A *big* hint that o2 will be doing the iPhone in the UK?

[Leemo]

I work at o2 - this message appeared on the intranet yesterday.

Why would o2 upgrade their kit from GPRS to EDGE when they're focusing on 3G otherwise?

Hmm.

-Leemo

EDIT: I've been officially suspended from o2 due to this post that I made and the fact it was later picked up by other online sites, therefore the picture has been removed. The fact that o2 was moving over to EDGE had already been openly discussed throughout the internet due to customers' experiences - therefore this information is already out there in the public domain.

[RossoA]

I kinda guessed since current O2 users started getting Edge instead of GPRS on their current phones.

I just want Apple to hurry the hell up and make something official. I'm bored of waiting.

[CD3660]

Originally Posted by Leemo

Why would o2 upgrade their kit from GPRS to EDGE when they're focusing on 3G otherwise?

You promised news when you got it, thanks.

Looks like it could well be linked to the expected iPhone release in the UK. If so I'm disappointed that this means no 3G for the UK iPhone (yet).

[sanzu3]

Originally Posted by RossoA

I kinda guessed since current O2 users started getting Edge instead of GPRS on their current phones.

I just want Apple to hurry the hell up and make something official. I'm bored of waiting.

I'm bored of waiting for an iPhone, bored of waiting for a MBP, and bored of waiting for the new wireless keyboard.....

[Dexists]

Yeah sure understandably

[Spanky Deluxe]

Oh I so hope they hurry up about this and I pray they don't release it on a 24 month contract! My N80 on O2's been acting very strangely recently and I feel like its on its last legs. Big shame about no apparent 3G though. I really hope they roll out Edge in Brighton at least. My phone still says "3G" on it.

[CD3660]

Originally Posted by Spanky Deluxe

Big shame about no apparent 3G though.

Yes, that will make me think twice (not to mention O2's data rates).

[Mac-Addict]

Yay Hopefully we also get unlimited data on all packages like the AT&T packages.

[CD3660]

Originally Posted by Spanky Deluxe

I really hope they roll out Edge in Brighton at least. My phone still says "3G" on it.

I would have thought that your phone will only report the best possible signal available, i.e. 3G.

I may be wrong however.

[TheChillPill]

Originally Posted by CD3660

(not to mention O2's data rates).

There's a new 'data focussed' tariff coming from them in Mid October, apparenly in the region of £20pm for unlimited data.

[CD3660]

Originally Posted by Mac-Addict

Yay Hopefully we also get unlimited data on all packages like the AT&T packages.

Yes, but at what cost? £150 per month!

Edit: Previous post went up as I was writing this.

Originally Posted by TheChillPill

There's a new 'data focussed' tariff coming from them in Mid October, apparenly in the region of £20pm for unlimited data.

That would be very good news, and in line with the excellent rates available from T-Mobile.

I hope you are right!

[Spanky Deluxe]

Originally Posted by TheChillPill

There's a new 'data focussed' tariff coming from them in Mid October, apparenly in the region of £20pm for unlimited data.

That would be excellent. I think my entire phone bill is made up of data these days. O2 messed up four a couple of years and didn't ever charge me for data then suddenly they started charging me a couple of months ago and it costs a fortune!! I wouldn't get an iPhone without a reasonable unlimited data plan. I also hope they offer a pre-paid method of paying. I don't mind spending a bit more every month so as not to have a 24 month contract - I'd probably lose my number with that though. Please O2, do the right thing and offer a 12 month contract just costing a bit more every month!!!

[Mac-Addict]

Originally Posted by TheChillPill

There's a new 'data focussed' tariff coming from them in Mid October, apparenly in the region of £20pm for unlimited data.

w00t I am happy to hear that, I might not of been able to afford something like £50 a month comparing the prices of other networks.

[ibanana]

Originally Posted by RossoA

I kinda guessed since current O2 users started getting Edge instead of GPRS on their current phones.

I just want Apple to hurry the hell up and make something official. I'm bored of waiting.

Same here i'm so so bored to wait and browse reviews, videos,...even going to that store in London where they have one for demo...one of the employee of that store told me Apple will not launch the iphone to the UK until jan 2008 !!!WTF ???!!! I hope he talked cr@p

[Leemo]

Well if you go onto the recruitment site for Apple UK there seems to be plenty of new iPhone related job roles - 'iPhone Activation Manager' being one of them.

Clearly, they're up to something.

-Leemo

[EvanLugh]

DUDE! You are the F***ng don!
Thankyou for this proof, perhaps submit it, but change your name so they don't sack you!!
Thanks, we now have hope

[Nicolasdec]

Originally Posted by ibanana

Same here i'm so so bored to wait and browse reviews, videos,...even going to that store in London where they have one for demo...one of the employee of that store told me Apple will not launch the iphone to the UK until jan 2008 !!!WTF ???!!! I hope he talked cr@p

What store do they have one?????? is it on display of is it of an employee??

[daneoni]

Originally Posted by ibanana

Same here i'm so so bored to wait and browse reviews, videos,...even going to that store in London where they have one for demo...one of the employee of that store told me Apple will not launch the iphone to the UK until jan 2008 !!!WTF ???!!! I hope he talked cr@p

What store is this?

By the way what does everyone think the average cost will be to own an iPhone

£300+ for the phone (16GB)
24 month lockdown
Tariff being a £40 monthly tariff (£35 minutes + £5 data) consisting of:
-800 mins cross network
-unlimited web/email
-unlimited voicemail
-1000 texts
-Rollover for first 3 months
-unlimited mins/texts on weekends

This is my current guessing based on this

[emotion]

Originally Posted by daneoni

What store is this?

By the way what does everyone think the average cost will be to own an iPhone

£300+ for the phone (16GB)
24 month lockdown
Lowest tariff being a £40 monthly tariff of which the data plan consists of:
-400 mins cross network
-unlimited web/email
-unlimited voicemail
- 200 texts
-Rollover for first 3 months
-unlimited mins O2 to O2 calls

This is my current guessing

I'm thinking something along the same lines. £250 for the phone (16GB, EDGE...the coverage is better I'm sorry to say) and maybe £35 a month (I'm probably thinking wishfully here, probs £40) .

Data rates are obviously something O2 hasn't tackled properly yet.

I'm glad the above story has surfaced. I've just gone on anecdotal evidence of people seeing 'E' on their phones instead of gprs on O2.

[Nicolasdec]

Originally Posted by daneoni

What store is this?

By the way what does everyone think the average cost will be to own an iPhone

£300+ for the phone (16GB)
24 month lockdown
Lowest tariff being a £40 monthly tariff of which the data plan consists of:
-400 mins cross network
-unlimited web/email
-unlimited voicemail
- 200 texts
-Rollover for first 3 months
-unlimited mins O2 to O2 calls

This is my current guessing

Where is evry body getting the 16GB iPhone from, there is so 16GB iphone, Is there?

[psychofreak]

Originally Posted by Nicolasdec

Where is evry body getting the 16GB iPhone from, there is so 16GB iphone, Is there?

No, but some people hope that there will be an update alongside the Europe release of the phone

[emotion]

Originally Posted by Nicolasdec

Where is evry body getting the 16GB iPhone from, there is so 16GB iphone, Is there?

They have to do something to trump the N95 8GB and it's not gonna do that unless it has a feature to distract from the lack of 3G.

....or something.

If Apple are thinking like a mobile phone manufacturer that's likely the thinking.

Edit: there's also a raft of new high spec phones coming from Nokia and SE. N81, K770i, K850i, W960i, P1. I know they're not really comparable to the iPhone but a lot of people won't think that, they also want you locked into that 24 month contract quick smart

[daneoni]

24 months tho for an iPhone especially with the new iPod touch released....that's a lot of months, heck people would be graduating from colleges/universities.

Thats like doing time.

[emotion]

Originally Posted by daneoni

24 months tho for an iPhone especially with the new iPod touch released....that's a lot of months, heck people would be graduating from colleges/universities.

Thats like doing time.

It is. However all networks in te UK are aledgedly moving in that direction.

[Leemo]

My *personal* view is that it'll be an 18 month contract. In the US 24 month contracts are pretty standard (from what I understand) whereas here in the UK clearly they're still the exception. Apple will surely adapt its offering to suit the UK market.

Personally I wouldn't mind a two year contract, simply because the iPhone seems to be what I'm after from a phone - I'm assuming how they'd do it would be to allow you to buy the 'next' iPhone (whenever that arrives) and activate that with your existing iPhone contract, but just extending it over another full length period. Then you're not stuck with the 'old' iPhone for the remainder of your contract when the new one arrives. They can obviously afford to do this because unlike normal contracts they're not subsidising the handsets.

I think it's about time UK customers got used to actually *buying* handsets again. Having free handsets has (in my view) stifled the market and reduced the value in tariffs. Reduce the monthly outlay and let people decide how much they want to pay based on what phones are available and what features they want. None of this 'Oh the Nokia N95 is only free if you pay £50 a month' ********. £249-£300 only looks expensive for an iPhone if you're used to getting crappy phones for free.

I know people will disagree with me, and I know there's still a place for basic free phones, but that's just my thoughts on the subject.

-Leemo