I'm over the outrage now, just disappointed that Vodafone NZ didn't do something better to really promote the use of the mobile web here. With this kind of data pricing it remains an expensive luxury instead of a handy utility. Gutted.

Some problems with the data plans:
1) Too expensive.
2) The fact you have to pay $10 more per month not to be on a contract.
3) The fact if you go over your GB allotment, you are charged per megabyte. There is no option to drop the speed instead.
4) There is no unlimited plan.

Why not charge by speed and have all plans unlimited? eg.
128KB/s = $19/month
Unlimited = $49/month for example.
Probably because the speeds are so bad anyway, so never mind...

The only good thing Vodafone has done for consumers in a long time, is to promise to keep NZ phones unlocked. I wonder if this includes the iPhone?

Until there's an unlimited plan for a decent amount, I'm sticking with PrePay & WiFi only. Nice one Vodafone, You're missing out on $49/month.

http://twitter.com/brownsandals/statuses/852562285

A salient point one thinks...

Wasn't vodafone nz just saying that they were reducing casual data charges to $1 for 10meg? (down from $10 per meg, LOL) that would make it $30 a month for 300 meg? or iPhones need a special SIM card or something?

I guess with the 6k plans they're purely targeting earlier adopters who tend to be really stupid with money and don't do the math before buying stuff

vodafone's got a history of being shonky - i remeber seeing a finance offer for a first generation pxt phone that was ONLY $20 per week, which worked out to be finance with 115% interest.

This situation just screams for more public wireless access, city wide mesh networks and the like. That way you are no longer dependent on a very small number of mobile phone providers.

Here's a few pointers:
* http://www.fon.com/ : Home Wireless Hotspot community. Basic idea is that if you share your connection, you can use anyone elses connection for free. Super easy to setup, they sell cheap plug & play hardware. Not available in Australia or New Zealand yet, but anyone can set up a local competitor.

* http://www.cantenna.com/ : broadcast wifi signal over huge distances; so no excuses that this won't work in the country side.

* http://www.open-mesh.com/ : Cheap tools to set up a mesh network; that basically means a decentralized network. In other words, if enough people participate you can send data for free from one end of a city to the other at very high speeds.

These are solutions that can be build bottom up by communities and if successful will wet Vodaphone's pants, because they will lose a lot of money on their useless unaffordable 3G network.

Don't project your outrage at yourself (that you are going to buy it regardless of price) onto others, as though you're just looking out for the less fortunate.

Also interesting-- not much of the outrage is directed at Apple-- no chance that they had a ton of leverage and that Vodafone may have to charge this much to make up for whatever concessions they made to get the iPhone?

Outrage-- things have got to be pretty damn good in this world for someone to use the word 'outrage' over a phone pricing plan that you voluntarily accept. Good Lord.

I feel better about our RM99/month(USD 33)unlimited data plan here in M'sia now - and hsdpa is in nearly all urban areas too.
Damn worried about data roaming charges when i visit NZ shortly tho!

The solution is easy. Don't buy Vodafone's products & services after all, Vodafone doesn't come with a gun and force consumers to buy its services & products. Vodafone's products belong solely to them and not the consumers. It is they who decide the price and not the whinging potential consumers.

easiest solution is to say no - go with another network and another device....

I get the feeling if everyone displayed some amazing restraint here and didn't buy it, the prices'd probably soon come down.