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iPhone 5s 16GB - $0 on $40/Month Plan (1GB Data, Unlimited Calls & Text) @ Vodafone

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Was searching Vodafone looking for a phone for my nephew.. came across this offer this morning.

iPhone 5s. Great phone. Our best price, ever.
Get it for $40 a month. Phone was $20 on this plan, now $0 upfront on our $40 Red plan.
Total min cost over 24 months is $960. In Oz, additional data is $10 per 1GB ($0.01/MB). T&C apply.

Plan includes:
Unlimited Calls in Oz
Unlimited Text to Oz and OS
1Gb Data
$5 Roaming

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Referrer & referee receive $25-$50 credit after referee's 3rd monthly bill.

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closed Comments

  • $40/month for a 2 year old phone. Nice.

    • +10

      Nah, it is almost a 2.5 year old phone.

    • +2

      Suited me cause wanted cheap plan for nephew but he wanted an iPhone. Wasn't paying $80 a month to get a 6 (the going rate everywhere)
      Clearly this deal is targeted at parents with kids going to high school etc.

      • +10

        Prepaid is a much better bet for kids. It means they have finite resources (ie limited data) and need to learn to moderate their usage accordingly.

        On this "deal," Vodafone will just tack on an extra $10 per GB used, and you'll be none the wiser until the bill arrives. Which is why Vodafone is very happy to market this deal towards kids - they know that kids are quick to become addicted to data and will end up earning themselves a pretty penny in extra data fees.

        • I shared the plan with mine.. means i can use my vodafone app and disable the data on that number at any time

      • +7

        You don't want to give kids going to high school a postpaid phone. Always go prepaid and buy the phone outright. That way you can limit their usage.

        • -1

          I plan to give my kids this until they are at least 17.

          http://www.kisaphone.com.au/

          They can go buy their own phone when they are an adult.

        • @crazycs:
          Yikes, that might be taking things a bit too far. The KISA phone has its place for those who can't handle a full-fat smartphone, but it's a very limited device and isn't exactly cheap either.

          There's nothing wrong with a cheap and cheerful smartphone on an inexpensive prepaid deal.

        • I consider myself a kid and only do prepaid. I can't stand the thought of going back to contracts.

    • +14

      People still post this sort of thing thinking they are funny; how sad ;)

  • +12

    Not much of a deal IMO. You could easily achieve the same price with a cheap prepaid plan and buying the phone outright. That way you're not locked into a contract and have total control over costs.

    And unless you're a one-eyed Apple fanatic, you could also get a much better phone into the bargain.

    • +5

      for my nephew

      Clearly this deal is targeted at parents with kids going to high school etc.

      Always go prepaid for kids. Seen too many parents/guardians slapped with >$200 bills because they gave their teens postpaid phones. When the teen has a job they can get one in their own name.

      Also if buying outright the kid sees the true cost of the phone, either as gift or if paying themselves.

      If telcos here offered some of the family-friendly plans you see OS (unlimited calls/text to other numbers on same account, HARD limits on spend, parents can block all premium numbers and bill-to-account services for games and apps, insurance against everything) then postpaid would be okay.

      • Generally i agree.
        But the plan gives unlimited calls.. so no risk of going over
        Can turn off their data at the flick of a switch
        Have turned of premium numbers etc. again was easy to do through the my vodafone app.

        reality is he/i am going to spend $40 a month for the data he wanted (3GB) so if you take that out of any equation then the phone is free..

        i never understand why people include the cost of a plan in their calculations of Plan VS Outright.. the reality is you need to play for a plan or prepaid regardless… even if i could do better on prepaid at say $30 .. then worst case phone has cost me $240 which is pretty good i reckon.

        • "i never understand why people include the cost of a plan in their calculations of Plan VS Outright.. the reality is you need to play for a plan or prepaid regardless."

          The ONLY way to do a true comparison is the compare the total cost of each option over the same time period. Anything else is buying into the false notion that the phone is "free" on these plans.

          Here's a real world comparison of 2 options available today:

          Option 1: 24 month contract with iPhone 5S (as per this deal)
          Unlimited calls, unlimited SMS, 1GB data on Vodafone network.
          Total cost $960 over 24 months

          Option 2: iPhone 5S outright plus $25 Pennywise plan
          Unlimited calls, unlimited SMS, 2.5GB data on Optus network ($600 over 24 months)
          iPhone 5s outright $400 from various vendors - cheaper if you get a used one.
          Total cost $1000 over 24 months

          Yes, your plan is $40 cheaper, but includes 1.5Gb less data per month. And surely everyone on Ozbargain knows by now that prepaid deals are just getting better and better - in 6 months time, who knows what will be available?

          Locking yourself into a long-term contract, along with the possibility of overage charges, just seems like a silly idea. But that's only my opinion.

        • No risk of going over on calls, which is good (unless they're calling international? seems unlikely). I know Voda isn't the horror that Telstra is ($2/mb wtf) and this plan is actually not too bad at $10/GB.

          And this plan only comes with 1GB. You get 1GB for $20/month on Boost, which is a pretty standard prepaid choice. Voda plan is 24 months so that's 24*$20 = $480. That's cheaper than most safe online prices by $20 to $100 for a 5S so I'd say this is a pretty decent deal.

          If you can manage their usage without access to their phone (cut off data) then it seems like Voda at least is on the ball more than… some other Telcos. shifty eyes

  • $20/m for plan, $480 for phone,,, not bad but not exciting

    • I dont think thats a $20 plan though… ultimate talk 1gb for $20? where?

      • there is no such plan, vodafone sells the plan for $25 which is overpriced.
        just help to calculate how much you will pay for the mobile phone.

    • the plan without phone is $30 so worst case i have paid $240 for a brand new phone that apple still sells for $799

      • if you sign contract for 24 months, the plan is $25. iphone 5s is sold for $499 from Telstra, which can be unlocked for free.

        • $150 unlocking fee in first 18 months just FYI.

  • +1

    paying $15/month for phone based on optus jeenee deal for more data and unlimited calls = $370 for phone

    • +1

      Yep, Jeenee prepaid + a cheap outright phone would be a much more sensible approach.

      • would rather get jeenee prepaid plus 16gb nexus 5x for $100 more

        • So would I - a much better phone than the 5S, for a relatively small additional cost.

  • -1

    The iPhone 5s is my favourite iPhone, just updated to iOS 9.3 public beta on the weekend to have a play. My main phone is the larger 6s, and after spending six months with the 6 and the 6s since launch, I'm still considering going back to a 4-inch.

    If the rumoured iPhone 6c/5e came with 3D Touch (which rumours say it won't), I would be really interested!

    I think this plan works for OP, but 1GB is really not a lot of data nowadays. My mum-in-law didn't understand how she went through so much data on her iPad till we pointed out YouTube (and streaming in general) would eat through that within hours and have nothing to show for it afterwards.

    Telstra has the iPhone 5s for I think $499 prepaid, but you wouldn't get much for $20 just on a phone plan. Worth considering however if the nephew can maximise the Telstra prepaid offers tho:

    https://www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/prepaid-mobiles/iph…

    • If you insisted on Telstra coverage, your best bet would be Boost prepaid $20 plan: http://boost.com.au/$20-ultra-sim-prepaid-plan.aspx
      And yes, Boost generally works on Telstra-locked prepaid phones.

    • +1

      I run an iPhone 5 (not S) and a Galaxy Note - side by side, every day. They both get about equal usage.

      The iPhone is less powerful, with smaller screen, less features.

      But it's a FAR better device. Better built, infinitely better battery life, infinitely easier to use. Doesn't need to be rebooted every week or so when it starts lagging. None of the awful Android quirks, no need to go online and search geek forums to find out how to use it.

      In summary, everything just works. As a phone, the iphone 5 package is pretty much as good as it gets.

  • Wrong topic, delete

  • -1

    New 4 inches iPhone is coming soon.

    • It's only a rumour, and the rumours point to a very underwhelming device, if it exists.

      • Actually, I disagree. 6th gen iPod touch comes with same processor (but under-clocked) as iPhone 6 on a 4-inch screen, and it's a great device.

        • -1

          "Great" is a relative term. Compared to what?

          The rumours suggest that it will be a 5S/iPod Touch hybrid, with the A8 chip, 1GB RAM, iPhone 6-level camera, TouchID and Apple Pay. For a likely RRP of around AU$730, there are many better options out there with far better hardware, for much lower cost.

          The Nexus 5X has a better screen, a better processor, a better camera, more RAM and also includes fingerprint reader and Android Pay that will (by September) be widely in use. And it's less than $500 outright.

          Unless Apple price it very competitively (and they have zero track record of doing so) it's already beaten before it even releases. Only the truly Apple-blinded would buy such a device.

        • +1

          @klaw81: Only the truly Apple-blinded would buy such a device.

          If by "blinded" you meant those who preferred the iOS/OS X ecosystem, but wanted a smaller device than the 6S, then this mythical beast would keep a lot of iPhone 4/4S/5/5s hold-outs more happy to upgrade.

          There really is no point arguing Android or Windows Phone or whatever else is "better" if you wanted to stay with your investment in iTunes and iCloud etc. The 4-inch iPhone is only in competition with the larger iPhones.

        • @klaw81: "Great" compared to prev gen iPods, or people who say iPods are pointless. It is all relative to each user, for whatever they bought those devices for.

          By the way, I am using Nexus 5X right now. I find it a "great" phone - not sure what I need to compare it to :)

      • Remember to remove the -ve vote when the new 4-inch iPhone comes out this year.

  • Would Telstra prepaid Iphone 5s work on the Boost network?

    • Should do - all of their other Telstra-locked prepaid phones seem to work on Boost.

      • yeah would work

        Their unlocking fee for the iphone is bad though… $149 if you ask to unlock with 18 months
        $75 after..
        guess thats where the subsidy is…

  • Seems like a decent deal, thanks OP. Too much complaining in the comments!

    I'm almost tempted. I wouldn't mind switching to an iPhone for the first time to get iOS and be more compatible with my macbook. Plus I want a small phone again. I could sell my One Plus One for about $300 on eBay apparently, plus that phone deal is better than my current $20 plan p/m.

    For those that own a 5s, does it run general use, normal applications and internet quickly? I know it's much lower specced compared to a OnePlus One but it's a different operating system and different demands so hoping it's still snappy for core use.

    The new 5se is meant to be coming out soon, so maybe the 5s prices will drop dramatically, making buying a 5s outright perhaps a better option at that time..?

  • Looks like the deal is finished anyway. You only get 500mb now for that price.

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