Well now you get 1000 minutes for "free" based on the current call
rates of 25¢ per 30 seconds (not taking into consideration flag-fall
charges) whereas previously, as you have stated, you got 3000 before
breaching the cap (and even if you went over you wouldn't have to pay
unless you were a persistent abuser).

The old $99 cap plans were a 15¢ per 30 seconds for consumers and 9¢
per 30 seconds for business customers both with 15¢ SMS. Nice huh?

I'm on the business plan and I have to say, it took quite a bit of
getting used to being able to talk without worrying about the cost.
There's a voice response system you can dial to check up on the cost.
I know that if I've reached near $540 that I'm approaching the 3000
minutes.

The only shitty thing is that 18 and 13 numbers are not part of the
cap. I've managed to find an equivalent landline number for all the
major banks and services that I use so I've gotten around that. I even
have a landline number for 3 customer care (so I don't pay to check my
usage).

The only company I need a landline number for now is Orange customer
care. Would love that... hehehe... I just get the Hutchison switch to
put me through which is fine for business hours calls.

Now I've digressed... anything else you want to know?

By the way, you can have (sort of) unlimited from Orange with "Orange
Capped Plan" The $199 version even has unlimited SMS. See
<http://www.orange.net.au/>

the current $99 then get $99 in calls (@15c/30sec) and now the $500 in calls
with $99 cap (@25c/30sec!) seem poor value, actualy the new '3' plans seem
to suck as video calling (which you can only do between '3' customers
anyway) is more expensive (about twice) as voice calls.  The ORANGE plans
look promising but these new plans are nothing to get excited about either.