Forget about whether Telstra offers the 3G iphone, if i can get one of Vodafone for instance (pre paid) and it's not locked is the iphone compatible with the telstra network? could that be a sticking point for telstra. If it is not who cares weather telstra sells it just drop your own sim in one you buy from Optus or Vodafone.

also any one know if you will be able to use the iphone as a 3g modem for you macbook similar to palm's and the like.

cheers Cameron

If you are prepared to meet Apple and Vodafone's steep (estimated at $800) price for a no-contract or "prepaid" model, and pay the extra unlocking fee (rumoured to be $75), then yes, I don't see why your NextG SIM shouldn't work happily.

You really want to be paying almost a grand for a phone?

Yes I would say that it will work.

And I don't think the phone can double as a 3G modem thing.

im saying the voda/optus iphones will have a bunch of useless branding software on there like they do now with the current phones they sell

Says who.

And how.

I doubt it. You didn't see AT&T everywhere on the original iPhone. Apple supplies the firmware and software. The carriers just provide the network and service.

visual voicemail?
does that sound a bell....

and then it has only at&t as the provider

There is no mention of visual voicemail as a feature on networks other than AT&T that I know of. I don't think they'll be sending you voicemail spam/advertisements. Even if they did, that's the whole point of visual voicemail (if it was available), to be able to skip through your messages, preview, scrub them, etc.

So that might not even be in Australia (or even in the UK on O2, T-Mobile etc as I recall).

I doubt that Vodafone and Optus will be allowed to touch the firmware under their contract agreements from Apple. Something tells me that Apple isn't too into people fiddling with it's software.

Optus doesn't do much. Only the Zoo button. Before the revised logo, Telstra didn't brand their phones, what happened?

It has become easier to do so. I dislike the fact that when I turn my phone on the carrier slaps me in the face with their logo. If I could find out how to remove it I would.

You're forgetting that some of us won't really have a choice! I barely have any Optus GSM signal, forget getting 3G out here in the sticks, whereas my NextG modem was fine

and I dont think they will be $800, if they are that's not too bad seeing that a N9,5 Palm treo etc where all over a$1000 to start with.

Some of us just need telstra hate that fact but it's a fact.

with all this talk of fees, contracts, unlocking fees etc, wouldnt it be better to keep using priceusa.com.au to get the new 3g iphone?

would love some comments...

basseyy: no point.

You obviously haven't read many (if any) of the other postings about the iPhone 3G if you don't know this:

Apple have changed the rules, you can no longer buy an iPhone (not even the current model) in the USA without going onto a two-year AT&T contract and the phone is activated in-store before it is given to you.

And to add to this... another comment as you wanted plural.

/facepalm.