Telstra knits deal with Apple: officially announces as iPhone 3G carrier in Australia
Monday, June 30, 2008 - 08:36 AM ESTIn a statement posted on their website today, Australia's Telstra states, verbatim:
Telstra, Australia's leading telecommunications and information services company, and Apple® today announced that the highly anticipated iPhone 3G™ will be available to Telstra's over 9 million Australian customers on July 11. iPhone 3G™ combines all the revolutionary features of iPhone with 3G networking that is twice as fast* as the first generation iPhone, built-in GPS for expanded location based mobile services, and iPhone 2.0 software which includes support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and runs the hundreds of third party applications already built with the recently released iPhone SDK.
"Australians are very excited about iPhone 3G™ and we're delighted to bring this product to them on Telstra's high-speed Next G™ network," said David Moffatt, Telstra's consumer group managing director. "With iPhone 3G™ on the country's largest and fastest 3G network, providing coverage to 99 percent of the population, more Australians will enjoy the iPhone 3G™ experience in even more places."
"We're thrilled to work with Telstra to bring iPhone 3G™ to Australia's largest 3G network," said Tim Cook, Apple's COO. "iPhone 3G is an amazing product and we think Telstra's over 9 million mobile customers will love it as much as we do."
iPhone 3G will be available from Telstra on July 11 with a range of specially designed Next G™ iPhone 3G plans that meet the needs of any customer. The Next G™ iPhone 3G™ plans start at $30 per month with an upfront cost of $279 for the 8GB model and $399 for the 16GB model. Customers will receive the 8GB iPhone 3G™ model at no cost with the $80 plan and either the 8GB or the 16GB model at no cost with plans starting at $100 per month. All plans include free Wi-Fi access at Telstra hotspots and require a 24-month contract.
Customers can find further information and register their interest in iPhone 3G™ by visiting a nearby Telstra Shop, calling 1800iPhone or going to http://www.telstra.com/iphone.
*Based on 3G and EDGE testing. Actual speeds vary by site conditions.
Telstra is Australia's leading telecommunications and information services company with the country's largest and fastest 3G network and one of the best known brands in the country. The company offers a full range of services and competes in all telecommunications markets throughout Australia, providing more than 9.6 million Australian fixed line and more than 9.3 million mobile services, including 3.3 million 3G services.
Apple® ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple® continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple® is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.
™ Trademark of Telstra Corporation Limited
You can sign up with Telstra to receive more info here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "matt" for the heads up.]
MacDailyNews Take:
"There's an old saying -- stick to your knitting -- and Apple is not a mobile phone manufacturer, that's not their knitting... You can pretty much be assured that Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and ZTE and others will be coming out with devices that have similar functionality... I think people overreacted to [the iPhone] -- there was not a lot of tremendously new stuff if you think about it." - Telstra's Chief Operations Officer Greg Winn, February 15, 2007


but when you have a proper think, you realise that it is the best mobile device ever invented!