Telstra, Optus and Apple itself this morning released their respective local pricing details for the iPhone 4, with the big T also confirming it would open its stores around Australia at midnight on Thursday night to give full access to customers keen to pick up the hyped Apple handset as soon as humanly possible.

Optus yesterday told customers it would open a handful of stores around the nation for midnight launches, but Telstra will open 25 — including, for example, stores in Tasmania and South Australia, where Optus will not open stores at midnight for the launch.

In terms of the actual pricing plans, both Optus and Telstra will launch the iPhone 4 on plans ranging from a $49 monthly capped plan upwards.

Telstra
Telstra’s entry level $49 plan will see the customer provided with what Telstra described as $400 of included value – voice, SMS and MMS access to any Australian network – and 200MB of data allowance. If customers buy a 16GB iPhone 4, they will pay $149 upfront on the $49 plan, whereas if they buy a 32GB iPhone 4 they will pay $299 upfront.

Apple overnight said it would release a new 8GB iPhone 3GS model in Australia alongside the iPhone 4 – for which Telstra customers will pay nothing upfront on the $49 cap.

Telstra will also offer the iPhone 4 on a $79 cap plan, which will offer $750 of monthly included value and 500MB of data. Customers will pay nothing upfront for an 8GB iPhone 3GS or a 16GB iPhone 4 on the plan, but will $199 upfront for a 32GB iPhone 4.

Telstra’s top-end iPhone 4 plan is its $99 cap, which comes with 500Mb of data and $1,000 of included value. Customers will pay nothing upfront for any of the Apple handsets when they sign up for this plan. It is believed all of the iPhone plans are 24 month plans.

Telstra’s iPhone 4 plans:

Optus
Optus will also offer potential iPhone 4 custmers a $49 capped plan — but with substantially better data allowance than Telstra. Optus customers will pick up $450 worth of monthly included value on the $49 plan and a whopping 1GB of data. They will pay nothing extra per month for the 8GB iPhone 3GS, $8 extra for the 16GB iPhone 4, and $15 for the 32GB iPhone 4 over the life of a 24 month contract.

The telco has three more iPhone plans — a $59 plan with $550 of included value and 2GB of data, a $79 plan with $800/2GB and an $89 plan with “unlimited” value and 3GB of data. Customers will pay nothing extra per month for their handsets under these plans — except for $10 per month for the 32GB iPhone 4 under the $59 plan.

The SingTel subsidiary said that since the iPhone 3G was launched in Australia in July 2008, it had “invested significantly in its mobile network”, building over 1,000 new 3G mobile sites and undertaking “well over 2,500 upgrades” to existing sites.

“In addition, over the past 12 months Optus has more than doubled the carrying capacity on its mobile network and bought additional spectrum for use in both metropolitan and regional Australia,” the company said in its statement.

But in a post on its Exchange blog, Telstra appeared to mock Optus’ efforts.

“As iPhone adoption soared, some Australian networks buckled under the load,” wrote Telstra executive director of mobility products Ross Fielding. “Customers reported slow page loads, extended buffering while streaming online media and age-long waits as they tried to update their social networking profiles. For many it was a mobile internet experience closer to dial-up than mobile broadband.”

“Telcos with foresight invested in their networks to stay ahead of the demand for data. For instance Telstra has now invested more than $2 billion in the Next G network to best ensure customers get the speeds, coverage and reliable access to online services they paid for.”

Optus’s iPhone 4 plans:

Meanwhile, Apple Australia late last night issued a cryptic statement stating the iPhone 4 would go on sale locally for a recommended retail price starting from AU$859 — but the company did not disclose any further details. There are several models of the iPhone 4 – with different 16GB and 32GB memory sizes.

Vodafone and 3 — both brands which are operated by mobile telco VHA in Australia – tweeted from their respective Twitter accounts yesterday that they would be updating customers on their iPhone 4 options on Wednesday. Optus subsidiary Virgin Mobile has not yet disclosed its pricing.

Image credit: Apple, screenshots of Telstra and Optus press releases

Related posts:

1. VHA releases iPhone 4 pricing
2. Telstra, VHA confirm iPhone 4 launch
3. iPhone 4: Are Telstra & Optus price gouging?
4. iPhone 4S: Vodafone, Optus or Telstra?
5. iPhone 4: Is a Telstra plan worth the money?

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1. Alec
   Posted 27/07/2010 at 9:36 am | Permalink | Reply

   The new 8gig 3GS has been available directly from Apple and carriers for a few weeks now.

2. Tim
   Posted 27/07/2010 at 10:35 am | Permalink | Reply

   That would be right. I got the 16GB 3GS in April with Optus on a 24 month plan when my old plan expired. I’m making payments on top of my $59 cap for the 3GS with 1GB of data when I could have the 16GB iPhone 4 with 2GB of data and no extra payment!!!

   • Bryn
     Posted 27/07/2010 at 12:18 pm | Permalink | Reply

     Well, thats hardly a surprise if you buy an iPhone in April- the release schedule has been the same for 3 years & plenty of hints suggesting that it would continue that way this year.

3. Cameron Craig
   Posted 27/07/2010 at 4:32 pm | Permalink | Reply

   Nice wrap up of the new plans. Looks like the competition is hotting up even more than the previous two iPhones.

   We’ve had a look at these new plans and we’re very impressed. There are four key things that we’ve noticed…

   1) The iPhone 8GB 3GS running IOS4 is still a very, very solid device. Importantly, being free on the $49 caps from Telstra and Optus it really is a mainstream product. At $0 on a $49 Cap it is now like a proven prize fighter coming down from the heavyweight division and matching up against the featherweights. Telstra reps will pitch this phone to Mums, Dads, Teens. Everyone. iPhone penetration will grow.

   2) The plans are drastically better than last time around. At the iPhone 3GS release, the $59 Cap from Optus required a monthly payment for the phone and offered $330 of calls and 700MB of data. Now you can get an iPhone 4 for $0 with $550 of calls and 2GB.

   3) The new Unlimited plans from Optus are far better. You used to have to take an additional data plan so that the $99 Unlimited ended up more like $114 per month. The new unlimited plan (the $99 Timeless Extreme) has a 32GB iPhone 4 for $0 and 5GB of data with some International calls included and no extra costs for 1300 numbers. A proper $99 fixed monthly spend. Nice.

   4) Telstra are on the front foot finally. Great big updates.

   We’ve added all the plans and info. Compare the plans head to head here for the right plan for you.

   16GB iPhone 4
   http://www.whistleout.com.au/MobilePhones/Compare?phone=Apple-iPhone-4-16GB

   32GB iPhone 4
   http://www.whistleout.com.au/MobilePhones/Compare?phone=Apple-iPhone-4-32GB

   • Simon Reidy
     Posted 27/07/2010 at 11:40 pm | Permalink | Reply

     Awesome summary. Thanks for the info!

     I’m trying to decide between the excellent included value of an Optus $59 cap, or go with a faster better network on Telstra and pay $300 upfront, then $49 a month.

     I’m also taking into consideration the fact that Telstra don’t re-compress pictures, which will be very noticeable on the iPhone 4′s high res display. But then again Telstra only give you a measly 200MB anyway, so maybe that’s not worth worrying about.. decision.. decisions..

     • Bryn
       Posted 28/07/2010 at 9:36 am | Permalink | Reply

       I’m with Optus- go with Telstra :). You can add extra data with Telstra (like Optus) via prepaid packs which are cheaper then excess usage.

       • Simon Reidy
         Posted 28/07/2010 at 2:31 pm | Permalink | Reply

         Yeah that is true but that puts the expense up. I’d really like to keep my monthly bill around the $50-$60 mark if I can.

         I’ve been with Optus for two years on a 3G and their coverage and network speed is pretty poor. It seems that the 2100Mhz band is notoriously bad for penetrating buildings, so whenever I go inside I can go fro having strong 3G signal down to 1 bar and have plenty of dropped calls. I guess the iPhone 4 would be much better as it supports Optus 900Mhz 3G network which are they are rolling out at a rapid pace across Tasmania. However it’s just too much trust to put into a network that promises to improve, while Telstra’s network continues to lead the way with fantastic coverage, an un-congested network and ultra high data speeds.

         However I feel that Telstra have missed the point a bit with the iPhone 4 as modern smartphones have become far more dependant on data. A couple of years ago I might check my email and download the odd app while I’m out and about but now days I have a constant flow of data going to and from my phone at all times.