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iPhone 3GS: Vodafone vs. Optus

[Disclaimer: If it needs to be disclaimed, I used to work for a digital agency on Vodafone, once upon a time. At that time I chose Optus iPhone 3G, but no longer.]

I sold my Optus iPhone 3G before leaving on a 9 months trip overseas, thinking the 3G reception wouldn’t be so great in the jungles of South America.

When I returned, I had to decide whether to stay with Optus, who I’d enjoyed a moderately decent relationship with over the past 11 years, or jump ship. I went with Vodafone for these reasons:

1. Value: This Vodafone/NRMA deal is just too good to pass up: 2 months free plus 10% off a 24month contract.
2. EDGE support (outside of metro);
3. Visual Voicemail: This is the win. I HATE the asynchronicity of voicemail, this cuts that back to something more like “audio email”;
   Faster 3G speeds than Optus: Technically true, from side-by-side tests using the Speedtest app. But I’ve noticed Vodafone drops down to 2G more often in Sydney CBD;
4. 3G Tethering supported by Vodafone: Just call them up and they switch it on;
5. Vodafone don’t revert to 2G when talking on phone;
6. You can tether and talk on phone at same time;
7. No Blacklisted Numbers (unlike Optus policy as of late 2009): So you can use VOIP account such as Pennytel.