update Optus will sell Apple's 8GB 3G iPhone for the outright price of AU$729 and AU$849 for the 16GB model, when purchased with Optus prepaid SIM cards.
The iPhone will also be available post-paid on the Optus network for $0 upfront for the 16GB iPhone 3G on an AU$79 capped plan over 24 months, with an included monthly data allowance of 700MB. A range of 12- and 24-month plans will also be available, with cheaper monthly caps attracting additional handset charges.
The cheapest option involves an AU$19 minimum monthly spend and handset repayments of AU$21 per month for the 8GB model. This plan includes AU$50 of calls and messages and a 100MB data allowance.
New and existing Optus prepaid customers will receive bonus mobile data allowances when recharging their prepaid plans, and customers purchasing an iPhone will receive a start-up bonus of AU$400 credit. All iPhone customers will receive free unlimited data usage for the first month when the iPhone is purchased before 31 August.
All iPhones purchased with a prepaid SIM will be network locked to Optus with an unlocking fee of AU$80 if applied for in the first six months after the original date of activation, or after AU$80 of prepaid credit has been purchased.
Buried deep in the fine print is the cancellation costs. Read that part very very carefully before signing. It will cost you more than the cost of the iphone outright if you choose to cancel early.
for example:
If you are on an optus $59 cap plan over 24 months, and decide to cancel within the first 12 months, the cancellation fee is $840. $9 more and you could get a brand new 16gb iphone outright.
Seems ludicrous to me.
Sourced from: (http://www.optusiphone.com.au/getdoc/3727f208-955d-4c4a-ad38-b860c9b14e56/post-paid-pricing.aspx)