Overnight HTC has unveiled its new flagship One (M8) smartphone to the world. This is the smartphone that will wage sweet rivalry against Samsung’s Galaxy S5 and Sony’s Xperia Z2. And even though the HTC One (M8) was unveiled last, it will be available in stores first. Being able to generate buzz from its announcement and release the smartphone in a matter of days makes HTC a dangerous smartphone foe.
Australia's three largest telecommunication carriers have confirmed to Good Gear Guide that the HTC One (M8) will be available in stores on the 1st of April. To help you decide which carrier you should buy the smartphone from, we have collated the various One (M8) plans Telstra, Vodafone and Optus are offering.
Telstra
Value proposition: $82 per month over 24 months.
Bundling Telstra’s M plan with the HTC One (M8) will set you back $82 per month over 24 months. The plan is just $1 more than the introductory S plan, and that dollar goes a long way by offering $150 extra in call value and 1GB extra in data.
Why Telstra?
Telstra plans are expensive, but the company’s proven Next G network is enough of a reason the pay the extra premium.
Things you should know
Call rates are calculated at 99 cents per minute and there is a one-off connection fee of 40 cents. Data used in excess of the 1.5GB allowance is charged at 3 cents per megabyte. Bill shock is hedged further with a $130 cap on excess voice and MMS usage.
Pre-order the HTC One (M8) online from Telstra and the carrier will throw in the authentic dot-view case at no extra cost while stock lasts.
Preorder the HTC One (M8) from Telstra here.
Vodafone
Value proposition: $75 per month over 24 months ($65 red plan with $10 One (M8) instalments)
Why Vodafone
Data users will struggle to pass on Vodafone’s $65 Red plan with the current promotion. Vodafone is doubling the plan’s data allowance — from 1.5GB to 3GB — for the life of the contract. This means the $5 extra you spend on the mid-range plan gives you an extra 1.5GB data. Better yet, the $65 red plan offers ‘Infinite’ calls to standard mobiles and landlines in Australia, lowering the risk of nasty excess charges.
Vodafone’s network has been the subject of much scrutiny over the last couple of years, but the ongoing investment is beginning to pay off. The telco announced it is adding 100 new 4G sites every month just two weeks ago on the 12th of March.
Things you should know
Vodafone’s double data promotion will expire on the 29th of April, 2014. There are also services that you have to pay for on top of the Red plan, such as phone calls to premium numbers. Get a rundown of these exclusions from a store member before you sign on the dotted line.
Order online and Vodafone will slash the cost of its Red plan by half for the first four months. This means you’ll pay $42.50 for your first four bills, provided you stick within the plans inclusions.
Preorder the HTC One (M8) from Vodafone here.
Optus
Value proposition: $58 per month over 24 months ($35 plan + $23 handset instalments)
Why Optus?
Optus’ plans fail to match the value of Vodafone’s, and although the carrier has a solid network, it by no means has the outstanding reputation of Telstra’s Next G. What it does offer, however, is a compromise on network quality and value, and the option of getting a shiny HTC One (M8) for less.
The $35 plan is only recommended for people who are more interested in getting their hands on the new HTC One (M8), even though they rarely use it to make calls or search the web; they want it for the camera, the music and the screen. Compulsive texters will also appreciate this plan.
Things you should know
Excess call and data usage isn’t calculated per minute/per megabyte. Instead, Optus will just pop you onto the next level of voice/data usage, and the increment varies between $5 and $10 dollars. This is a good thing.
Optus’ plan is also subject to voice exclusions, such as international calls. More information on Optus’ $35 plan can be found here.
Preorder the HTC One (M8) from Optus here.
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