I have a First on Three plan that costs me nothing. If I was still in Oz, I'd simply wait to see what happens. I'm sure by the end of the year just about every carrier will end up with the iPhone as Telstra, 3 & Virgin lost massive numbers of sales from July 11.

Sure the iPhone's going to be popular, but putting the success of other carriers in the hands of one phone is absurd. The other carriers in the US are still doing just fine.

i just guess we are all just a little disappointed that 3 didn't get it right away...and i'm generally someone who buys something that i really like and regret later so makes things difficult lol

HAHA! mate i went there yesterday too :P they are all so retarded there. the chicks are such ditzes.. basically this is what happened:

I walk in and there are 3 staff on at lunch, all chicks look like their know nothing... i over hear some conversations "oh yes, HSDPA its like dial-up internet, it lets you surf the internet and get your emails" .... HTC TyTn II, i work in a large factory and often move around a lot, i would like to be able to track my movement so can i use the GPS... "Yes yes, the GPS will work fine in doors"...

the meantime im just standing there going OMG Epich Phail....they no nothing about the products they are selling and this was further confirmed when i got served after 15 mins... this guy came back from lunch break, one of the chicks goes to him "oh are you bak?" hes like yea, so then she says "oh can u serve this guy, hes been here for a while" the guy didnt look all to smart, probably same one as you... said to him, "just wondering if you know when you'll be getting the iphone, and hes like the what? i say The apple iphone" at this point the chick on the opposite terminal that asked him if he was back goes "The Wat?!?!" really rudely, and i say the iPhone again... she goes "OHH No we wont be getting that at all, its not a 3G handset....", i go ummm actually the new one has just been released, she goes "Oh, nah they have had lots of serious problems with it apparently" and im like ah ok, i must of missed something when it was released yesterday.... at this point she didnt say anymore haha... the guy then said il check online so he logs into the Three Extranet from what i saw and looked at latest announcements... scrolls through them and goes nah nothing i can see... i was watching the screen too and there wasnt any relevant info, just special offers and discounts currently running and coming up... but yea nothing...

so yea im not sure but omg she was so stupid i walked out and just thought... why do they employ people like that...

Another funny story... about 15 mins earlier i was at the telstra store in town and thought i might ask... (all on the same day haha was doing some investigating) I walk in and look for a guy who might know a bit about technology, see a guy at a desk think ah il ask him... I go to him " just wondering when youll be getting the iPhone, he goes, ah yea, nah its not coming to Australia, i heard that they have just released a 2G version in europe and it wasnt selling very well so i think u might be out of luck... and i thought should i correct him or just give up... i then just mentioned oh, ah well a 3g version just came out and aparently optus and vodafone are getting it so yea... hes like oh...? really?"

once again... arghh why dont they employ people that have an interest...

that is all for the moment haha, try it yourself its good fun listening to some of the crap you get from ppl who think they are better than you because they are in a uniform in a store....

ALSO by all means i do not direct this at ppl who work in phone stores, there are some very very informed people out there who have an interest in what they sell, these are the kind of ppl that we should see more often, in my opinion...

I love three but their coverage sucks. On average of 2 out of 3 phone calls it drops out. I cant take it any longer, im out. Loverly people and deals though.

haha, are you serious? im pretty sure it might be your phone then...

i have been with three since 2004 and have no real complaints... sure they screw up billing sometimes but then u just get a nice big fat credit on your account when u call...

Coverage... i have NO complaints at all, in our household we have Three, Vodafone, Optus and Telstra... (brothers sisters and parents).... out of them i by far get the best reception along with the telstra phone... why Becuase Three made a very very smart move..

Why pay billions of $ to expand your network when you can sign up with the BIGGEST carrier in Australia Offer the BEST coverage 98% and not have to charge your customers ridiculous telstra prices.... i dont see a downside...

In our house both optus and vodafone always have recption drop out, dont get reception and need to go outside to make calls... me nahhh always got great reception "note this house is 1km from the CBD"

I dont understand why ppl complain about coverage.. i dont see HOW u can complain about coverage... you have Highspeed HSDPA reception in the CBD and outskirts and then once you get into the hills you get telstra... where other ppl get nothing anymore...

I drove to Port Lincoln a couple of months back... i had reception practically the whole way, my mums and bros phones (optus and voda) had nothing after about 45 mins of leaving the city... i just do not see how people complain about having reception in 98% of australia??? please fill me in...

and you the calls dropping out, most probably the phone...

I have to agree about the call dropouts, mine dropout ALL the time. And NO, I don't live in the sticks, I live VERY metro.

I've called Three and enquired about my contract payout amount, got transferred to the Priority Care team and had a nice convo with a guy there. He told me my payout amount and then asked why I was thinking about leaving. Told him I wanted the iPhone and Three wasn't supplying it. He advised that while there was no further information to give out, Three WOULD be selling the iPhone a few weeks after the July 11th launch. I pointed out to him that other Three customers have gotten conflicting stories regarding Three and the iPhone and he said he could confirm that they would definitely be selling the iPhone a few weeks after the launch, but there was no further information at this point in time.

Yes, this could quite possibly be a ploy, or reps talking out their asses, but I'm quite hopeful. If this is indeed the case, I may just wait the extra month or so after launch and see where Three stands then.

If not, I'm hoping someone will be able to hack the phone in the first week of release. Fingers crossed!

EDIT: I've been with Three for well over four years and have never had any call dropouts or coverage problems in either Sydney or Melbourne CBD's, or in country Victoria and NSW where my family, and my partners family, live.

Again, no body will have any idea except the big wigs at the carrier companies.. and Apple.. None of us will know till closer to, during or after 11th July. The more we pester carriers, the more stressed the folks at stores and call centres will be.. They're just messengers from the big wigs.. give it another two weeks or so.. They'll all get it out to us

Im currently with Three and I love their service, and customer service, im on prepaid (hate it, but i dont want to fork out $50 a month for a cap, im strick with my money) and havn't had a problem so i hope they do sell it because Optus sucks (i swapped from optus to three) and been with Voda. and couldn't believe how complicated they were. Lets hope they release it

Thought I'd pass on my experience(s) calling 3 about the iphone too.... I rang 3 yesterday & today (got 2 services with them)- both the guy yesterday & the girl this morning made mention that 3 would be selling the iphone, they mentioned an (internal) email advising them of this fact (the guy yesterday said they'd just received this). Now in the scheme of things, I know these guys are the last to find out anything (some of the stuff they've told me over the years you wouldn't believe!). I asked about cancelling & porting out costs- was then transferred on to an Aus call centre, the customer retention staff I guess. This local girl said no info on release at the moment- she did say 3 were interested in getting the iphone- but again said 'we have no info at the moment'.

To be perfectly honest.

CALL CENTER STAFFS are the LEAST LIKELY to know ANYTHING about ANY future release regarding ANY products a company would have.

If people in THAT SECTION of the business knows ANYTHING, you can be so assured that it will be on the news ALL OVER already.

STOP WASTING YOUR TIME. STOP DREAMING THAT YOU ARE GETTING FIRST HAND INFO OFF A CALL CENTER OPERATOR.

My guess is NONE OF THEM really know and that is their technique for customer retention. Create some doubt in your mind. Leave the door open for them whilst getting a good % of retention on their KPIs...

Take this with a grain of salt if you wish, becuase I know alot of people will not believe anyting until there is official word, but my Brother-in-Law works for 3 Corporate, and he adviced me today that 3 definatly will be getting iPhone, but there are no time details at the moment.

check it down bottom of page
(entitled 'European Bastards"


Gizmodo Australia | The Gadget Guide

Before anyone says it, yeah yeah I know don't take Salespersons word as anything...however...

My father ducked into our local 3 dealer, and he was shown correspondence from Three to dealers regarding the iPhone. It read: (it's not exact wording!) tell customers enquiring that 3 are still currently in negotiations, but will be getting the iPhone. They gave no time frame, however - and had to leave details so they could contact customers when they had more info.

I know it may be something that was just whipped up, but it's certainly not something my father would make up.

Maybe an interesting few weeks / months coming up, I may have to put my iPhone plans on hold and ride it out for a bit, wait for stock to top back up (no doubt they'll have stock issues for a month or two) and see what's about, plan / carrier wise!

Fun times ahead!