Telstra unleashes HTC Wildfire
Filed under: Android, customers, Facebook, gadgets and gizmos, HTC, innovation, lifestyle, mobile internet, Next G™, pre paid, social media, Twitter
After the success of the HTC Desire we’re really excited to be able to launch its little brother – the HTC Wildfire.
The big news with the HTC Wildfire is that it’s our first pre-paid smartphone for Next G™ network customers.
It features the same easy-to-use user interface and Google Android 2.1 operating system that’s made the HTC Desire such a popular phone.
It’s tailored especially for what our younger customers want. That means it is:
Great for social networking
It has some great social networking apps built-in, including HTC’s Friend stream which allows you to view friends’ Facebook updates, Tweets and Flickr photos in one organised stream, all on the same screen. We’ve also included Telstra’s own social networking service which is called Tribe.
It brings together Facebook®, Twitter and MySpace in a single mobile portal and is free-to-browse — which means customers don’t need to worry about how much data they’re using. Pre-paid customers just need to have a minimum recharge of $20 in the last 30 days to access the unmetered service.
HTC Wildfire™ is also the first Telstra smartphone to feature Swype™ text input technology. It allows customers to glide their finger across a virtual keyboard to spell words, rather than tapping out each letter. It makes updating social networking sites that little bit faster.
- It entertains: Wildfire provides access to thousands of games from Android Market and its YouTube app makes it easy to watch videos. Our customers can also choose from the 33 channels available on from Telstra.Mobile FOXTEL
- It’s great value: Our pre-paid customers are looking for the best value possible. They will be able to pick up the Wildfire for $349 — no need for a contract. This includes a $10 recharge credit to get customers going.
- It looks good: Looks are important. Wildfire features brushed aluminium highlights and it’s available in ‘Pure White’ or ‘Phantom Black’. It’s also nice and compact.
We think it’s a great little package. Check out the video shot at the launch and let us know what you think.
Availability and Pricing
Telstra Pre-Paid customers can purchase the HTC Wildfire outright for $349 from 7th September.
Customers can team it with Telstra’s new Pre-Paid Cap+ offer which buys customers bonus credit to use on standard national calls and SMS to Australian and international numbers. For instance, customers who recharge $30 can receive a $170 bonus credit for voice calls and SMS to Australian and International numbers and 50MB of bonus data. The more customers recharge the higher the bonus credit.
- Fone Zone will offer the HTC Wildfire in Pure White (Post-Paid variant only) exclusively from 24 August (until 28 September when the colour becomes available from all Telstra stores and partners).
- Telstra Stores and Partners will offer HTC Wildfire in Phantom Black from 7 September on Pre-Paid, with Pure White to be made available from the 28th September.
- Customers can also purchase HTC Wildfire on a range of Telstra Post-Paid plans including for $0 upfront on Telstra’s $49 Cap Plan when signing up for 24 months (Min Cost $1,176) from 24 August.
FOXTEL marks are used under licence by FOXTEL Management Pty Limited.
Fantastic, it’s a pity I can’t access My Account or the Telstra online shop due to a server error though.
It looks like a great little phone. 2 questions. How much is the phone to buy outright(not pre-paid) and I also noticed in the demo the keypad is full QWERTY. Can the keypad be reverted to Phone Keypad?
Well that sucks…
I want the RED one!
Why isn’t that available in Australia?
“Telstra Stores and Partners”? Do they include the T-Life stores who like to set their own prices?
Telstra needs to include an app called “BillShock” to automatically inform customers they have reached datacost set points such as $50, $100 etc. That way they won’t lose out on nonpayers and customers will monitor their usage.
Until Telstra tell us what their plans are to keep their Android phones up to data, for example the Desire and Android 2.2, I wouldn’t be buying any Telstra branded Android phone. Release fast OS updates and you’re on a winner Telstra.
Hey Ron, like every other business in the free world that sets their own prices?
That’s a little thing called \Economics\ and \Supply and Demand\.
If someone is going to sign a contract that says they’ll pay $3,000 for something that normally sells for $1,000 when the consultant says \This is going to cost you $x/month.\, who’s fault is that?
@Steve
There are 2 great FREE apps in the Android market place – 3GWatchdog and APNDroid, these do what you said you wanted. Eliminate bill shock. I work for Telstra and I tell everyone I come across who is using Android to get these 2 apps. With 3GWatchdog You enter the start date of your data allowance and the amount of data in your plan and datapack, it works best if this app is on your main screen, as then you can see your usage every time you look at it. It will let you run to your nominated threshold and then issue warnings. If you blitz your plan you’re the idiot.
really want the red one >insert sadface<
Meh.
I would’ve preferred the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini Pro… Sure, HTC make great smartphones, but the Xperia X10 mini Pro has a REAL keyboard, a pocketable size and Sony Ericsson devices are renowned for their multimedia capabilities – the latter of which most Android devices (including those from HTC) are frequently criticized for.
Um, Matt, what I think Ron was asking was if the Telstra special price was the same across the private stores too.
I wouldn’t go to Telstra for an HTC – or any phone for that matter – as a pre-paid customer. Data costs are too high.
What’s the deal with the release date. It says September 6 on this page, but the actual Telstra Media Release says August 24.
Steve,
We currently have a number of ways to help people manage their bills.
For example customers can register for My Account at http://www.telstra.com or bigpond.com, which allows them to access a range of online services to help manage their account, including viewing unbilled calls and data usage. Customers can also access the “My Data Usage Meter” online. This means a customer can keep track of their monthly mobile data use and costs. And if customers have a Browsing Pack, it will show them what % of their included data has been used.
We’re continuing to look at other options, to give even people better certainty and control over what they spend on phone services.
When are you going to release the 2.2 update to the Desire???
Why do you have to waste all that time/effort loading it with useless links that we are never going to use. You’d improve the customer experience out of sight if you just released the software promptly…..
Daniel , after having a WM6.1 phone, I can say you dont need to worry about constant Android updates. These things(Android) are pretty rock solid and stable and buckets of software. Haven’t had to reboot or power off my Desire as yet (unlike WM6.1)and have good coverage where ever I go so I can’t see any need to update a phone thats only been in Australia a few months and doesn’t have any glaring issues. (and you can get reception whichever hand you hold it in… he he he)
i wouldnt buy ANYTHING from Telstra, theyre a mob of scammers
When are you going to release 2.2 for the Desire?
We have just rolled out Telstra Desires as our new standard smartphone at work and while I’m happy with the phone generally there are some things missing that I hope the 2.2 release will fix (like Voice dialling for my exchange contacts)
I hope the mms works as good as nokia
I got to have a decent play with this phone last Thursday night with a bit of guidance from the Melbourne HTC crew. The phone itself seems solid and well proportioned. The interface was fairly intuitive and certainly sat in the ‘I could really get used to this’ category – and this is coming from a serial iPhone owner.
Entering text using swipe looked so much faster then my thumb-belting method when the HTC guys did it…
Overall, I’m considering this as the first pre-paid for my kids – sans data pack. I’d rather they just use wi-fi at home to do their downloading of apps etc.
And the pricepoint is pretty good for a decent android handset.
Daniel and Steve
Hi Daniel, we know our customers are looking forward to FroYo and we’re currently working with HTC to introduce it to the HTC Desire. We expect to make it available next month.
Richard.
@Richard – that’s great news. As soon as Froyo comes out on the Telstra Desires, I’ll be getting one.
The only thing holding me back at the moment is the internal memory limitations, but when that goes with Froyo, I’ll be picking one up.
Is there a new (lower) unlock fee to go with the availability of Android on a Telstra prepaid phone? The usual $100 network unlock fee means that the price point is poor after this gets added to the $349.
I work in the mining industry, sometimes in the Kimberley (WA), where places like Windjana Gorge and Sally Mallay mine have Optus (and resellers like Virgin, Dodo, TPG) availability but NOT Telstra.
To be competitive, they really need provide free unlocking after say, $100 has been spent on recharges.
Re all the comments about Android version updates, online reseach shows that it is the HARDWARE maker (in this case HTC) who dictate IF and when new versions are available, and of course HTC would rather we buy new phones to get Android 3 when launched rather than simply flash our near new Wildfire. So it’s pretty pointless to complain about Telstra for that ….. apply pressure to HTC instead!
If we have root or administrator privileges then there is at least SOME chance that the wider Android community may be able to build an Android 3 OS for the Wildfire.
This looks great! Will FroYo be coming to the Wildfire?
Buying any HTC phone from Telstra is a losers idea of a good time. The images they provide are so cluttered with telstra advertising and spam applications for telstra, and all their properties that the damned things are unusable, unstable and generally pathetic. I’d rather carry a dog turd around in my pocket than my Telstra HTC touch. Worst phone Ive ever had, and Ive updated my phones every 6 months or less for the last 9 years. I don’t blame HTC, I blame Telstra for the bloated images.
It’s not about how much the phone costs, it’s about the ridiculously exorbitant costs of calls/sms/voice mail on the telstra prepaid network. I’ll not be returning to Teltra prepaid until they stop ripping people blind…
Hi people,
Another great app i have found for monitoring 3g usage as well as calls is Call Meter NG.
With Call Meter NG you can set the price of your calls per min, flag fall, whether you are billed per 30 sec or min as well as your SMS cost and data limit. You can even set the billing month so it shows an accurate picture of your usage.
With one check of this app (once set up correctly) you can see exactly how much of your plan/cap/credit you have used.
Also kudos on the reference to apndroid earlier, its a great little app.
I am just hanging out for Telstra to get the Samsung Galaxy S, sounds a great phone , read on a website, Telstra will be getting this phone the end of September , has anyone else heard this, called into a Telstra store last week and they hadnt even heard of this phone , so am confused as to whether Telstra is really getting it or not. I want one!!!!!
The phone looks great , I’m nearly tempted to change to Telstra
but I think not , the mobile people maybe ok , maybe , but any dealings had with Telstra generally leave you shaking your head . lucky we’re not reviewing Telstra! Budget priced smartphone , great idea .
steve
Great phones, crap software. Android marketplace has a long way to go but it will get there eventually. They just need to weed out all the rubbish on there.
There’s a good review of the Wildfire up at cnet:
http://www.cnet.com.au/htc-wildfire-339303248.htm
Pretty much mirroring my thoughts of the phone – worth a look.
I’m looking at getting a smartphone soon, and I was looking at an iPhone 4, but I’m very open minded… What sort of media capabilities has this phone got with regards to music playing etc, because I’m looking for a phone that will also replace my iPod Touch.
Why do people always go on about telstra ripping people off…. come on have a think for 2 seconds does your crappy optus or vodaphone etc work in rural places??? I bet not… who has more square Klms of coverage that any other network…. who has the fastest and largest wireless internet coverage in the world…. thats right Telstra. I work in a Telstra shop and im sick and tired of people comin in to winge…. If you dont want the far superior product that telstra provides and you prefer a slightly cheaper price for a product that you cant use, then go ahead, but dont come back and complain!!!!!
Looks awesome! I was thinking of getting an iphone but this gem takes the prize! $349! That’s hell of a good deal!
Is HTC that google phone company or something?
What’s HTC stand for?
Hi mouldymat. HTC (High Tech Computer Corporation) is a leading manufacturer of smart phones featuring the Android operating system. You can find out all about them here.
hehehehe, just got my HTC Desire last week and i got the update to Droid 2.2. Mind you its an outright and not telstra branded
Well said Matt, I couldnt agree more, Telstra provide a first class service , its like everything in life, you get what you pay for. We live out in the sticks in Victoria and have terrific signel and hardly ever drops out,, we are on wireless for internet and that is good too, My husband has a work phone and is with optus and he has no signal here and to make a phone call he has to go to the end of our driveway [which is a kilometer long]and to get a faint signal.I t seems to be the in thing to complain about telsta , but if all these other companies had the same service as Telstra they would increase their prices , Telstra have got good deals , and improve them all the time. I am very happy with them.
Richard, when you say that you will introduce Android 2.2. to the HTC Desire next month, does this mean on NEW Desires or will the upgrade be available for existing ones? That would make a different to when I buy it.
When will they release the wildfire at a 3 store
Wow, a prepaid phone that is acutely decent and has Wifi, about time Telstra. About time.
Well it is the 24/8 Release Day and there is no sign of it Post Paid on your website?
http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile/phones/search_results.cfm?brand=HTC&searchfrom=postpaid
@Bert – you can find it here:
http://www.telstra.com.au/shop/Consumer/NGTSOCombinedProductDetailsView?catalogId=10101&storeId=10001&productId=94752&langId=-1&categoryId=16103&parent_category_rn=16103&top_category=
Seems to be there for me…
http://www.telstra.com.au/shop/personal/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10101&storeId=10001&categoryId=16103&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=16101&top_category=&pageView=image#identifier=1282618619495
A question for the Telstra guys…
How would this phone work out on a $49 business cap plan for 12 months with the MRO option?
Why is the desire and wildfire on a plan the same price? The desire is like double the price but the post paid plan means you pay the same price for a phone (wildfire) that has less features
well after wasting my day with Telstra this phone is not available on prepaid yet. the reason i have been told is that each store has not ordered it
this is stupid, do not advertise that it is coming out then not tell your stores to order it in
@Mrblack
Would work out around $69/month for the 12 months otherwise if you did a 24 month contract WITH the MRO option, it would still work out at $49/month as the MRO credit would fully cover the cost of the phone.
@M@
Thanks for the link but as mrblack stated, why is it on the same $49 cap plan (Min. Total Cost: $1176.00) as the Desire when it is has nearly half the specs?
@James Nowland
Says very clearly at the top “Telstra Pre-Paid customers can purchase the HTC Wildfire outright for $349 from 6th September.” Problem is I bet no one who you spoke to new this.
it is not available at AUD 349 as promised. Telstra has set outright price of AUD 480.
http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/media-centre/announcements/telstra-and-htc-unleash-the-htc-wildfire.xml
The HTC Wildfire will be available starting 24 August exclusively to Telstra customers (until 15 November). Telstra Pre-Paid customers can purchase the HTC Wildfire outright for $349.
thats from the telstra website in the announcements
*sigh* Galaxy S please.