Whirlpool

Hi guys and gals,
A mate of mine is looking to buy a 16gb iphone outright and then unlock it to use on his voda simcard. I told him about Harvey Norman selling the 16gb for 847 bucks, then an extra 150 buck unlocking fee (Telstra). We went to Harvey Norman Broadway and they're out of stock. Other Harvey Normans seem to be out too. One salesman advised that Telstra have stopped selling iphones outright whilst others have said they that they're out of stock but they've ordered more – and it can still be unlocked.

Can anyone shed more light on this? I bought my own 16gb iphone only 2 weeks ago and unlocked it with ease through Telstra. Hard to believe they've stopped selling in such a short period of time.

Thanks for your help,

Telstra stores and resellers make there own decision on if they want to sell it outright or not.

There is much less profit on outright iPhones, hence why lots of places dont

I beleive this to be true. Our Telstra account manager at work has confirmed this, as we can longer purchase the handsets outright. Contract only from now on...

That's a real shame. Rumours might be true then. Thanks nagelixin.
Can anyone else confirm?

It is NOT Telstra deciding to stop selling them outright, it is the INDIVIDUAL stores making the decision (as all said above). There is no margin in an outright sale, but more money signing them up to contracts (due to not stock around).

Its only Tshops and Dealers that are not selling the 16GB outright now. Telstra still sells the 16GB outright. Just call '1800 IPHONE'

phonenumbers.net.au writes...

It is NOT Telstra deciding to stop selling them outright, it is the INDIVIDUAL stores making the decision

Actually it is Telstra that has stopped the 16GB iPhone 3G being sold through the Telstra Shop and T[Life] Store Network. ;)

I ordered a 16gig outright through 1800 iphone last Friday and all was good until it didn't show up, rang, order was stopped at despatch due to not be able to sell 16 gig outright anymore. Got one at Harvey Norman no problems.

oscyaki writes...

Actually it is Telstra that has stopped the 16GB iPhone 3G being sold through the Telstra Shop and T[Life] Store Network. ;)

Good. They are still low in stock so prepaid and outright should be the first to go.

KINGind™ writes...

Telstra still sells the 16GB outright. Just call '1800 IPHONE'

Even then you won't be guaranteed one, from what I've seen they will sell to existing customers and re-contracting users.

We only sell 8gb outright at our T-shop. Even then only if we have plenty.

Telstra issued a directive to all Telstra dealers and shops not to sell 16gb iPhones outright as of the 1st of October. Edit – actually it could have even been the 1st of September, I can't remember. Any dealer or shop doing so is actually breaking their dealership agreement (and should be dobbed in, because they're not playing by the rules that the rest of us have to play by). I'm all for competition but it's gotta be a level playing field.

Of course Telstra themselves are allowed to sell them over the phone but only "under specific circumstances".

Yeah it was september mate.

Crash Override writes...

Any dealer or shop doing so is actually breaking their dealership agreement (and should be dobbed in, because they're not playing by the rules that the rest of us have to play by). I'm all for competition but it's gotta be a level playing field.

+1

I agree. It is not competition as the playing field is not level. Telstra have made the decision to maximise $.

Crash Override writes...

Of course Telstra themselves are allowed to sell them over the phone but only "under specific circumstances".

such as...

Telstra doesn't like the iPhone because they can't sell all there cr@p services, like Mobile foxtel, Sensis whereis and the rest of the services they like to charge extra $s

They don't like Apple making money on App store and using Google for search. They want people dialling 1234 and getting charging heaps $1.40 plus 77c a minute.

You'll never see a Telstra ad for iPhone although some of their dealers might

VikingBrad writes...

You'll never see a Telstra ad for iPhone although some of their dealers might

I'm not a dealer and we HAD to have the A frame with an iPhone poster in it. We HAD to have not one but 2 freakin massive posters (~1x2m) in the shop, we HAVE to have a LIVE iPhone on a stand in the shop and we HAD to have 1 person wearing an iPhone shirt EVERY DAY.

Seriously what more do you want? I don't see us doing that for any other phone.

| kemikal | writes...

such as...

Dealers and shops haven't been told officially what the "circumstances" are. That's up to the phone operators, not us.

Why, if you're trying to get a phone outright (e.g, paid upfront and unlocked), would you source from a provider that costs $1000 (850+150) when another costs $930 (850+80)??

It's the exact same item, and you can use that $80 in calls, it just seems strange to me... (I'm not being salesy lol – prepaid iphones waste our time) :P

VikingBrad writes...

You'll never see a Telstra ad for iPhone although some of their dealers might

Sorry for staying off topic but I am sure I have seen 1 Telstra Apple add just like Vodafone and Optus ads.

dan writes...

Sorry for staying off topic but I am sure I have seen 1 Telstra Apple add just like Vodafone and Optus ads.

Guess I am guilty of a bit of over exaggeration.

Compare to ads other carriers like Optus & Vodafone, Telstra's interest is in iPhone is zero.

For other handsets like Treo Pro & Blackberry Bold you can't avoid the Telstra ads because those handsets can be 'customised' by telstra to use or their 'value-add' services

VikingBrad writes...

Compare to ads other carriers like Optus & Vodafone, Telstra's interest is in iPhone is zero.

I just went to Telstra.com, and what do you know? iPhone ad smack bang at the top. Optus.com.au? Zippo. Vodafone.com.au? Zero.

Not to mention the huge iPhone poster out the front of my local Telstra shop.

I don't think Telstra give a rats about what phone you use, as long as it's on the NextG network.

Ooh Me Plums! writes...

Not to mention the huge iPhone poster out the front of my local Telstra shop.

:S dono about u, but i live in the CBD of melbourne and walk past the T-Life store every day. Their all for blackberry bold now. Even the massive screen dosn't have the iphone ad anymore.

In the windows, they display bold's big and small, foxtel and other stuff. No more iphone. They took it all down.

I think we are subject to too much hype on this forum. iPhone's in general isn't that welcomed in general public. I see iPhones, sure. But there are still more people with N95's and the occasional N96.

Sure, you can argue that the iphone hasn't been out long, but mainly is because of the price point. And also the whole deal around it (the sphere of people)

Plague writes...

I think we are subject to too much hype on this forum. iPhone's in general isn't that welcomed in general public. I see iPhones, sure. But there are still more people with N95's and the occasional N96

I see a lot more iPhones than N-series Nokias but perhaps because they stand out more.

Latest Telstra printed catalog doesn't even mention they sell iPhones.

VikingBrad writes...

perhaps because they stand out more.

Everyone I've seen with an iPhone has spent about 6 hrs going around the office showing all the weird & wonderful features it has... "oh...loook at this! if you twist the calculator 'this' way, is turns into a scientific calculator – isn't that just SO cool?"

It's a bit like watching Rodney Trotter walking around with his money in the air after his first ever visit to an ATM...