Motorola Milestone & Garmin A10 headed to Optus?

Now I’m as sick of the Motorola Milestone rumours as you are, but I think we might finally be on to something here, so bear with me.

Lucas over at Techanist.com has a screenshot (after the break) of the internal Optus Business Plans lineup. Now in between the mess of the usual devices, we find the Moto Milestone & Garmin A10. As lucal said in his post, it makes sense for the Milestone & A10 to be targeted towards the business user, and the sub-par DEXT, Quench & Backflip to be opted towards the average consumer.

The Milestone & A10 are both very sleek looking devices & both have their pros and cons. But the Milestone is one of the few Android Devices around with a fast CPU (Cortex-A8 600MHz) and a physical QWERTY Keyboard. The A10 is also quite good as it’s main priority is GPS which is quite nice for the travelling business person.

Screenshot & (alleged) pricing after the break.

Now as you can see above, the Milestone is slated in at $679 on a $29 Business ‘yes’ plan and the A10 comes in at $459 on the same plan.

[Via: Techanist]

Posted in: Rumours

ace

not this 1..bring nexus one please
- brentos1236
  
  Nexus One will be a Vodafone exclusive. Where ever Vodafone is they have exclusive on it
brentos1236

I will shot Optus if they get it. Vodafone need it
http://techanist.com Lucas

Hey Guys, Optus wont get the Nexus One, they have a agreement with Motorola at the moment, so it makes sense to roll out the Milestone and i dont think it will be long before they throw the Quench onto pre-paid either.
- http://ausdroid.net/ Buzz Moody
  
  Just to elaborate on that. Vodafone has a global exclusive on the Nexus One, so it’ll only come to Australia via them.
ace

then hope vodafone bring N1 by next month..i need android phone so badly!!!!!
- http://techanist.com Lucas
  
  I have heard from a Vodafone source, like what was reported on here, that Vodafone should have it by mid-month.
Dave

you would think if the n1 was coming that they would have announced it at the conference last night.
- http://techanist.com Lucas
  
  The conference last night was a HTC/VHA only event though, and the N1 is not a HTC branded device, they are only the OEM manufacturer of it for Google, so it makes sense for it not to be announced last night. It will be a Vodafone announcement if anything. Also if HTC/VHA have only just announced the Legend yesterday for a June 3rd release i would suspect a N1 announcement within a week or so if it’s to come middle of June. Bad timing i would think however with iPhone 4G announcement only a week and a bit away.
Dave

Also if the Legend is on a $49 cap there is no way that the N1 will be any cheaper
- http://techanist.com Lucas
  
  N1 free on a $79 cap is my guess, with hopefully another refresh of plans in response to Optus’ Social Caps.
  - Dave
    
    yep i agree, i’m hoping for something in the $30 range, maybe we will get the wildfire
http://techanist.com Lucas

Wildfire would be good, though i would think that would be some time away. The networks in Australia really need to promote Android in Australia. It seems only Telstra can market Android handsets in Australia effectively and thats not good consumers, even though their new plans are a 1000 times better then before.
- ace
  
  I agree. And IF Vodafone do announce N1 in next month, it will be cheaper than HTC Desire from Telstra right?
  - Dave
    
    probably around the same price maybe 10 bucks cheaper
mobuksh

Hi Buzz, is there any chance of changing the phrase “travelling businessman” to “travelling business person”? Android needs more adoption from women me thinks. Just an opinion, feel free to ignore LOL

~mo~
Matt

I’ve been a long time Optus business customer and have been hanging out for the Milestone since it was announced in November 09.

I’ve come to know a few of the Optus business sales guys quite well and despite my incessant nagging I’ve never heard anything from them about an Optus Milestone release. My source told me this morning that the Milestone is not in his stock listing; there has been no word on it; there hasn’t been any training given; it would never be released on a $29 plan with handset repayments, it would more likely be on $79 plan with the phone for free.

He also said that considering how long the Milestone has been in the worldwide marketplace it’s unlikely that Optus will stock it as it would be considered an ‘outdated’ phone and it’s more likely that the next model (Shadow perhaps?) would be stocked; especially considering that Optus now has its agreement with Motorola and with Google re Android Marketplace.

I for one hope that Lucas is correct (although, I wouldn’t mind the Shadow being released at some time towards the end of the year) but time will tell.
- Anon.
  
  Optus reps have only recently been advised about the Moto Droid…. but the emphasys is on the sales reps to keep up to date with the news and know how to work their way around mobile phones which a lot dont, unfortunately and that goes for any telco in australia, the reps dont get proper training on the phones and the reps themselves dont bother either, i work for one of the telcos and ive only started working there in the last few months and ive trained most of the staff even my manager on how to use most phones, which is funny coz ive never worked with phones before, i just brought my own knowledge to the table and trained the staff from scratch and trust me thats no easy task. give you an examply last year on the 10th of November i went into an telephone dealership and asked the sales rep about the Samsung Icon Omnia (i8000) to which he replied that he didnt know what phone i was talking about even though he was standing under a massive poster of the phone.
  
  and i can confirm that the droid will be available on every optus plan even the $19 cap/social
  - Dave
    
    sweet any idea when?
http://techanist.com Lucas

Hey Matt,

I also haven’t heard any news from Optus in regards to the Milestone, and when pressing a source of mine who works for Optus, he also stated that he hadn’t heard anything either.

Now you are correct in saying that Optus would never release the Milestone on a 29 plan with handset repayments, however this does not mean the phone can not be sold on the 29 cap with repayments and would more likely go the 79 Cap route with no handset repayments, in fact I can confirm that the Milestone is shown as free on the Business Complete 79 Cap plan on this pricing bulletin.

I can also confirm that the Milestone shows up in the Optus Activation system, which is used to connect customers to plans.
ace

oh man, with the recent leak of motorola shadow,i feel like want to wait for it.zzzzzz
- bluen
  
  seriously? be prepared to wait for a looong time :p Australia and technology have a rocky relationship.
  - Brent
    
    lol and we gotta wait for the GSM version of it too. Thats another 7 months
Et3rnal

Just talk to Optus guy 2nit and he said moto Milestone will be available by next week yaaay

and also it gonna be n social plan or wt ever normal plan not just business

nothing more thx god i didnt take the n900 lol.
- http://ausdroid.net/ Buzz Moody
  
  Yep. I’ve been contacted by people saying it’ll be out within a week or so. They have it in stock a Telechoice, they’re just not allowed to sell it. I expect that’s the same for Optus.
  - Paul Grenfell
    
    Do you think the Milestone will have Australian Motonav Maps installed free or will we have to purchase separate?
  - http://ausdroid.net/ Buzz Moody
    
    It could do, but it’s useless. I stopped using it on my Milestone and used Google Maps instead.
  - Paul Grenfell
    
    Whats wrong with them? I cant use Google Maps in many Regional Areas as i frequently go offline.. thats why i use Ovi Maps on Nokia..
ChaosDave

SHAWEEET good work dude