iPhone 3G Available On Other UK Networks? (Rumour)
There’s apparently more talk, or shall we say rumours that Apple might be in talks with other mobile phone networks that would see O2 lose their exclusivity deal on the iPhone 3G handset. The UK networks in question could well be Orange and T-Mobile, both of which would no doubt be eager to get the now entry-level iPhone 3G handset available to their customers.
I’m sure there’s a lot of people out there who have ended up on the O2 network simply because they wanted an iPhone and had no choice in the matter – I know I certainly have, before I got my iPhone 3G PAYG, I’d been with Orange for nearly 10 years and for the most part I would have been happy enough to remain with them had they been able to offer me the iPhone at the time, especially since the Orange network signal is better in my local area.
What with O2 having recently signed a UK exclusivity deal with the forthcoming Palm Pre, perhaps the writing was already on the wall? That could also go some way to explaining why O2 were charging their existing customers quite a lot of money for an iPhone 3GS upgrade – perhaps they were trying to maximise their revenue while they still have iPhone exclusivity in the UK?
You would think that if perhaps one or two other UK mobile phone networks could offer deals on the iPhone 3G, then surely that competition would be good for customers in terms of prices, deals, customer service and network signal quality.
It’s still only a rumour for now, but surely the time will come when O2 no longer have sole control of the iPhone in the UK?
Have you been holding off on getting an iPhone 3G as yet? If and when it becomes available on other networks, would that be the point at which you’d be happy to get one? Do you think that a move like this will help make the iPhone even more mainstream now?
UPDATE: Just over 2 months after we wrote about the rumour of the iPhone on other networks and it’s now been confirmed that the iPhone 3G and 3GS will be on Orange before the end of 2009 and Vodafone will have the iPhone in early 2010!
Via – Gadget Venue
Related Pages:
- iPhone 3G and 3GS On Orange Mobile Network (UK)
- iPhone 3G & 3GS On Vodafone Mobile Network (UK)
- iPhone 3GS Review
- iPhone 3GS Upgrade Cost Farce
- iPhone 3G PAYG
Get Your Free Zath Subscription!
You can also sign up to the Zath Newsletter and receive email updates by simply entering your first name and email address below then clicking the 'Submit' button - signing up is risk-free, if you don't find it useful, you can unsubscribe at any point! We hate spam too, we'll never disclose your email address to anyone else!
Comments: 1
9:23 pm 14th July, 2009
Hi Simon.
As I mentioned on Twitter earlier, the O2 pricing for a 3GS is way off what Apple were suggesting, so it makes sense that they’re just trying to milk the early adoptors for everything they’ve got.
That said, the pessimist in me fully expects to see other networks get distribution rights for iPhone and base their pricing around the same level as O2.
Either way you look at it, it’s quite unlikely that you’ll be able to pick up a 3GS for Apple’s suggested RRP of £120 ($199) anywhere in the UK anytime soon.
Comments: 1
9:36 pm 7th September, 2009
Yep, I am a gadget girl and have loved the iphone from day 1. Downside, I never want to go back to o2 so I don’t have one yet. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that this is indeed true so I can get it with Orange who I’m with now.
Comments: 174
10:56 am 8th September, 2009
Interesting development now that Orange are in talks to takeover T-Mobile which would make Orange the largest network then, I wonder if that would help move the iPhone onto their network then?
Even though I’ve just bought an iPhone 3GS on O2, it would then be typically my luck if they then appeared on Orange in the next few months!