UK, France, Germany iPhone Soon?

[MacRumors]

The Financial Times claims that deals have been completed between Apple and T-Mobile of Germany, Orange of France, and O2 in the UK. A formal announcement is expected by the site at the IFA trade fair in Berlin at the end of August (Aug 31 - Sep 5, 2007).

Rumors of the iPhone's pending European arrival have been swirling for months, with early finds that the iPhone's software already includes carrier images for T-Mobile and Vodafone. Vodafone has since reportedly bowed out, leaving O2 as Apple's UK partner. MacScoop recently stated that a deal was close between Orange of France and Apple.


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[xUKHCx]

Exciting, glad i'm an 02 select customer hopefully they'll sort me out with an iPhone as i sort them out with lots of money. This should bring in a new era of competitive pricing plans regarding data as 02 is currently very poor in this regard.

[iShak]

iphone hitting UK mobile phone market soon?

oh boy! that would be fun *grin* ..

[psycho bob]

I'm hugely disappointed about Apple going with O2 in the UK. They are expensive and there customer service outside of the business arena has always left me wanting more. They bet get more competitive with data plans because right now they are the worst by a long shot. The lack of an Edge network is all questionable.

I really don't see why Apple didn't stick with T-Mobile in the UK as well as most of the other big countries in Europe. For me this means no iPhone, I refuse flatly to go back to O2. I don't see why it wouldn't be possible to just import a T-Mobile Phone and put in my simcard and use it in the UK. There is no roaming issue between T-Mobile countries so the sims can't be specific.

[xUKHCx]

Originally Posted by psycho bob

Snip

While i agree 02 data plans are terrible, their customer service (like all o f the phone copmpanies) is poor. But T-Mobile seriously they have such poor coverage in comparision, and i'm not just talking about my locale, I've tested it all over, Liverpool, Watford, Birmingham, Sheffield, Nottingham, Bath, London.

[gkarris]

Originally Posted by psycho bob

I really don't see why Apple didn't stick with T-Mobile in the UK as well as most of the other big countries in Europe. For me this means no iPhone, I refuse flatly to go back to O2. I don't see why it wouldn't be possible to just import a T-Mobile Phone and put in my simcard and use it in the UK. There is no roaming issue between T-Mobile countries so the sims can't be specific.

Yea, we're hoping for that here in the US with getting a European T-Mobile iPhone, but my feeling is:

US iTunes Account + US T-Mobile SIM + German T-Mobile iPhone = iTunes Alert, "Sorry, your iPhone cannot be activated.."

[puckhead193]

any updates to the phones for 3g for you europeans? Would you consider this as downgrade if their is no 3g?

[TheChillPill]

I can add a few bits in to this;

- o2 are looking at an 'unlimited data' tariff at the moment with a target price of £20 per month. This is in direct response to T-Mobiles £1 a day data tariff.

- They are also looking to bring forward plans to introduce age validation on PAYG tariffs for web browsing. At the moment you are restricted to o2 approved wap sites for browsing with PAYG in an effort to protect minors. Age verification would essentially mean visiting a store with some ID which will allow the restriction to be removed from your account. The early introduction of this scheme could possibly point to a PAYG iPhone.

- It definitely won't be 3G (o2 have spent the last 2 months testing it on gprs, so unless Apple have kept 3G secret, it's not happening).

- o2 have just reduced the price of the N95 to free on contract, which wasn't planned to happen until October. This suggests a possible iPhone launch in October (my speculation).

[Malcster]

Originally Posted by TheChillPill

I can add a few bits in to this;

- It definitely won't be 3G (o2 have spent the last 2 months testing it on gprs, so unless Apple have kept 3G secret, it's not happening).

GPRS?! im not going back 5 years in phone technology thanks, ill pass.

[The Grood]

Originally Posted by psycho bob

I'm hugely disappointed about Apple going with O2 in the UK. They are expensive and there customer service outside of the business arena has always left me wanting more. They bet get more competitive with data plans because right now they are the worst by a long shot. The lack of an Edge network is all questionable.

I really don't see why Apple didn't stick with T-Mobile in the UK as well as most of the other big countries in Europe. For me this means no iPhone, I refuse flatly to go back to O2. I don't see why it wouldn't be possible to just import a T-Mobile Phone and put in my simcard and use it in the UK. There is no roaming issue between T-Mobile countries so the sims can't be specific.

They had to pick someone... and all the networks have unhappy customers.
I'm with T Mobile and it has the worst reception of any phone I've owned in the past 10 years. I used to be with Orange, and they really are awful - especially the customer service.

I can't imagine O2 being any worse on either count.

[al3000]

How fast is GPRS?

EDIT: Just realised i have gprs on my nokia n70 at the moment... its so slow (even on mob ile modified sites) - i'm gutted about this!

[lexus]

This does not make sense, O2 are active in Germany and the UK as are Tmobile why would they not use the same people?

[4np]

Weird; T-Mobile and Orange also operate on the Dutch market. I wonder what will happen... I am still going to Berlin later this year so maybe I can bring back an iPhone

[TheChillPill]

Originally Posted by al3000

How fast is GPRS?

171kbs is the theoretical max speed

[dalvin200]

Originally Posted by puckhead193

Would you consider this as downgrade if their is no 3g?

it's a huge leap backwards..

I've been using 3G for the past 3 years.. and now with my unlimited data plan i couldn't live without it..

[bananas]

Originally Posted by TheChillPill

171kbs is the theoretical max speed

and the reality is 6 to 64 kbps

[fingers]

I am disapointed about O2 getting the iPhone gig in the UK.

My business (like a lot of others in the UK) uses Vodafone. I am really surprised/shocked that O2 have won. Mind you, until they announce it formally, I'll sit back and wait and see...

[Malcster]

Originally Posted by TheChillPill

171kbs is the theoretical max speed

Yup, thats in ideal conditions too.. stood next to the antenna!

Im used to HSPDA now (3G+) so to have to go back to GPRS would be horrific.

[hob]

I've gone back to GPRS after two 3G phones in a row... It's bloody slow.

Shame about O2. I left them for orange 2 years ago... Now I'm all buddied up with Orange for another 16 months...

I could always... move... to... France........ hmm, maybe not

[Mac Fly (film)]

Hopefully this also means O2 in Ireland on that same date. It would really suck if I had to wait until 2008 to get my iPhone. If I was going to wait until then I'd likely wait until the end of 2008 for the 16GB version.

[Project]

Whatever network Apple went with, people would be moaning.

[jdc.i06]

I've found 3's 3G signal in the UK to be outstanding. Almost everywhere I go i've been able to get a 3G signal, and this is with a Nokia 6288 which is supposed to have it's fair share of problems. Looks like no iPhone for me, i'm not leaving 3

[Malcster]

Originally Posted by jdc.i06

I've found 3's 3G signal in the UK to be outstanding. Almost everywhere I go i've been able to get a 3G signal, and this is with a Nokia 6288 which is supposed to have it's fair share of problems. Looks like no iPhone for me, i'm not leaving 3

Same for me with vodafone, HSPDA coverage is cracking, no wonder vodafone turned this down, after spending billions on a 3G license the last thing they want is a bunch of devices running on GPRS.

I can understand an all you want data plan on GPRS, you'll struggle to break a few meg a week!

[Philsy]

No, I wouldn't buy an iPhone that doesn't have 3G and a better camera with still and video capabilities. Sorry Apple...

[toughboy]

Originally Posted by Malcster

GPRS?! im not going back 5 years in phone technology thanks, ill pass.

and touch-screen, OSX in a smartphone and the elegance of iPhone is also going back in 5 years in phone technology too??