Vodafone offers all iPhone users 3GB a month bonus data

Bracing for a competitive quarter, Vodafone is offering all iPhone customers a bonus 3GB of data a month on top of their current plan, plus 1000 pxts.

The 3G of data and 1000 pxts a month are at no cost, and will be automatically added to whatever iPhone plan you are on, said Vodafone External Communications Manager Paul Brislen.

New customers get the free top-up immediately; existing customers the first time their monthly plan rolls over after July 1.

Current iPhone plans top out at 1GB of data. As a point of comparison, Mr Brislen says a 3GB Vodem mobile data plan costs $80. Vodafone began the process of reaccessing its iPhone plans when OS 3.0 arrived last week, which adds support for photo messaging (aka MMS or pxt) and tethering (using your iPhone as a modem). Both are data-intensive, were not allowed for in current plans.

There is a qualifier: that your iPhone must have been upgraded to the latest version of Apple’s software, OS 3.0 (a free upgrade from AppStore; see NBR’s guide to OS 3.0 here).

And there's also a catch: the promotion only lasts for three months.

Mr Brislen would not say if Vodafone expected Apple to appoint a second carrier during that time frame.

Vodafone is due to launch the iPhone 3G S on July 10, but has yet to announce any plans around the new handset (although it has announced off-contract pricing: $1179 for the 16GB version; $1379 for the 32GB).

The bonus 3GB data and 1000 pxts will also apply to the iPhone 3G S (previewed here) or any model iPhone bought from today.

Two Degrees will launch in early August, but refuses to name any handsets in its line-up at this point.

Telecom, which has previously told NBR it is in “deep discussions” with Apple, had no further comment.

Vodafone NZ’s three-month promotion will give it some breathing space as it weighs how to react to any new local competition - also help stop the drift of people inserting Telecom XT Sim cards into Vodafone-bought iPhones.

In Australia, Vodafone, Optus and Telstra have already launched the iPhone 3G S. All three offer $0 up front plans.