Actually the NZ iPhone is available with no contract, so you can just whack a normal prepaid SIM in. It's $979NZD ($772AUD) for the 8GB and $1129NZD ($890AUD) for the 16GB.

Ahh, you're right Neo. Sorry about that. I was getting mixed up with the Poms.

From the Vodafone NZ site:

To purchase an iPhone 3G with no plan you'll need to visit a Vodafone retail store.

Updated with New Zealand (who's plans suck), need English version before I add Italy.


Note: Australia's cheapest plan is the $19 'Yes' Plan. In the table it lumps all the handset repayments together for the subsidised price, and isn't included in the plan. If it becomes clear that they won't let you pay it all up front, then I'll change our cheapest plan to the $19 Yes Plan, over 24 (not 12) months.

Unfortunately no. You cannot get the iPhone on pre-paid on Vodafone NZ. The website wording is somewhat misleading as the FAQ confirms: By no contract as in customers who are already on a contract - you can't just throw a SIM card in and use it.

Vodafone NZ Helpdesk

I also called Vodafone to double check this and they have confirmed what the FAQ says.

So not only is the iPhone 3G locked to Vodafone... it's locked to specific plan SIMs?

I don't believe that, there shouldn't be a problem getting a No-Contract Phone, and just putting another Vodafone SIM in. It just sounds like they aren't offering prepaid SIMs with the iPhone.

This is how the Vodafone Italy rates look

Personal Plans

Easy Large
8GB 49€ outlay, 99€ per month, 900 Minutes, 900 SMS, 600MB Data
16GB 119€ outlay, 99€ per month, 900 minutes, 900 SMS, 600MB Data

Special Edition
8GB 99€ outlay, 79€ per month, 250 Minutes, 250 SMS, 600MB Data
16GB 169€ outlay, 79€ per month, 250 Minutes, 250 SMS 600MB Data

Easy Medium
8GB 199€ outlay, 59€ per month, 400 Minutes, 400 SMS, 600MB Data
16GB 269€ outlay, 59€ per month, 400 Minutes, 400 SMS, 600MB Data

Business Plan
8 or 16 GB no initial outlay
180€ per month, 2000 minutes, 1000 SMS, 1GB Data

EDIT: I hope this helps, it's not easy reading this jargon in Italian and trying to translate it back to English.
EDIT Again: Fixed a translation error

That doesn't make any sense. Why would it cost more than twice as much to get the 16GB on the basic plan versus the 8GB?

16GB 269€ per month, 59€ outlay, 400 Minutes, 400 SMS, 600MB Data

Yikes... that's a lot of EuroShekels!

It must be 269 Euros up front and 59 per month.....

I think you have the outlay and the permonth around the wrong way.

Updated with Italy and Portugal, Italy prices are TIM prices, as the cheapest plan is with them, not Vodafone. It is important to Note that the Cheapest plan in Italy does not include minutes, only data.

It appears Vodafone has begun to roll out its plans, with Portugal, Italy and New Zealand being announced.

That would make a lot more sense. That way you pay the same amount for the same thing - just higher upfront cost for the better model.

Great spotting Kevin!! Well done, lad! Prices are listed in Mexican Peso - about 10 peso's to our AUD. So 459 pesos is about 46 AUD.

*pat on back*

Sorry, yep got it the wrong way around, Italian is not my best language

In theory, as long as the SIM is non-prepay, it will only work with some plans (i.e. SIM that are on a Broadband plan). Unsure how they going police this.