Virgin Mobile has officially commenced sale of the iPhone 3G in Australia effective today Friday 1 August 2008. The iPhone 3G went on sale at Virgin stores around Australia offering the best data plan currently available in the country at a huge 5GB.

Now this is more like it, its still not unlimited but we are now starting to see plans with realistic data allowances.

Virgin will sell the 8GB iPhone 3G for $0 upfront on a $70 monthly plan, which includes $520 worth of calls and 1GB of data. If you are willing to cough up an extra $30 per month, you will receive an extra 4GB of data and get the 16GB iPhone 3G for $0 up front. All Virgin iPhone plans are based on 24 month contracts.

Virgin is also offering the option to unlock the iPhone from its network for $80, plus an additional $250 “early evacuation” fee if users opt out within six months.

Now note that Virgin is a wholly owned subsidiary of Optus.  What will this mean for all those customers who have already signed up with Optus and recieved much less data?

In less than 3 weeks we have seen many plans in Australia for the iPhone 3G, from the bad through to plans that are now more in the ball park. I think this is only the start and i expect things to heat up as carriers push for customers.

My decision to hold of being an early adopter has been difficult, but I’m relieved not to have signed a plan weeks ago and be waiting for a phone with this latest news.

View full details of the Virgin plans

Tags: Apple, iPhone, Virgin

One of my friends Kim called me last night with the news he had just got his iPhone 3G and wanted to share the news. A couple of hours later he called by to show off his new gadget. Its a white 16GB model and i must say the white is a classic Mac looking product. A couple more friends have contacted me after waiting for weeks and weeks for their providers to get stock, including Jane who got her black 16gb iPhone just before a trip away. So lets look in the box.

Tags: Apple, iPhone