Vodafone launches new AU mobile plans
Vodafone said the new plans re-emphasised its "no contract" push, saying in a statement they were designed to "woo customers away from inflexible and expensive mobile plans and provide them with an even greater excuse to get rid of their landline or mobile contract."
Vodafone's chief executive officer, Grahame Maher, said the new bundles represent the beginning of the company's "aggressive strategy to shake up the Australian mobile market".
"With more and more Australians now actively comparing their fixed line to mobile spend in response to Telstra's recent fixed line rental price hikes, we believe the new bundles offer another reason for them to ditch their fixed line," he said.
Vodafone are offering three new price bundles called Super Cap, for a maximum of AU$79 per month for AU$500 worth of standard voice calls to any mobile or landline, voicemail, TXT, PXTTM, data browsing (GPRS) and Vodafone 123 in Australia; Mega Cap for a maximum of AU$149 per month and AU$1,200 in value of calls; and Night Talker that offers free minutes to any land or mobile line between 8pm and 8am, with the number of free minutes offered depending on the amount spent - for example AU$30 spend includes 120 free minutes -- for a minimum monthly cost of AU$30.
"Unlike some current competitor bundles, with the new Vodafone value bundles customers don't need to buy a new handset and can take advantage of per second billing on standard calls," said Maher.
According to the release, Vodafone will not charge an exit fee on the plans.
The plans will be available in a pay monthly deal from 23 July and in a prepay format by the end of August.