Etisalat iPhone Start Selling Tomorrow, Pricing Details Revealed

[sunnfun]

Verizon, Sprint, Nextel, ATT, Boost Mobile, T-Mobile... These are just 6 I see everyday at the little mall near my house. 2-3... Give me a break... Mobile guru..

Nextel is owned by Sprint, Boost is owned by Sprint. Nice try.

Use facts and numbers if you want to prove me wrong...

Look, you're completely missing my point. All I'm saying is that if you want to compare etisalats priceplans use a market that has actual competition. The US wireless market is surely more competetive than Canada or Australia but it's still mostly dominated by semi-monopolistic structures.

Here's a few examples (All for a 8GB iPhone with a contract) from europe:

etisalat Postpaid Plan 2: 840 for the phone, 349 monthly, 125 min., 125 sms, 500 MB Data

t-Mobile Germany complete 120: 5 for phone, 230 monthly, 120 min plus unlimited free weekend, 40 sms, unlimited data incl. unlimited wifi hotspots

TIM Italy iPhone 250: 880 for the phone, 230 monthly, 250 min. 100 sms, 1GB Data

O2, UK: 650 for the phone, 230 monthly, 600 min., 500 sms, unlimited data incl. unlimited wifi hotspots

Or for more heavy users:

etisalat Postpaid Plan 3: 560 for the phone, 504 monthly, 350 min., 200 sms, 1GB Data

t-mobile Germany complete 1200: 5 for phone, 421 monthly, 1200 min. plus unlimited free weekends, 300 sms, unlimited data incl. unlimited wifi hotspots

TIM Italy Web Oversize: 460 for the phone, 320 monthly, 0,70/min, 0,70/sms, Unlimited Data

O2 UK: free phone, 298 monthly, 1200 mins., 500 sms, unlimited data incl. unlimited wifi hotspots

Hope this helps?

[Mushroom]

Well thats exactly what I disagree with. Even if you take 5 major network/service providers, thats 5. They all offer very different prices, very different packages and various gimmicks. 5 is not a semi-monopoly. 5 is more than enough competition. They always play catch up with each other when it comes to offering better services at better prices. THATS my point, and that is I disagree with your statement that there is "semi-monoppoly" in US. But it does not affect us, so I don't want to bother arguing over it. Lets just agree to disagree.

Like I said, I am not familiar with European mobile market but I am looking into it and you have a good point. Europe very well could be better than US in terms of pricing. No argument there if what you wrote is true and correct and I will check it.

However, like I said more than once already, I used US as an example not to prove my main point. I just showed it to compare.

My main main main main point, is that for a user that uses more than 50MB of data, etisalat iPhone IS in fact a good deal. I am not too sure about the #2, #3 and #4 plans, but #1 plan is clearly a good deal. Math does not lie. Again, YOU GET 500MB data for 139AED. Thats a deal. In UAE. With Etisalat. No matter who and what does these same things in US, Europe or Africa. That is my main point.

[fangpyre]

Ok guys.
I think its clear everybody made his point.
Let's let this point rest.

There is no doubt that the US prices are better than here.
I have to agree with both of you, sunnfun and Mushroom.
There is a handful of operators there, but there is definitely more competition there than one would call a cartel.
But there is no doubt these guys do sit down and talk to regulate somethings.
And that things are not as free flowing as Europe.

DXB Law,
When I said you can easily rack up 5GB, I don't mean you need to.
What I mean is that a person that gets no wifi access, and is REALLY using the phone can do that if not more.
The phone is VERY liberal in its data consumption.
And you as a user have little control over limiting it.
But there is still common sense.
You don't have to download your podcasts while you are on 3G, for example.
But on the other hand, you can't choose which emails to download (as other mobile platforms allow you to do by downloading the header only)

I personally don't expect to exceed than 500MB package.
And I would have gone for Plan 1 if I had the option to do so with my current fone.
Because, like Mushroom said, the plans aren't really that bad.

However, I have to mention 2 things.
- As per the reports we have, the phones ARE unlocked.
- The best plan is actually Plan 4, since you end up paying about the same as Plan 2, you get much more data and calls, and you don't pay the down payment.

[sunnfun]

I personally don't expect to exceed than 500MB package. [...]
Because, like Mushroom said, the plans aren't really that bad.

Ok, let me try and approach this from a different angle. Maybe my points gets a bit clearer then. Go back to the intial introduction of the iPhone that Steve Jobs did over two years ago. He introduced the iPhone as a phone, a musicplayer and as an internet device. The iPhone is supposed to unlock maximum customer satisfaction by being the best device for all three of these use cases. AND it is supposed to unlock maximum supplier satisfaction by maximising the potential for the phone company by making features easier to use, by increasing sales for the music, tv and movie industry and providing the best user experience for the internet; thus enabling people to use new technologies in never before seen ways. The app store later on expanded on that vision greatly, though Apple needed to be pushed quite hard in the beginning.

Now, putting 500MB or 1GB pay walls in there does not make any sense.

I've been using the iPhone in the US since it came out and have been using a lot of features lilke listening to music via last.fm or streaming radio. I've bought a lot of songs after I heard them on last.fm. I've been extensively using the maps feature, lots and lots of web browsing, tons of email and social networking with iPhone apps, all the syncing via mobile.me etc. etc. etc. It basically replaced my laptop on anything but trips on the airplane and it used a LOT of bandwith.

Will I use the phone the same way if I have a bandwith limit lurking that will potentially cost me a lot of money if I exceed my usage? No.

Will there be incentive for companies to create cool content if there's no demand from the users? No.

IMHO it rather shows that etisalat did not understand the philosophy behind the concept.

And neither do other providers elsewhere who put bandwith limits on their plans for that matter.

Rant over.

[fangpyre]

You are so right.
And don't get me wrong.
I would definitely prefer an affordable unlimited plan.

But you need to remember that a large portion (depending on your habits) will be done via wifi.

In my case, the majority of email will be off wifi.
Maps will be downloaded and used offline.

That leaves me with 500MB of downloads that are mainly one of the following:
- chats
- Safari (keep in mind, Flash doesn't work anyway)
- maybe Shazam to look up a song I like.

You get the idea.

There is no doubt that I will be restricted in my usage.
And I will be careful not to over use the service.
And that in turn restricts the platform and its potential, like you said.
But the fact is I rarely use it now unless I have to.
An urgent email or a quick reference online or something like that.

So within those limitations that I have set upon myself, I will be more than comfortable with the basic plan.

I think the short of it is that this is the service we are given.
And, staying true to its monopolistic form, you have the choice to take it or leave it.

I say take it.

[sunnfun]

I'm glad that you can fit your use case into a 500MB bandwith limit. I couldn't.

I think the short of it is that this is the service we are given.
And, staying true to its monopolistic form, you have the choice to take it or leave it.

Exactly. But how are you going to change it? By not taking it. That's the only leverage I have.

I say take it.

I'm staying with my unlocked iPhone with a prepaid card for now. It's not that I can't use data features, I just have to be careful about it.

If and when etisalat comes to their senses I will happily buy one and reinforce their decision.

[sunnfun]

Just to add something here real quick: I was in a Hotel in South Africa recently and they actually had bandwith limits on their in-room internet: 200MB. I had to go and get three vouchers over a stay of 2 days... Amazing how fast bandwith flies when you're having fun.

And I wasn't downloading movies or anything...

[fangpyre]

Just to add something here real quick: I was in a Hotel in South Africa recently and they actually had bandwith limits on their in-room internet: 200MB. I had to go and get three vouchers over a stay of 2 days... Amazing how fast bandwith flies when you're having fun.

And I wasn't downloading movies or anything...

Wow.
What were you downloading at that rate if not movies?
It would really by torture for me if I had a limit at home.
Then I wouldn't be able to restrict myself.
But on the road, with a bit of management and restraint I think its doable.

And since Plan 4 is the best anyway, one might as well take that.

Don't you think something is better than nothing?

But, just to support your chain of thought.
I won't be getting one now.
There are too many restrictions.
I don't intend to dump my grey market iPhone now (its in perfect shape).
And I expect its worth waiting for the new way at this point.

If Apple convinces me to buy a new iPhone then, I might go for an official one with a data plan.
Till then Etidsalat can kiss my CD slot.

[sunnfun]

Wow.
What were you downloading at that rate if not movies?

Mostly email, web browsing and streaming music. The music alone eats up about 50MB per hour. I'm addicted to last.fm while I'm working.

It goes fast...

It would really by torture for me if I had a limit at home.
Then I wouldn't be able to restrict myself.

Once you go flat you never go back...

If Apple convinces me to buy a new iPhone then, I might go for an official one with a data plan. Till then Etidsalat can kiss my CD slot.

Same here.

[DXB Law]

Wow.
What were you downloading at that rate if not movies?
It would really by torture for me if I had a limit at home.
Then I wouldn't be able to restrict myself.
But on the road, with a bit of management and restraint I think its doable.

And since Plan 4 is the best anyway, one might as well take that.

Since I do not now have an iPhone, it is difficult for me to say with certainty exactly how I'd use it. But I am guessing that in most scenarios where I am on a free Wi-Fi connection (home or office) I would use my iMac or MacBookPro for apps that chew up bandwidth. Yes, I'd have my iPhone connected to the Wi-Fi network, but why use a small screen to do what you can do on a big screen with a full-sized keyboard (says somebody who is no longer young and no longer has the eyesight I did in my 20s)?

So I am guessing that most use of my iPhone would be on the 3G network, not the Wi-Fi network. One of the very things that intrigues me about an iPhone is the ability to stream audio from radio station websites and other websites while I am, say, driving or walking around town. I would imagine doing that would chew up lots of bandwidth fast.

I don't know whether I'd get the download speeds in Abu Dhabi and Dubai via 3G to do so (my experience with my 3.5G mobile broadband USB device has been disappointing so far) but if the speeds were there I could easily see myself using my iPhone as a portable internet radio. And the folks at Sling Media are promising a Slingbox client for iPhone later this year -- something I'd really use.

And, of course, there would be the whole issue of checking email -- and being able to open and view attachments while on the go.

So I could easily see using up a lot of bandwidth on 3G if the speeds and functionality are there -- that's why I'm a bit worried about overage charges on a 500MB plan. Perhaps the 2GB plan, which saves me from paying for the iPhone up front, might be more suitable.

But everybody is different, which is why there isn't a one-size fits all plan.

I do agree that unlimited usage is better, and even if there is a soft or undisclosed 1GB or 2GB cap on some 3G plans in the United States, they are way cheaper than in the UAE (I pay $25/month for my unlimited data plan, which is less than AED 100). But as Dorothy said to Toto, "we're not in Kansas anymore" - almost everything in the UAE is more expensive than it is in the US but that's just the way it is and one has to just learn to live with it.