Vodafone will start shipping the iPhone from January 14 2010, the firm has announced. The move will make it the third UK operator to sell Apple’s incredibly popular smartphone.

 

The cheapest package available to consumers starts at £30 a month, with 300 minutes and unlimited text messages on a 24 month contract. The iPhone 3GS 16GB version costs £149 on that tariff, or £239 for the 32GB model.

Monthly tariffs on a 24 month contract are also available at £35 and £45 per month. 18 month tariffs range from £40 to £80 with a variety of minutes and texts available.

While Wi-Fi access is unlimited there is a 1GB data allowance per month. This is similar to the terms of Orange‘s deal, although O2 customers get unlimited data.

The prices offered by all three networks operators are remarkably similar so those consumers waiting for a price war will be waiting for a while longer yet.

For small businesses looking to rollout iPhone to employees, Vodafone is offering unlimited calls to landlines included in the price plans. Prices for a 24 month contract range from £30 a month for 600 minutes and 250 text messages to £50 a month with 2,000 minutes and 250 text messages. Handsets are free for businesses signing up to the £50 a month contract.

Full price details are available here.

“We started preparing our network over a year ago so that iPhone customers will really feel the advantage of being with Vodafone,” said Guy Laurence, CEO, Vodafone UK. “We will offer an outstanding iPhone experience wherever our customers live, work and travel, delivering speed and reliability – something our customers have told us they really value. We’re especially pleased to offer iPhone to business customers from launch, both directly and through a network of 20 dealers across the country – clearly demonstrating that Vodafone is the natural home for small business.”

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