China Unicom To Offer Free iPhone With Priciest Service Plans
September 29 2009 - 12:10AM
Dow Jones News
China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd. (CHU) said Tuesday that Chinese
customers who select the most expensive service plans under a
two-year contract can receive the Apple Inc. (AAPL) iPhone for
free.
Customers who sign up for the priciest monthly plan, at CNY886
per month ($130) for two years, will get the top-end 32-gigabyte
iPhone 3Gs for free, as opposed to the retail price of around
CNY5,000, ($732) the company said.
However, under that plan, customers must be willing to pre-pay
their monthly bills by putting down a hefty deposit of CNY7,999
($1,170).
By contrast, the equivalent phone in the U.S. sells for $299,
with a two-year service plan that ranges from around $45 to $120 a
month, including text messaging.
Thus the total cost of ownership over a two-year period for a
top-end iPhone will be similar in China and the U.S. The priciest
plan in the U.S. offers unlimited calls and texting, while the
top-end plan from China Unicom still limits calls and messages,
albeit at a generous 3,000 minutes per month for calls.
-By Aaron Back, Dow Jones Newswires; (8610) 6588-5848;
aaron.back@dowjones.com