentive at all to sign up with any of them ever again!! This leaves me with no choice but to buy outright from Optus for use on the 3 network. It's sad that this is the only way I can get the iPhone in Australia, but there is just no way that I'll sign up with those fleecers ever again! Though 3 Hutchinson in HK is selling the phone cheaper than here, and I've heard that you can get an unlocked in the back streets for around AUD$500. Anyone stopping over HK anytime soon??

[CP]

Well I'm with 3, and I'm one of the customers who's joined the petition. I don't get why Apple won't let 3 sell the phone. At the moment, 3 has the best priced data plan of all of the four 3G carriers in Australia. It infuriates me to no end that I can't get this phone with my preferred carrier of choice! Where's the ACCC and fair competition laws when you need it?! Anyway, the reason why I won't sign up with the likes of Telstra, Vodafone and Optus is that I've been ripped off by all of them and no incentive at all to sign up with any of them ever again!! This leaves me with no choice but to buy outright from Optus for use on the 3 network. It's sad that this is the only way I can get the iPhone in Australia, but there is just no way that I'll sign up with those fleecers ever again! Though 3 Hutchinson in HK is selling the phone cheaper than here, and I've heard that you can get an unlocked in the back streets for around AUD$500. Anyone stopping over HK anytime soon??

[Vadim]

We will get a co-op alternative to the Australian telephone companies up and running if 10,000 people join: https://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/fauc

Please let everyone know! Hopefully an alternative will be more receptive to new technology and won’t charge as much as it does for the iPhone’s basic functions.

At the very least, it’ll send pressure to Optus, etc. to lower their prices.

[Tomi T Ahonen]

Hi CP and Vadim

Thank you for the comments.

CP, I totally understand what you are saying, and there is a lot of that sentiment in most markets, about the incumbent mobile operators/carriers.

Vadim, good luck, lets hope you succeed and help bring about fresh views on customer satisfaction at least to the Australian market.

Thank you for writing

Tomi Ahonen :-)