Apple to Partner with O2 in UK, Orange in France, No 3G?
TimesOnline.co.uk reports that O2 has won rights for exclusive UK rights to the iPhone.
Vodafone is reported to have been "pushing hard" to win the iPhone contract but in the end felt that the commercial terms were not viable.
Timesonline.co.uk also suggests that Orange is the front-runner in France.
Finally, FTD.de reports that iPhone will start in only these three countries this Fall: UK, France, and Germany. According to the publication, the European version of iPhone will not support 3G, despite some earlier rumors.
O2 has beaten its rivals to win the exclusive UK rights to offer Apples iPhone. The tie-up, the mobile phone industrys most sought-after deal in years, marks a major coup for the 18 million-customer group. The final contract is expected to be signed imminently.
....
The deal will come as a bitter disappointment to Vodafone, which had been tipped as the front-runner for the deal.
Vodafone is reported to have been "pushing hard" to win the iPhone contract but in the end felt that the commercial terms were not viable.
Timesonline.co.uk also suggests that Orange is the front-runner in France.
Finally, FTD.de reports that iPhone will start in only these three countries this Fall: UK, France, and Germany. According to the publication, the European version of iPhone will not support 3G, despite some earlier rumors.
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60 months ago
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/telecoms/article2028678.ece
O2 has beaten its rivals to win the exclusive UK rights to offer Apple’s iPhone.
The tie-up, the mobile phone industry’s most sought-after deal in years, is expected to be announced shortly and marks a major coup for the 18 million-customer group.
The phone, which should be on sale in time for Christmas, is expected to prove a key weapon in enabling O2 to win and retain customers in one of Europe’s fiercest mobile markets.
It is understood that negotiations are continuing with mobile phone retailers including Carphone Warehouse over an agreement to sell the iPhone in their stores after a period of exclusivity with O2.
O2 has beaten its rivals to win the exclusive UK rights to offer Apple’s iPhone.
The tie-up, the mobile phone industry’s most sought-after deal in years, is expected to be announced shortly and marks a major coup for the 18 million-customer group.
The phone, which should be on sale in time for Christmas, is expected to prove a key weapon in enabling O2 to win and retain customers in one of Europe’s fiercest mobile markets.
It is understood that negotiations are continuing with mobile phone retailers including Carphone Warehouse over an agreement to sell the iPhone in their stores after a period of exclusivity with O2.
60 months ago
Brilliant, i am an 02 premium customer after some hefty bills. Will be time i used this to my advantage. Last upgrade i got a free W950 (this was last October) so should be able to get a good free phone and sell it in order to pay for the iPhone.
60 months ago
Hmm - I was hoping this would happen, working for o2 I have my lovely £20 staff tariff... (strokes BlackBerry...!).
o2 means no EDGE though - and I hope to god they don't consider it just running on GPRS, that would be awful. Plus o2 need to sort their data tariffs out - I'm sick of offering customers '£10 for 20mb' as a 'good deal' when I know T-Mobile are a few shops down offering unlimited for £7.50!
No doubt though - if this news is true they'll amend the pricing.
-Leemo
o2 means no EDGE though - and I hope to god they don't consider it just running on GPRS, that would be awful. Plus o2 need to sort their data tariffs out - I'm sick of offering customers '£10 for 20mb' as a 'good deal' when I know T-Mobile are a few shops down offering unlimited for £7.50!
No doubt though - if this news is true they'll amend the pricing.
-Leemo
60 months ago
Oooh...and my contract runs out in October. Which means I'm due for an upgrade...:o
60 months ago
this doesn't match the evidence found in files on 'page 1'
???????????????????
This so called evidnce is a couple of .pngs which can easily be changed in a software update.
Again:
Well these files can easily be altered with a software update so just because it is on there at the moment doesn't necessarily mean that these will be the providers. And if this were indeed the case it means that apple knew the European carriers before the iPhone was released in the states, not really the case.
Oooh...and my contract runs out in October. Which means I'm due for an upgrade...:o
Snap, although as previously stated doubt we can get the iPhone as an upgrade, although i hope i can wangle it after all over the last year i have spent on average about £80 a month. (This is mainly down to a couple of massive bills)
60 months ago
Well at least this paints a picture of carriers who are competing for the iPhone, whereas that story a few weeks back said that Apple was the one having trouble finding interested parties. I hope the iPhone will be a worldwide successs. Then the price will go down, and then I can buy one :)
60 months ago
Wrong way to go - T-Mobile all the way with their great customer service and web n walk package. Orange, O2, Vodafone are awful when trying to contact.
60 months ago
No 3G AND no edge would be a killer, the internet on my laptop via my Nokia 6230i was crazily slow and that supports EDGE and was on Orange.
It would be near un-usable with just 2G.
It would be near un-usable with just 2G.
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