Starhub, M1 to sell iPhones from Wednesday

From Wednesday, customers will be able to get their Apple iPhones from both Starhub and M1. The two local telcos announced their mobile plans on Monday hours within each other, each offering attractive packages and handset prices.

Starhub will be selling both the newer iPhone 3GS and the older iPhone 3G for prices between $0 and $668, depending on the plans subscribed to. Four new 3G mobile phone plans between $38 and $205 will also be offered with the iPhones, the Starhub website said. Subscribers to the 3G SmartSurf Unlimited two-year plan will get their iPhones for free.

SmartSurf 100 @ $38/mth for 2yrs :: 16GB @ $538 = $1450 / 32GB @ $668 = $1580
SmartSurf 300 @ $58/mth for 2yrs :: 16GB @ $268 = $1660 / 32GB @ $418 = $1810
SmartSurf 700 @ $98/mth for 2yrs :: 16GB @ $0 = $2352 / 32GB @ $108 = $2460
SmartSurf Unlimited @ $205/mth for 2yrs :: 16GB @ $0 = $4920 / 32GB @ $0 = $4920

On the M1 side, handsets range between $0 and $658 depending on the model. The telco is, however, dangling a 10-gigabyte local data bundle with its most basic plan, the $36-a-month iPhone Value and second most basic plan, which is $56 per month. According to a spokesperson from M1, unlimited data bundle is also available for other plans such as the $98 and $108-a-month plans.

iPhone Value @ $36/mth for 2yrs :: 16GB @ $518 = $1382 / 32GB @ $658 = $1522
iPhone Lite @ $56/mth for 2yrs :: 16GB @ $248 = $1592 / 32GB @ $398 = $1742
iPhone Extreme @ $98/mth for 2yrs :: 16GB @ $0 = $2352 / 32GB @ $98 = $2450
iPhone Unlimited @ $198/mth for 2yrs :: 16GB @ $0 = $4752 / 32GB @ $0 = $4752

Both M1 and Starhub iPhone plans come with a monthly data usage bill cap at $36.38 and $48 respectively - a feature which will be welcomed by users.StarHub said it is offering the cap to give its consumers 'complete peace of mind' when surfing the Web. Both StarHub and M1 also have iPhone plans that offer unlimited Web surfing. In contrast, SingTel does not have such an option. Neither does it offer a cap on Internet surfing fees in its iPhone plans. SingTel said it will announce revised plans 'within the next few days', for new and existing iPhone customers.

But it would be easier for both firms to get existing customers using other brands to switch to the iPhone than to draw from SingTel users, because of termination fees that SingTel will impose on its users as well as more competitive iPhone plans SingTel may offer later.