TIM details iPhone costs; Vodafone plans leaked?
updated 12:15 pm EDT, Tue June 24, 2008
TIM reveals iPhone costs
Telecom Italia has announced some preliminary details on its two-year subscription prices for the iPhone 3G, reports say. While it has yet not disclosed the monthly cost of each plan, the iPhone itself should cost approximately 199 with an entry-level subscription; in a scheme similar to that of O2 in the UK, subscribers to high-end plans will receive the phone for free. Controversially, TIM will only say that each plan guarantees "at least" 1GB of data each month, despite the prevalence of unlimited transfers in other countries.
Anonymous sources are meanwhile said to be claiming that Vodafone will not offer subscription plans in Italy until July 21st, a full 10 days after the formal 3G launch. Early adopters will instead have to buy an unlocked device for 499 or 569, usable within an existing plan. To accommodate the intense data demands of the iPhone, Vodafone should be offering bandwidth packages at 3 per week or 10 per month.
On July 21st it is believed that Vodafone will unveil three subscription rates, priced at 19, 49 or 89 per month. The price of the phone should correspondingly vary, at 199 or 99 for the first two plans, or free with the 89 rate.
