No, 'cause iPhone is GPRS, not 3G

Okay, I've made a brief and incomplete summary of the current mobile broadband plans as I believe they exist at the moment. Conditions apply to the plans and you should check the fine print carefully, especially additional data costs, roaming costs (if any) for outside each companies 3G network, and the availability of usb or express card modems and their additional cost if any, and their mac compatibility. There are also other plans available for smaller download limits which might be more attractive if you only want to dip a toe in.

Here goes:

1GB:**Telstra $114.95/month, Optus $49.99/month, Vodafone $39.00/month, 3 $14.50/month.
2GB:* Telstra $184.95/month, Optus $49.99/month,* Vodafone $39.00/month, 3 $24.50/month.
5GB:* Telstra $784.95/month, Optus $499.99/month, Vodafone $39.00/month,*3 $49.50/month.


The 3 offer runs until January 15 and requires a 24 month mobile phone plan as well.
The Vodafone offer runs until 31 December and requires a 24 month contract.
Optus offer a $34.99 standalone ($24.99 bundle) plan for 400 MB and a $39.99 bundle plan for 2 GB.

Here in Brisbane, I'm very rarely on roaming and for work I have to roam over a fair area...

If that statement doesn't nicely sum up what it means to be a Telstra customer *cough* I don't know what does

Optus, you aren't fairing much better either!

Now have responded with some price cuts

Wireless broadband:* (1) $84.95/month for 1GB (2) $114.95/month for 3GB and (3) upgrades in speeds from 256kbps to 550kbps-3000kbps for the existing $54.95/month 200MB plan.*

Still leaves them out of the money on price but they do have a significant advantage on 3G coverage for the moment.

====

New Wired broadband plans: New BigPond Liberty 25GB plans: (1) now $79.95/month (was $89.95/month) for 1.5Mbps; (2) now $99.95/month (was $119.95/month) for speeds up to 20Mbps on its ADSL2+ network.*(also available on cable)


=====

Also, Optus have now announced that they are bringing forward completion of their 3G network. Completion expected by EOY 2008.

=====

Let the games begin!

i wouldnt buy any thing else apart from the telstra next g due to the better technology, coverage, and quality of there product and service. may be dearer for what your getting or you might not be able to download as much but for people on the go all the time, i doubt they would be downloading 2 or 3 gb per month, more so just for emails and to keep in touch

Looks like telstra have left us people with the wireless desktop modems out

i beleive the express card is a card that can slide into the laptop were as a usb card is external

Coverage, sure, there's a lot of rural areas NextG reaches that Vodafone and 3 don't (and that's changing rapidly, by 2010, the non-Telstra networks should have the same coverage), but it's not better technology - it's all HSDPA based, which is the same standard. Telstra has enabled 7.2mbit (with a compatible device), but every mobile ISP has that option, but they haven't as hardware that supports it is slim right now. Again, in a few months, 14mbit HSDPA hardware will be pretty common and HSDPA and HSUPA will be very fast

For those wandering metro areas, NextG is a total rip off.

I've taken up the vodafone offer and it seems to be very good so far.

One hitch is that you can't track usage on mac (that is only included in the Windows log in client).

Still not thinking I should get near 5gb on it.

It's true that Telstra has the best coverage, but for capital cities and major rural cities, Vodafone and Optus might offer quite adequate services. Additionally, Optus and Vodafone are now accelerating their rollout, so Telstra's coverage advantage will become much smaller over the next 12 months.

Still, it's likely to remain true that for those that need the absolute broadest coverage, Telstra will remain the carrier of choice. However, there's likely to be a dwindling minority for whom the other carriers aren't adequate.

More and more Telstra will have to begin to compete on price rather than coverage.


disclaimer: I'm a Telstra shareholder

The funny thing is, if anyone can compete on price, it's Telstra. They're the 300 pound gorilla here. If they weren't so arrogant, they'd find they have a lot more customers.

I'm hoping (a) the rumours of Google cabling its own internet backbone to Australia are correct, and (b) something like Fon gets more attention, better service, and ultimately provides real competition to the incumbents.

Pwhoar - where are these rumours?

Also, Fon in Australia (well, Melbourne actually) would be awesome

I think it is => click through the map on this page.