iPhone 3G contracts in Germany

Maybe I just missed it, but so far nobody seems to have blogged the contracts that will be available for the iPhone 3G in Germany. This also includes the different models they'll be selling.

Interestingly, the 'small' contract will be available until the end of September (it used to be an excusive offer that was to end soon), which means I'm strongly considering getting the new iPhone, particularly since my old contract (which kept me from getting the original iPhone, for which I had a special, reduced offer but would have had to pay the contract in full) is running out. I'm already using my work iPod touch a lot, so this would essentially remove my old telephone and merge it into my iPod, meaning one less device to lug around.

Here's a short summary: iPhone 8GB is available from 170 through 1 EUR, 16GB from 250 through 20 EUR (in black or white), depending on what contract you choose. Contracts are available at 29, 49, 69 or 89 EUR / Month, where the 29 EUR contract has 500MB inclusive, while the others come with a flat rate and access to T-Mobile hot-spots. The contracts include 50/100/200/1000 minutes free each month and 0/40/150/300 text messages. All contracts are 24-month contracts and include a weekend flatrate for calls to landline and other T-Mobile phones.

The billing interval for calls is the usual 60/1 (at 0.29 EUR, except for the 'big' contract, which costs 0.09 EUR), for data they bill you in blocks of 100k at the end of each connection, or at least once per day.

Here's a little table with the individual facts about the 16GB iPhone:
 

iPhone 16GB	iPhone	Monthly	2 Years	Text/Month	Minutes/Month	Text 2Y.	Minutes 2Y.	HotSpots	Data	1 Year	TCO
Complete S	249,95 €	29,00 €	696,00 €	0	50	0	1.200	-	500 MB	348,00 €	945,95 €
Complete M	149,95 €	49,00 €	1.176,00 €	40	100	960	2.400	x	unlimited	588,00 €	1.325,95 €
Complete L	39,95 €	69,00 €	1.656,00 €	150	200	3.600	4.800	x	unlimited	828,00 €	1.695,95 €
Complete XL	19,95 €	89,00 €	2.136,00 €	300	1000	7.200	24.000	x	unlimited	1.068,00 €	2.155,95 €

Reader Comments: (RSS Feed)

Karsten writes: Hi Uli, isn't the small cotract available until 30.09.? anyway...looking forward to replacing my crappy mac-incompatible samsung in two weeks :-D Kind Regards Karsten

Robert McGovern writes: I had seen it and I currently have an iPhone contract with them started back in December (Xmas present). I am waiting for them to release what options there are for those that already have iPhones. There is supposed to be something but no info yet, and asking in the T-Punkt stores in Hamburg we where told that they only know what the website / press release said and come back on July 11th. Unfortunately my German isn't good enough to keep decent tabs on what http://www.iphoneblog.de/ says.

Uli Kusterer replies: ★ Robert, the guys at iPhoneBlog are currently speculating, mostly, but there seem to be two approaches. One seems to be the standard approach, and is used with other T-Mobile phones and contracts too, as far as I heard: To get the new iPhone, you have to buy out your old contract at 15 EUR/Month remaining. Sadly, this means that even if you bought the original iPhone on the first day, you'll still be paying 225 EUR extra. Alternatively, T-Mobile seem to offer that you transfer your old iPhone and contract to someone else, and then they'll let you start a new one with the new iPhone, plus give you a bit of credit. Neither of these would really tempt me.

Uli Kusterer replies: ★ Karsten, errr... good point, I'll fix it. Somehow I must have subtracted 1 from August instead of adding there ;-)

Robert McGovern writes: Danke Uli, Agreed neither of those options are tempting and as much as I would love my wife to use my old iPhone she just isn't that interested in the device, or would really make use of it enough to make it worth it. Even on the small plan. The lack of Hotspot's wouldn't be a problem though as we get Hotspot access with our T-Com DSL package (which is easier to login with that than the T-Mobile number & awkward password) I am amazed at how different the mobile market here is compared to the UK, at least 2 years ago. Admittedly now it is moving a little toward the 2 year fixed contract that seems popular here. I do wish T-Mobile was being a bit "friendlier" like O2 is being in the UK regarding upgrades and such.

Or E-Mail Uli privately.