Mobile Phone questions thread

[Paulbot]

I've been with Optus since my first mobile phone, but I am considering making the switch to Virgin because they have the new phone I'd like (a Nokia E63) on a $20 per-month plan that should suit me well.

Are others on the Virgin network or have positive or negative stories to tell? Good coverage? Customer service?

[iceburn]

go with 3!!! then i get free credits! :D

[jaydisc]

I'm pretty sure that Virgin is simply Optus rebranded.

E63 eh? Is that due to your experience with the E61? The E71 is superior. Ask Sifun

[Paulbot]

E63 eh? Is that due to your experience with the E61? The E71 is superior. Ask Sifun

Yes :D The E71 seems more expensive though (eg can't get it for $20 a month)

[enforcer888]

E71 is great. Except the camera is a bit arsey - but who uses a mobile to take good photos?

[jaydisc]

Does the E63 have wifi?

[Paulbot]

Yes according to the site I was checking out today. I miss the qwerty keyboard now I'm back to my mobile.

[Paulbot]

go with 3!!! then i get free credits! :D


Hows 3's coverage? Do you have good reception in country areas?

They've got the Nokia E63 free on a $20 plan too.

I've been reminded that Virgin's coverage is bad in some areas I go to often, so 3 is another option I might consider more.

[blackie]

Hows 3's coverage? Do you have good reception in country areas?

They've got the Nokia E63 free on a $20 plan too.

I've been reminded that Virgin's coverage is bad in some areas I go to often, so 3 is another option I might consider more.

arnt 3 merging coverage areas with vodafone soon?
if so i would think that would increase theyre coverage
that and they roam on the telstra network i believe too
hope that helps

[hotaru_oz]

arnt 3 merging coverage areas with vodafone soon?
if so i would think that would increase theyre coverage
that and they roam on the telstra network i believe too
hope that helps

Yeah I made the switch to 3 myself and it works quite well in my home town, When I was with Vodafone and Optus I always had to stand in the middle of a road to get coverage >.<
They're caps are pretty cheap as well and you can call others on 3 for free ^^

[iceburn]

Hows 3's coverage? Do you have good reception in country areas?

They've got the Nokia E63 free on a $20 plan too.

I've been reminded that Virgin's coverage is bad in some areas I go to often, so 3 is another option I might consider more.

if you wanna go 3, ask a friend to recommend and either of us that are with 3 can get free credits :D

[Paulbot]

After discussing with Sifun my thinking is moving towards iPhone, perhaps getting an ealier (cheaper) model now that the 3G one is coming out... But I've had to recharge my prepaid phone today ("your balance is 0 dollars, 1 cent") so I've got until I use my current credit to decide.

[enforcer888]

The iphones seem cool except for the battery life on the older models. Having spoken to people that own them, the majority state that's the only problem they have with it - having to constantly charge the thing even with minimal usage. If you were going to buy one look into the newer ones perhaps - battery life on phones like in a Nokia is something you take for granted.

[Paulbot]

I think a new model iPhone would have to be the way to go and I'm waiting to see what all the company's offers will be.

I keep finding other options though. At the moment it seems to be between an iPhone (which is cool), a Nokia E63 or E71, or perhaps a Blackberry Storm (which promises unlimited email and web which I need to investigate further).

[enforcer888]

My cousin is a phone whore and very fickle, I'll see if he has his Storm for sale still if you're interested. He barely used the bloody thing. In the space of 6 months he went through 8 phones.

[jaydisc]

Don't do the Storm. The web experience and general usability is in the gutter.

[Paulbot]

Don't do the Storm. The web experience and general usability is in the gutter.

Have you heard of similar comments for other recent Blackberry models?

[Saintly]

the new iPhone is supposed to be out next week (ie. July)... the only difference between that and current is the ability to do MMS but they have already released an app for the current to do MMS.

[Paulbot]

the new iPhone is supposed to be out next week (ie. July)... the only difference between that and current is the ability to do MMS but they have already released an app for the current to do MMS.

I'm ready better battery life too, and by default more GB.

The iPhone wins on the cool factor but I'm not 100% sold on it yet.

[jaydisc]

There's quite a few changes, of which the big features are: Video recording and editing, a digital compass to assist with maps and turn by turn directions, voice control (more for disabled folk) and speed speed speed!!!

Everything else is available in the form of a software update for the previous model.

My blackberry comments are generic, not model specific.

[lcz128]

The blackberry bold is typicallly pretty good - used my mate's (work) bberry and it's cool - most people generally like it too - big plus is the qwerty over the pearl of course :)

I am planning to get me an iphone come september! :D wahah! Tell me how you go mr. paul! I am jumping onto that boat soon too! :D

[sifun]

e71 is thinner in girth than e63 and no gps..
U can get it on optus for 49 a mnth no handset repayments

iphone prices are up on the optus price for the 8gb iphone 3g or the new models.
They include some data usage each month

[Paulbot]

So far, the best iPhone deal I've seen is:

iPhone 3G S 16GB free on the $69 Vodaphone cap, includes $400 talk, TXT and 1GB data

It's very tempting...

[Saintly]

http://personal.optus.com.au/web/ocaportal.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=Template_wRHS&FP=/personal/mobile/iphone3G/16GBiPhone3G&site=personal

I thought this is better than the $69 vodafone cap... thought you only get $350 txt, talk and 500mb data

[jaydisc]

I'm on the Optus $59 cap, and while I consider myself to be a HEAVY internet user, I don't think I've ever broken 250MB. That being said, I've busted the $350 in calls a few times, but that's tough to quantify from person to person. Also, now that the iPhone supports tethering (using the phone as a 3G modem for your laptop), I expect to use more, but even then, that will be rare.

The other benefit, at least at the time I signed up for Optus, was that Optus offered me a 1 year contract but charged me more for the phone. The phone ended up costing me $400 over the year (16GB), but I'm out of contract at the end of this month and that has tremendous value to me.

[Paulbot]

Hmm. The Vodafone pricing matches their offer for the Nokia E71 (and a bunch of other phones) so it would come down to which phone I like best.

I don't think I will go over the call cap, but the Internet one is the one I wonder about. Browsing on the train, apps like the maps that use downloaded data, it could all add up.

Saintly your link doesn't work for me. Is it the $62 (49 + 13 repayments) one? That's 250 MB downloads though?

[Saintly]

Saintly your link doesn't work for me. Is it the $62 (49 + 13 repayments) one? That's 250 MB downloads though?

Okay... looks like they have the new deal on with the new iPhone 3Gs and they have removed the old 16Gb iPhone... head over to http://www.optus.com.au/iphone

It's a case of selecting the cap plan level and see the benefits (or not), not to mentioned cost as well.

The new 16G is available on the $79 for $0 upfront, while the old 8G is available on $59 for $0 upfront.

[Paulbot]

Telstra's pricing is bad, I'm steering away from them.

If I go iPhone I will get the 16G new model as it does seem a better phone.

[Saintly]

or you can go the new 32G on $99 timeless (better value than $119 timeless!) :D

[jaydisc]

I would strongly recommend the new iPhone if possible, as the latest software on my 3G model took a speed hit.

As far as data allowance, trust me, you'll have a hard time using 500MB.

[Paulbot]

Optus is matching Vodafone's price which means I can stick with Optus and still get the iPhone for $70 a month with generous call and data credit and unlimited standard text...

http://www.itwire.com/content/view/25941/1231/1/0/

If I go with this no need to change operators which is nice. Hmm, might have a Non-toy acquistion to post by the end of the weekend!! :D

[jaydisc]

Oooh. That offers a bit tempting to me even. Because the iPhone Messages app looks and feels like a chat app, it's easy to barrel through SMSs.

[Paulbot]

I ended up going with Optus and the iPhone 3GS 16 GB. It's not where I thought I was going when I started this thread at all, but it's a good deal that I'm happy with. Now I wait for the battery to charge up so I can play with it. :D

[blackie]

I ended up going with Optus and the iPhone 3GS 16 GB. It's not where I thought I was going when I started this thread at all, but it's a good deal that I'm happy with. Now I wait for the battery to charge up so I can play with it. :D

funny thing is my dad was exactly the same. i took him out to find a new phone, he went round, found all the ones he liked, and couldnt believe in the end that he bought an iphone. enjoy it :)