New UK Launch Details

[Johnpartridge]

Hello all, Just thought id report back on what I was told today.

I visited an o2 Store in the midlands, to enquire about the UK launch, and if there would be accessories available to purchase on launch.

I ended up speaking to a very plesant and helpfull young man, who spent around 15minutes calmly discussing the iPhone and O2 partnership.

Here are the facts that he told me,

1, There was an O2 conference yesterday to discuss O2's operations plan for the iPhone 3G launch in the Uk, they really want It to be a very successful and painless launch.

2, The main point he told me was this, From July 1st All O2 stores in the UK will offer pre registration Credit checks, You can come in store, have your contract setup for you, and a unique registration code given to you. The contract will simply be "paused" and wont be activated. No details are taken about which model phone you are going to be purchasing.

You can then turn up on July 11th and quote the registration code and then make a standard purchase of the phone and then the contract will become activated.

*addition* He also made it clear that, NO iPhones will be leaving any O2 store without a Credit check and Contract being signed for, this point was raised strongly by Apple this year to O2, they want to really crack down on Unlocking in the UK, and to stop the UK being a hub for distribution of Unlocked iPhone 3G's.

3, The opening times are still not fixed, but the time proposed at the conference was 7am July 11th 2008.

4, Each O2 store will receive ready for launch day, 5000 iPhone units. (same amount as the original iPhone launch)

5, Apple Retail stores will only be selling the Pay as You Go Tariffs in Store.

6, And Finally Not quite sure what he meant by this but, O2 have spent alot of time and money, sending messages and marketing to other network providers such as Orange, Tmobile and 3, with regards to the iPhone launch on 11th July.

Thank you for Reading.

[FarSeide]

Originally Posted by Johnpartridge

Hello all, Just thought id report back on what I was told today.

I visited an o2 Store in the midlands, to enquire about the UK launch, and if there would be accessories available to purchase on launch.

I ended up speaking to a very plesant and helpfull young man, who spent around 15minutes calmly discussing the iPhone and O2 partnership.

Here are the facts that he told me,

1, There was an O2 conference yesterday to discuss O2's operations plan for the iPhone 3G launch in the Uk, they really want It to be a very successful and painless launch.

2, The main point he told me was this, From July 1st All O2 stores in the UK will offer pre registration Credit checks, You can come in store, have your contract setup for you, and a unique registration code given to you. The contract will simply be "paused" and wont be activated. No details are taken about which model phone you are going to be purchasing.

You can then turn up on July 11th and quote the registration code and then make a standard purchase of the phone and then the contract will become activated.

3, The opening times are still not fixed, but the time proposed at the conference was 7am July 11th 2008.

4, Each O2 store will receive ready for launch day, 5000 iPhone units. (same amount as the original iPhone launch)

5, Apple Retail stores will only be selling the Pay as You Go Tariffs in Store.

6, And Finally Not quite sure what he meant by this but, O2 have spent alot of time and money, sending messages and marketing to other network providers such as Orange, Tmobile and 3, with regards to the iPhone launch on 11th July.

Thank you for Reading.

I could actually see this happening here in the US as well. Pre-registration will definitely resolve some of the paperwork issues you will see on iDay.

[JBaker122586]

Originally Posted by Johnpartridge

6, And Finally Not quite sure what he meant by this but, O2 have spent alot of time and money, sending messages and marketing to other network providers such as Orange, Tmobile and 3, with regards to the iPhone launch on 11th July.

I'm sure he meant to subscribers of those networks, trying to get them to switch for the iPhone.

[Reiger]

It would be nice, if other carriers al over the world would follow this routine. However, for instance T-Mobile in the Netherlands will only release the details of the three iPhone plans (which will have some sort of combination of voice, sms and data) on the 3rd of July. So I guess no pre-registration in the Netherlands

[mattpreston11]

thank you very much for your post, very informative

interesting about the pre sdigning up thing, that sounds good, then i can go in and out on july 11th.

7am though, thats a touch early but better than waiting till 6 i suppose.
cheers again


now all we are waiting for ia the pay and go price i suppose.

[bigcol1983]

did he say anything about existing non-iphone 02 customers?

[Johnpartridge]

Originally Posted by mattpreston11

thank you very much for your post, very informative

interesting about the pre sdigning up thing, that sounds good, then i can go in and out on july 11th.

7am though, thats a touch early but better than waiting till 6 i suppose.
cheers again


now all we are waiting for ia the pay and go price i suppose.

Thank you, gave me alot to think about on my way home from work, Do remember that the release time hasn't been decided yet. They are trying to find a time where all O2 stores can open simultaneously, and some shopping centres wont allow 7am openings for example, so there having difficulty, but the store I spoke to, was convinced it would be a 7am launch.

Cheers

[Johnpartridge]

Originally Posted by bigcol1983

did he say anything about existing non-iphone 02 customers?

He didn't sadly no, Im not a current O2 user so it wasn't on my mind to ask him, though i'm sure O2 will come up with a plan to streamline the transition quickly and speed up the transaction time on July 11th. (there expecting big queues)

Cheers

[bigcol1983]

great info cheers, just wish i could fast forward 19days lol

[mattpreston11]

Originally Posted by bigcol1983

great info cheers, just wish i could fast forward 19days lol

21..

[bigcol1983]

ah yeh, its late lol

[sneeks]

I have serious doubts that each store will receive 5000 iPhone units each but the pre registration sounds likely. O2 hinted as much when they said they would contact us at the beginning of July.

[MacScho]

awesome post, really hope point 2 is true.

[Johnpartridge]

Originally Posted by sneeks

I have serious doubts that each store will receive 5000 iPhone units each but the pre registration sounds likely. O2 hinted as much when they said they would contact us at the beginning of July.

I did question the 5000 iPhones to him when he said to me, "what your going to sell all those on launch day!?" He laughed and replied saying that they got one shipment of 5000 on launch day last time, and that lasted them till about a month ago. (all remaining stock was cleared during the price drop a few months ago)

Cheers

[redgaz26]

I take it doesn't have to be the same o2 shop to register and then buy?
I'm down south on the 11th but would register in Glasgow???????


and does this include iphone 1 owners like myself and many others on here????

[Johnpartridge]

Originally Posted by redgaz26

I take it doesn't have to be the same o2 shop to register and then buy?
I'm down south on the 11th but would register in Glasgow???????

Im guessing that your pre registration details will be stored on O2s main computer system so in theory you would be able to purchase and begin contract at any other store. But I didn't ask him about that, and that's just an educated guess by myself.

[tiguk]

Awesome news!

Did you get an answer about any available accessories?

[Hustle]

5000 iPhones is not true. o2 stores will not store that many iPhones. It would be a keen place to rob, having £200k worth of iPhones. Also, there's o2 stores EVERYWHERE in the UK, so I doubt they'll be shipping out 1 million+ iPhones on the first day of launch in the UK a lone. Apple's goal is 10 million iPhones. I doubt 1 million is going to be aimed at launch day.

[sk8mash]

Originally Posted by Hustle

5000 iPhones is not true. o2 stores will not store that many iPhones. It would be a keen place to rob, having £200k worth of iPhones. Also, there's o2 stores EVERYWHERE in the UK, so I doubt they'll be shipping out 1 million+ iPhones on the first day of launch in the UK a lone. Apple's goal is 10 million iPhones. I doubt 1 million is going to be aimed at launch day.

Didn't read this post?

Originally Posted by Johnpartridge

I did question the 5000 iPhones to him when he said to me, "what your going to sell all those on launch day!?" He laughed and replied saying that they got one shipment of 5000 on launch day last time, and that lasted them till about a month ago. (all remaining stock was cleared during the price drop a few months ago)

Cheers

[Cherimoya]

Well that's not true either - all the gen 1 iphones are week stamped in the serial number. If you buy one they are rarely more than two-three weeks old. They certainly haven't been sitting around in an O2 store since launch day.

Don't you remember the issues about different firmware versions in OTB phones?

[MacsAttack]

Originally Posted by Johnpartridge

*addition* He also made it clear that, NO iPhones will be leaving any O2 store without a Credit check and Contract being signed for, this point was raised strongly by Apple this year to O2, they want to really crack down on Unlocking in the UK, and to stop the UK being a hub for distribution of Unlocked iPhone 3G's.

That isn't going to stop it. The PayG iPhones will be the ones flying to other countries.

[Johnpartridge]

Originally Posted by tiguk

Awesome news!

Did you get an answer about any available accessories?

Cant belive I didnt include this into my original post, it was what I originally wanted to know about!, he said that they will have a wide variety of accessories available on lauch day in all O2 stores. Not sure what a "wide variety" means but im guessing the usual mixture of cases and cable based accessories.

Cheers

[tjcampbell]

I wonder if the CarPhoneWarehouse will pull their "you have to buy insurance or we won't sell you an iPhone" scam all over again?

I'm going to pick up my 3G at the apple store this time.

[andyhargreaves]

I'm guessing the credit checks will be more stringent this time, as the iPhone is being subsidized by the networks. I also wonder how, if at all, different this procedure will be for current O2 iPhone customers??

Great OP, by the way, Johnpartridge.

Andy

[badgerman]

Originally Posted by Johnpartridge

3, The opening times are still not fixed, but the time proposed at the conference was 7am July 11th 2008..

This also fits in with what they told me last week (at the Trafford Centre which normally opens at 10am) and what else I have read. Should mean, no need for camping.

good post. Anyone else heard this?Will pop into O2 today.