su·per·cil·i·ous

So Optus is now the first carrier to release the full detail of their iPhone plans (while Telstra has put out a media release they are keeping the fine print close to their chest). Indeed the fine print on the Optus plans is worrying some people - given it is several pages long. Making some paranoid includes statements like:

Your data allowance does not include services such as Voice calls, Voice Mail, International SMS, premium and Third Party SMS, Optus iZoo and Third Party content and applications, 1300, 1900 and VPN data usage. If you are able to access such services, your use of such services will be charged at prevailing rates.

To be honest I am not even sure what this means. How will they differentiate between 3G bandwidth used through Safari or Optus iZoo and other applications? Seems difficult to manage. And what is the prevailing rate? I guess we will find out shortly as more people ask questions over the coming weeks -  but I'm guessing they are saying if I use a third party application on my iPhone it won't be for free - because that service may charge me a fee which Optus has no control over. Maybe.

While in the US they provide unlimited data plans, this isn't the case here (at least to date), with the maximum amount 1Gb under Optus' higher cost plans - and then you are stung $35 for every 100Mb you download. Currently I have a 100Mb limit on my first generation iPhone and I - on average - hit about 70Mb a month on checking my email every 15 minutes, the occasional bit of MSN via meebo and some web surfing. Sure it is likely that I will surf some more on a faster connection and might even VOIP (fring for example allows you to Skype from your iPhone) if the data thing isn't an issue - but I can't see myself using 1Gb/month through my phone - so one of the cheaper plans will be fine for me.

Join me in the queue next Friday eh.