iPhone 3G getting wider carrier availability in UK?

[xxMATTGxx]

Could Apple UK be shopping around for a new carrier deal? Expect a flurry of denials from O2 and Apple themselves, but Orange and T-Mobile UK are both apparently in talks regarding carrying the iPhone 3G, Apple’s entry-level device now that the iPhone 3GS has arrived. According to the latest rumors, T-Mobile’s customer services team has been telling callers that the carrier is negotiating with Apple regarding the second-gen smartphone.

The speculation suggests that O2 would maintain their exclusivity agreement with Apple for the iPhone 3GS, but that new competition for its predecessor would be opened up. Rather than relying on Apple’s brand halo to encourage upgrades from the 3G to the 3GS, O2 would be put in the position of having to actively market the device themselves, persuading buyers that they will get significantly more for choosing both O2 as a carrier and the 3GS as a device.

For Apple, it would be an ideal prospect: all the spoils of an exclusivity agreement with one carrier, and a legacy device pulling in sales from those who can’t or won’t sign up to O2. It also raises the question of how O2’s securing the GSM Palm Pre in the UK has affected their relationship with Apple.


http://www.slashgear.com/iphone-3g-getting-wider-carrier-availability-in-uk-1349212/

Very interesting indeed.

[StefanWolves]

If the next iPhone becomes available on Orange then when my existing iPhone 3G contract is up, i'll be going straight to Apple for the newer iPhone, interesting news though! :)

[Recursion]

No, it means the 3GS will stay with o2 and the older 3G will go to other carriers lol :P

[StefanWolves]

Yeah I know but surely these other carriers would be interested in taking the next gen iPhone also...

[Hazza]

If they got it with Orange, I would certainly get in for my next upgrade. :)

[Blob]

If they got it with Orange, I would certainly get in for my next upgrade. :)

Same. Although they better do it before October.

[Recursion]

Yeah I know but surely these other carriers would be interested in taking the next gen iPhone also...

It's Apple who chose who, they all showed interest to get the original iPhone but only o2 got it. I think they would allow all the other carriers to be one version behind so the next gen will go to O2 and then the other carriers will be allowed to sell the 3GS, just my opinion though :P

[StefanWolves]

True, wouldn't be a bad idea, but I'd like to see all latest models on different carriers, would bring the iPhone monthly prices down a lot.

[Janet Snakehole]

i hope so!

[Pyroka]

I'd love for them to do an iPhone on Orange, I'd get a really badass cancellation deal. :D

[StefanWolves]

Haha, come on Apple! get the iPhones on orange! :D

[xxMATTGxx]

Would be great to finally see the iPhone 3G on other networks!

[mat64]

It's nice to have it official I guess, but it's been possible to use the iPhone on other carriers for a while now. I bought my 3G S today from an O2 shop in York (which was the only place in 50 miles that had them in stock, the 16GB variant) and have unlocked it with Ultrasn0w, with it now on my Orange contract sim and working perfectly (well without Visual voicemail), couldn't be happier. No stupid O2 contract with a crap tariff is a great plus.

It's great to have it on other carries officially, but if you really want an iPhone now you could quite easily go and get one from O2 or Carphone Warehouse and you'd be able to do the same as me and many other people. I guess one good thing about this is that Orange could get some decent tariffs in if they get the 3G and enable visual voicemail :).

[StefanWolves]

I've unlocked mine, don't know why, it's pointless, I'm on the £35/pm contract, but would still love the iPhone(s) to be on Orange officially.

[Recursion]

It's nice to have it official I guess, but it's been possible to use the iPhone on other carriers for a while now. I bought my 3G S today from an O2 shop in York (which was the only place in 50 miles that had them in stock, the 16GB variant) and have unlocked it with Ultrasn0w, with it now on my Orange contract sim and working perfectly (well without Visual voicemail), couldn't be happier. No stupid O2 contract with a crap tariff is a great plus.

It's great to have it on other carries officially, but if you really want an iPhone now you could quite easily go and get one from O2 or Carphone Warehouse and you'd be able to do the same as me and many other people. I guess one good thing about this is that Orange could get some decent tariffs in if they get the 3G and enable visual voicemail :).

Then you have to pay the full price for a PAYG iPhone though, whereas you get it on contract with other carriers if its official for cheaper :P

[StefanWolves]

Then you have to pay the full price for a PAYG iPhone though, whereas you get it on contract with other carriers if its official for cheaper :P

Lol, nice one.

[Pyroka]

http://blog.omio.com/handset-news/iphone-soon-on-orange-and-t-mobile-end-of-o2-exclusivity-in-september/

Found that too, September eh...

[Josh-H]

It's nice to have it official I guess, but it's been possible to use the iPhone on other carriers for a while now. I bought my 3G S today from an O2 shop in York (which was the only place in 50 miles that had them in stock, the 16GB variant) and have unlocked it with Ultrasn0w, with it now on my Orange contract sim and working perfectly (well without Visual voicemail), couldn't be happier. No stupid O2 contract with a crap tariff is a great plus.

It's great to have it on other carries officially, but if you really want an iPhone now you could quite easily go and get one from O2 or Carphone Warehouse and you'd be able to do the same as me and many other people. I guess one good thing about this is that Orange could get some decent tariffs in if they get the 3G and enable visual voicemail :).

Enjoy paying £440 for a phone? I don't.

[MrPinkPanther]

It's true. My friend's cousin is high up in o2, gets free tickets to the arena and o2 concerts etc, and he told my friend that the iPhone was coming to other networks soon and it was to be announced later this month/the start of next month. My friend is a genuine guy and not a *********** and I know his cousin does work at o2 because he got us free tickets to concerts before. But I s'pose we will see what happens.

[Tim.]

My iPhone is on Pay as you go - When the warranty expires in just under a year I'll probably either replace it with a new one, or jailbreak it to be able to put it on other networks. But mine is the 3GS so there doesn't seem to be any suggestion that that'll be released on other networks etc. but we'll see!

[Hazza]

I think it'll be the best thing Apple do, if they keep the 3GS exclusive to O2 but the 3G available to others - it makes sense and they'll get a hell of a lot more money.