iPhone solo loss stares O2 in the face
The 3G goose scrambles O2's golden egg
O2 is to lose the UK exclusive to the iPhone in October, according to documentation seen by a British mobile trade publication.
Mobile Entertainment says the mobile operator solo status ends officially on 9 October.
The magazine also quotes unnamed sources, who say that O2 may retain sole UK rights to the 3GS after this date. This what our sources are telling Reg colleague Bill Ray. (See his analysis, written last month iPhone makes eyes at T-Mobile and Orange to find out more on why the end of the exclusive is good for Apple and, possibly, not so bad for O2 either.)
Orange and T-Mobile are the hot favourites to join in the UK iPhone beanfeast, according to Bill. No surprise here as both operators sell the iPhone in other countries.
This week, we were the first to reveal that T-Mobile is already shipping the iPhone 3G to high-rolling British subscribers, who spent over £75 per month, and were threatening to leave the network. ®
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COMMENTS
Anyone heard of the free market?
Any vendor has the right to sell their product however they want and for whatever price they deem appropriate provided that the purchaser has a choice. There are many alternatives to the iPhone that provide sufficient funtionality. The Apps Store is a more complex issue but that is not the object of this article.
"An iPhone is just another mobile phone, and should be widely available, on a network of your choosing, on a plan of your choosing, without limitation."
Er... No...Stop moaning about not being able to get the device you want for the price YOU want, the price and function are set buy the vendor and you have the choice of whether to buy this device or one of the (very) many alternatives. It would appear that many are happy with the deal being offered so your bargaining position is weak...
Oh, and you can get a legally unlocked 3GS for €850 (or less) if you know where to look.
@ Dave Cumming
you're right, all the other networks have their exclusive phones. T-Mobile have the G1 and G2, Vodafone have the Blackberry Storm and the HTC Magic et al, however, all the networks will allow you to unlock your exclusive handset with the subsidy pin after having owned it for a month. My G1 is on Vodafone half the time and my wife's T-Mobile Samsung Tocco Ultra is on Orange occasionally because she hasnt ported her old number yet. Both these phones were legally unlocked, for a £15 fee each from T-Mobile.
I've asked o2 and the iPhone is the only handset they offer where they wont give you a subsidy PIN, no matter what you offer them in form of payment. Thats the bit I find the hardest to swallow, that the only way (at the minute by all accounts) that I could have an iPhone on T-Mobile, with my hugely better priceplan than anything o2 offer, is to either buy a second hand, illegally unlocked one, get a contract with o2 and pay an extra contract and an exorbitant cost for the handset, or go to play.com and pay upwards of £500 for last years technology or upwards of £799 for this year's iPhone legally unlocked. I think not.
I dont care of T-Mobile dont get the 3GS. The difference between the 3G and the 3GS is nothing for me. I wont use tethering, the point of Voice control is lost on me and I already have a satnav, so a digital compass is not something i'm interested in. I'm not a big mobile gamer and i will be using the web browser over wifi, so the HSDPA speeds arent a concern. So a 3G will suit me fine lol
I will take donations of iphone's though
@Dave Cumming
Wouldn't mind if they do, all exclusivity does is cater to price fixing and underhanded sales tactics.
And would you mind pointing out which companies and what phones exactly you absolutely cannot get on your preferred network (Without resorting to breach of contract and device warranty/EULA)? because I can't find any other.
If you were talking about exclusivity in terms of offering a competitive price and well featured contract, then I can understand your comment.
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