Orange & Vodafone announces UK iPhone deal

[xxMATTGxx]

We knew this was going to happen sometime but didn't know who and when. This kinda got posted thi morning over at BBC News but was at college so yeah xD.


Orange has reached an agreement to sell Apple's popular iPhone in the UK.

The deal ends an exclusive arrangement between UK network operator O2 and the Californian phone maker, which has been in place since 2007.

Orange said its customers would be able to buy the phone "later this year" but did not specify a date or pricing.

However, analysts said that in markets where there was already competition there was little difference in handset prices but small variations in tariffs.

"There's not a lot they can do - they are subsidising the hardware, so they can't afford to do much on the tariff," said Carolina Milanesi of Gartner.

"You may see a £30 per month tariff versus £35, but I would not expect anything more."

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8278073.stm

[GoldenMerc]

ooo, to get a iphone with orange or not, thats pretty good news !

[Alkaz]

Oh cool, alot of orange customers will be pleased :)

[Recursion]

Was bound to happen, T-Mobile were going to get it this month and now they are merging it makes sense to hand it to Orange, im so hoping this merger goes ahead so I can upgrade to the iPhone next year now that Google have screwed ROM cookers over :P

[Jahova]

One problem, the prices will still be ridiculous. Bring out £10 a month and then I will buy, buy, buy!

[Markeh]

Now all I need is for Vodafone to get the iPhone. But even then, Vodafone's extortionate prices will stop me getting one.

[hamheyelliot]

Only problem is, Orange have a habit of slapping their ugly little logo on a lot of their handsets. Might just be the real catch :(

[GommeInc]

Meh, the iPhone just seems like old news to me. They might as well just sell the iPhone across the board of phone companies and have gone with it so that actual smart phones with proper phone functionality from the start can make an entrance :/

[Yoshimitsui]

Good stuff, i can get the new one without swapping to o2 at some point :)

[Agnostic Bear]

Fantastic, an iPhone with a horrendously slow network and next to no good coverage. Great deal.

[Yoshimitsui]

Fantastic, an iPhone with a horrendously slow network and next to no good coverage. Great deal.

Do you find any electronic device good?

[GommeInc]

Fantastic, an iPhone with a horrendously slow network and next to no good coverage. Great deal.
Could be worse, it could be network 3 :P

[Jordy]

Do you find any electronic device good?Surprisingly he owns an iPhone from what I remember. Another deflect to the Apple side :P

[Recursion]

Fantastic, an iPhone with a horrendously slow network and next to no good coverage. Great deal.

Uhh not when T-Mo and Orange merge, this is the point.


Could be worse, it could be network 3 :P


3 runs of off T-Mo's network. LOL.

[efq]

O2 will always rule on top. They gave me £17 top-up today for partly return on top-ups but apologizing for disconnecting my internet for a day.

There connection on my iPhone is wicked aswell and there support is the most nicest support i've ever met. Like Good Morning Sam, Have a good Evening Sam, Have a good day Sam.

[StefanWolves]

Could be worse, it could be network 3 :P

3 is actually the fastest 3G supplier in the UK.

[kk.]

Id like to see if orange include unlimited internet usage in there deals.

As for signal, i tend to get pretty good orange coverage in my house, but next to none with O2. Im tempted to ring up and ask them if they can do anything because literally, ivery time i try to send a text, i have to try twice because it says No Service -.-

[GommeInc]

3 is actually the fastest 3G supplier in the UK.
It's a shame texting and phone calls fail with them ;) Seriously, 3 has loads of stores in the East / South East, yet their service is incredibly terrible :/ 3G is good, yeah, but a phone is for calling, and if you can't do that you may as well get a USB modem :P

[xxMATTGxx]

Just read on the net that Vodafone are also going to sell the iPhone in the UK.

[Alkaz]

Thats silly :( like 3 years with just one mobile operator, then two and then three! :(

[Yoshimitsui]

Hopefully it will bring the prices down with the competition of the networks.

[J0SH]

That's good that the best phone network will be doing iPhones :)

[StefanWolves]

I hope the prices will come down, they almost probably will now! woop. :)

[xxMATTGxx]

I also hope the prices will come down. Price Wars >:]

[efq]

I won't be happy if there is a big price drop.

[Yoshimitsui]

I won't be happy if there is a big price drop.

Welcome to the monopoly ;)

[xxMATTGxx]

Vodafone enters UK iPhone market


Vodafone has reached an agreement to sell Apple's popular iPhone in the UK.

The announcement follows news that network operator Orange had secured a similar agreement with Apple.

The deals mark an end to the exclusive UK arrangement between O2 and the US technology firm, which has been in place since 2007.

Vodafone says users can register an interest online, with the handsets becoming available to customers from early 2010.

The agreement sees both Orange and Vodafone selling both the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8278073.stm

[efq]

The iPhone won't be as significant now because tons of people will have them.

[StefanWolves]

So happy about this, will be switching Orange in July! hopefully they will have the next iPhone on their network too. :)

[Pyroka]

Lmaooo omg, O2 will seriously have to start offering alot of things out. Shame they wont offer anything to their current customers. I doubt the phones will be much cheaper mind, the contracts might but the phones, no.

[xxMATTGxx]

The iPhone won't be as significant now because tons of people will have them.

This is how business works, happens all the time with mobile phones. It was bound to happen as it was limited to O2 for only so long.

[Pyroka]

The iPhone won't be as significant now because tons of people will have them.

By significance, do you mean people who just show them off like its a 10-incher? Because thats what I think you mean by that. I think because of this, the iPhone will improve dramatically. Different ideas will flood in, new developers, new ideas, new software, really its a plus for everyone already with an iPhone because they can also use applications with their friends which they couldnt at first.

I'd say its a step forward in terms of the user experience you'd get with an iPhone.

[Mint]

All the people who have slated the iPhone will now all be getting iPhones... The price will come down with competition (unless they agreed that orange can't sell it/do contracts for cheaper) so nearly everyone is going to end up having one. If that's the case then I'm getting rid of mine, I've had it since the very first day it came out and would take out another 18 month contract with o2 when this expires in a few months but depending on what effect this has, I might not. Hopefully they bring out a newer one that looks noticeably different and is more expensive, would probably get that as it wouldn't be anywhere near as common.

And to Pyroka. I know what he means, I don't like my iPhone because I can show off with it. Yes a lot of people are like "w0w omgz" when they see it but that isn't what this is all about. It's the uniqueness of it, knowing that you are probably the only person in the class/group/work etc that has it. While most of the other people have the usual/common phones. Obviously people get all excited over it because of how much it costs but with me, I wouldn't care if it was worth £20 as long as it is as uncommon and advanced as it is now.

[kk.]

Agreeing on a set price i thought was illegal? Because I'm sure ASDA was fined for it? But that mightve been something else.

Why would vodafone or orange undercut o2. There's no logic behind it. People are willing to spend that much so why stop? I would maybe expect a few more texts or
a variety in plans, and them to add other things into the deal.

When I bought mine, I asked if they could throw anything in and he said no because they're the only people that sell it.

[Agnostic Bear]

Do you find any electronic device good?

I find pretty much 100% of the devices in my computer good. And my phone. Also my fan that keeps me cool during the day. And my monitor. Also my headphones, they're pretty rad. Come to think of it so is my microphone.

I'm just opposed to the Orange and Vodaphone network, I can get good signal anywhere in the country I've been apart from the middle of butt**** nowhere and the lake district on o2. I could barely get good signal in my bedroom with Vodaphone.

[Shox]

Fantastic, an iPhone with a horrendously slow network and next to no good coverage. Great deal.

Hey..Wait a minute... Isn't that what they are doing with AT&T and the iPhone in the us... We are Americas fastest 3g network, too bad, we support coverage on our 3g network nearly no where.

[Recursion]

It's a shame texting and phone calls fail with them ;) Seriously, 3 has loads of stores in the East / South East, yet their service is incredibly terrible :/ 3G is good, yeah, but a phone is for calling, and if you can't do that you may as well get a USB modem :P

3G works for voice and texting too so how does that work? :S

[Pyroka]

Vodafone is a shocking network, I'll say that much. Orange is decent and O2 is good, but when I moved to Vodafone, I could not get a signal even near one of their retail shops, it was appaulingggg.

[GommeInc]

3G works for voice and texting too so how does that work? :S
They just don't work :/ If they have such good 3G or normal signal service, then where is this service? The 3 network is terrible in terms of service :/ Big whoop if 3G is the strong point, even though 3G coverage is poor and the normal signal services you get with every other company (though only really with O2) should be the main service you get. It makes no sense as a business structure. It's like offering out Wi-Fi but you have to find it to use it.

[uje]

I am interested in to see what they do with pay as you go, I know that with o2 if you go pay as you go there is a deal what allows free internet for 12 months and then you can continue that deal with a certain amount of credit a month (which in my opinion is better than getting a contract for £30 a month) because to be honest most pay for the internet options of the phone anyway.

Unfortunately I hate Orange, they have the worst customer service I have ever seen. My old W850I Sony Ericsson phone would not connect to the Internet, after four days of constant ringing them and getting passed around, they finally stopped ringing me back. If they can’t fix the problem they give up. Next month I plan to go to o2 with a pay as you go Iphone :3

[efq]

All the people who have slated the iPhone will now all be getting iPhones... The price will come down with competition (unless they agreed that orange can't sell it/do contracts for cheaper) so nearly everyone is going to end up having one. If that's the case then I'm getting rid of mine, I've had it since the very first day it came out and would take out another 18 month contract with o2 when this expires in a few months but depending on what effect this has, I might not. Hopefully they bring out a newer one that looks noticeably different and is more expensive, would probably get that as it wouldn't be anywhere near as common.

And to Pyroka. I know what he means, I don't like my iPhone because I can show off with it. Yes a lot of people are like "w0w omgz" when they see it but that isn't what this is all about. It's the uniqueness of it, knowing that you are probably the only person in the class/group/work etc that has it. While most of the other people have the usual/common phones. Obviously people get all excited over it because of how much it costs but with me, I wouldn't care if it was worth £20 as long as it is as uncommon and advanced as it is now.
I agree with all of that, I hope someone invents a new thing over than the iPhone thats much better and is expensive. I personally hate having the same phone as everyone, I don't know anybody (other than my brother and a 1 mate) that has a iPhone.

Apple were doing so great, making tons of profit just alone without having to include these 2 networks. I bet they were crying at there feet to get them because we all know O2 was rising above any network in the UK money wise as well as popularity.

[Recursion]

They just don't work :/ If they have such good 3G or normal signal service, then where is this service? The 3 network is terrible in terms of service :/ Big whoop if 3G is the strong point, even though 3G coverage is poor and the normal signal services you get with every other company (though only really with O2) should be the main service you get. It makes no sense as a business structure. It's like offering out Wi-Fi but you have to find it to use it.

Your post reminded me of something me and my dad were talking about the other day, when they say "best 3G network" it is done proportionally, so infact, 3 may have the best 3G service, but the amount of area they cover is shocking.

Your right, sorry :P

[xxMATTGxx]

I agree with all of that, I hope someone invents a new thing over than the iPhone thats much better and is expensive. I personally hate having the same phone as everyone, I don't know anybody (other than my brother and a 1 mate) that has a iPhone.

Apple were doing so great, making tons of profit just alone without having to include these 2 networks. I bet they were crying at there feet to get them because we all know O2 was rising above any network in the UK money wise as well as popularity.

Considering the deal with O2 was limited from the start I hardly think the networks went crying at Apples feet. Apple will now even get more profit and get the phone out to many more users, that is what Apple care about.

[StefanWolves]

I agree with all of that, I hope someone invents a new thing over than the iPhone thats much better and is expensive

Unfortunately, that is never happening, because it will never have the Apple logo. Was reading in the paper that the iPhone is now the most coolest thing in Britain, knocking Aston Martin off the top spot (who were their for years) ~ iPhones aren't so popular because of their software/hardware, they're popular simply because of the Apple logo, that is why they are so successful.

[GommeInc]

Your post reminded me of something me and my dad were talking about the other day, when they say "best 3G network" it is done proportionally, so infact, 3 may have the best 3G service, but the amount of area they cover is shocking.

Your right, sorry :P
Sorry for what? :P You make it seem like you offended me in some way, when we were just sharing opinions, though finding a 3G signal is quite difficult for a company that supposedly has the best :P

[Jordy]

Tbh I can't knock the Apple hardware, it's pretty robust and reliable (The odd one blows up though lol) and they're the only phones featuring decent HDDs built-in to them. Unlike the pathetically slow and limited Micro SD Cards.

Although the Apple logo inevitably helps due to the previous "iPod" craze and the brand in general having a loyal following along with a good reputation. However it is one of the best phones in terms of hardware, that's easy to see. With software the line isn't so clear.

Imo they're far too popular, everyone who buys a new phone seems to get one and they feature in practically every TV Show and Film made in the past year. I can't remember a phone ever being so dominant, although the Nokia 3210's did seem to be everywhere at one stage.

You're certainly not going to impress anyone buying an iPhone anymore that's for sure and IMO it's a bit of an easy choice to take when picking a phone. Personally I'd rather go for a more obscure phone :P

[Hitman]

I like the iPhone. It looks good, works, and has many apps. I don't own one at the moment, but with Orange and Vodafone muscling in on the UK iPhone market, I may be tempted to get one; the prices should, in theory, be quite low. Think about it, O2 dominate the UK iPhone market because they're the only UK phone provider offering it, so they can charge whatever price they want. When Orange comes in with it, I'm sure that the prices will be lower than O2's, to attract many customers (I mean, who'd go to another provider for the same thing but more expensive?) So then O2 will either possibly lose sales, or lower their price. Then we have a third operator, Vodafone, in this. They'll also want to get a load of iPhone sales, so they'll also offer it cheaply.

So we could be expecting the iPhone for a cheap price... if not, we can be sure that it will be somewhat cheaper than O2.

I was using the 3GS in the O2 shop, and I really liked it. Sure, they are sometimes overrated and aren't "WOW, look, an iPhone" anymore, but that doesn't matter... I personally like it, I don't care what others think!

One thing I don't like about it... 3mp camera. It's quite low... Samsung have a phone with 12mp, which is a lot, but even some of their other phones have 5mp... SE have 8mp...

But overall I like it.

[StefanWolves]

I like the iPhone. It looks good, works, and has many apps. I don't own one at the moment, but with Orange and Vodafone muscling in on the UK iPhone market, I may be tempted to get one; the prices should, in theory, be quite low. Think about it, O2 dominate the UK iPhone market because they're the only UK phone provider offering it, so they can charge whatever price they want. When Orange comes in with it, I'm sure that the prices will be lower than O2's, to attract many customers (I mean, who'd go to another provider for the same thing but more expensive?) So then O2 will either possibly lose sales, or lower their price. Then we have a third operator, Vodafone, in this. They'll also want to get a load of iPhone sales, so they'll also offer it cheaply.

So we could be expecting the iPhone for a cheap price... if not, we can be sure that it will be somewhat cheaper than O2.

I was using the 3GS in the O2 shop, and I really liked it. Sure, they are sometimes overrated and aren't "WOW, look, an iPhone" anymore, but that doesn't matter... I personally like it, I don't care what others think!

One thing I don't like about it... 3mp camera. It's quite low... Samsung have a phone with 12mp, which is a lot, but even some of their other phones have 5mp... SE have 8mp...

But overall I like it.

The camera isn't actually that bad, it actually looks quite good on the 3GS, hopefully next year though, in the new iPhone, there will be a better camera with flash, and proper bluetooth.

[Agnostic Bear]

The odd one blows up though lol

Not robust. Not reliable.

[benjamin]

someone said to me iphones might be a bit dodge on orange, because apparantly orange put their own software on all their phones and it could **** up the iphone because of the software they already have on them?

meh, i already got my 3gs on o2 anyway.

and all that crap people been saying about others only having an iphone for the logo, errr **** no. because i was pretty let down with all my ipods so i wouldn't have went to apple for the 'logo', trust me. ipods were, and still are pretty crap and unreliable. i got the iphone because it literally does everything, and i use all aspects of it. seriously, i have an expensive monthly payment but to be fair i don't care, couldn't think of a better way to spend my money, i use my iphone all day every day for loads of different things.

[StefanWolves]

i doubt apple would allow orange to put ANYTHING on the phone, they may allow the silly little orange logo on the back or something, but that's about it.

[Recursion]

someone said to me iphones might be a bit dodge on orange, because apparantly orange put their own software on all their phones and it could **** up the iphone because of the software they already have on them?


Won't happen on the iPhone.