Vodafone cuts STD tariff, to offer iPhone

By OUR CORRESPONDENTs

Hyderabad/New Delhi, May 6: Vodafone Essar announced on Tuesday a uniform tariff structure for STD and roaming services for all customers across India, cutting current rates. The new tariffs came into effect from May 6.

With the new reduced tariffs, customers will now be able to make any STD calls at Rs 1.30/min. Roaming rates have also been reduced to Re 1/min for all incoming and local outgoing calls. STD calls on Roaming will be charged at Rs. 1.50/min once the new tariff comes into operation.

Mr Harit Nagpal, director, marketing and new business, Vodafone Essar, said, "The reduction in tariffs reinforces our commitment to deliver the best value to our customers."

In another development, Vodafone said on Tuesday that it has signed an agreement with Apple to sell the iPhone in 10 of its markets around the globe, including India. Vodafone pulled off the deal, after it lost out to Telefonica's O2 to sell it in Britain. "Later this year, Vodafone customers will be able to purchase the iPhone for use on the Vodafone network," said Vodafone.

The company was competing with operators and retailers to secure the right to sell the iPhone.

iPhone has been eagerly waited in India since its launch in 2007. But those who could not wait for its official launch were buying it from the grey market. An iPhone in Delhi's grey market costs around Rs 22,000.

Though Vodafone didn't say anything on the price, according to some speculations the company could sell it for around Rs 27,000. "The iPhone in grey markets comes without any guarantee and support. So those who were waiting to buy it legally won't mind shelling out Rs 27,000," said an analyst.

iPhone is one of the most popular phones launched in the recent telecom history, a touch-screen mobile phone which combines Apple's popular iPod, a video player and web browser. Apple sold 2,70,000 iPhones in the first 30 hours on the launch weekend.