New Zealand Midnight iPhone Launch and U.K. Pre Orders

[n1cked]

Originally Posted by appleguy

Its great to be a kiwi.
expect we dont have plan pricing yet.

Na - sorry bro - the $199 iPhone comes on a 2yr contract of $250 per month and that only includes 1GB data. Thats $6000 in 2 yrs. Watch the TV report where NZ reporter tears a Vodafone marketing Rep apart for these outrageous plans. We got it worse than canada. http://digg.com/apple/Vodafone_NZ_Sl...s_iPhone_Plans

[edcarnaghan]

Originally Posted by bertybassett

sent my letter of complaint off today. see what happens, I would guess nothing.

I sent my letter of complaint yesterday to Matthew Key (o2 CEO) & this is his reply:

Dear Mr Carnaghan



Thank you for your email. Matthew has asked me as O2 Sales Director responsible for iPhone to reply on his behalf. Up front, I would like to apologise for the disappointing and frustrating experience you had yesterday on our online shop.



At O2 we had said that we would keep all those who had registered their interest in Apple iPhone 3G up to date with the launch developments. We also used the registration data to keep Apple up to date on the phenomenal interest and to support our orders for the phones with them. We have been working continuously with them to get as much stock for the UK as possible. Unfortunately, they have only been able to supply a small proportion of the number of phones we asked for, because they are launching simultaneously in 22 countries. We are confident that over time we will start to get sufficient volume to meet demand, but it is likely that stock will be in very short supply for some weeks to come.



We opened the online shop yesterday, having only told those who had registered that it was available, to give them a chance to be one of the first to get their hands on the iPhone. This also meant that successful orders could be delivered to customers’ homes on the same day as the retail high street launch, 11th July. To put it in context we had over 200,000 people expressing interest and only a very small proportion of that number of devices available. Faced with this dilemma, we made it clear in the communications that to be fair to all customers the orders would be managed on a first come first served basis, as stock was limited. The response was so great that the online store completely sold out of iPhones within just a few hours.



We did also take steps to ensure our own customers were not disadvantaged by providing a stock allocation for them. We took as many upgrades orders from O2 customers as we did from the customers of all the other networks put together.



We run one of the busiest and most robust web stores in the UK. I appreciate that it is little comfort to you given your experience, but we had invested heavily to add a huge amount of additional capacity, 250 times its normal rate, and back-up systems. We tested this carefully in advance. The massive simultaneous crush, partly created by our open and honest communications approach with the registered community, exceeded even our worst case assumptions. Demand was at 13,000 orders per second. Frankly, we have to admit we just weren't prepared for this unprecedented level of demand. No website is.



The next opportunity to get an iPhone will be when the device goes on sale in the high street on 11th July. O2 and Carphone Warehouse stores will be taking new orders and upgrade orders. Apple stores will only be taking new customer contracts. Most shops will open at 8.02am but some stores, particularly in shopping centres where early access is not possible, will open as usual from 9am. The approach on Friday will also be on a first come first served basis. The amount of devices will vary depending on the store but will be on average a few dozen iPhones in each O2 or CPW store. We are expecting early queues and, like the online site, are expecting to sell out very quickly. Apple stores will have more devices. We will be receiving deliveries from Apple roughly once a week for the foreseeable future but it will be several weeks before stocks increase. We will release stock updates for the online shop as they become available.



I am sorry that you haven’t been successful in getting your hands on the new iPhone and once again I would like to apologise that the experience you had wasn’t as we wanted or you deserve. All I can do is reassure you that we will continue to work closely with Apple to get as much stock as possible for the UK. We will also continue to use the principle of first come first served as stock becomes available for both online and in our stores as we feel that is the best way to be fair and equitable to the many tens of thousands of other customers also desperate to get one.



Thank you



Stephen Shurrock

Sales Director

O2

[captain kaos]

Originally Posted by n1cked

Na - sorry bro - the $199 iPhone comes on a 2yr contract of $250 per month and that only includes 1GB data. Thats $6000 in 2 yrs. Watch the TV report where NZ reporter tears a Vodafone marketing Rep apart for these outrageous plans. We got it worse than canada. http://digg.com/apple/Vodafone_NZ_Sl...s_iPhone_Plans

Holy crap thats stupid! That equals approx £125 per month! Thats crazy.....all for 1gb of usage?!? Makes O2's tariffs over here look nice! Have you guys got an online petition? I signed the Canadian one for them!

[captain kaos]

Originally Posted by edcarnaghan

I sent my letter of complaint yesterday to Matthew Key (o2 CEO) & this is his reply:

Dear Mr Carnaghan



Thank you for your email. Matthew has asked me as O2 Sales Director responsible for iPhone to reply on his behalf. Up front, I would like to apologise for the disappointing and frustrating experience you had yesterday on our online shop.



At O2 we had said that we would keep all those who had registered their interest in Apple iPhone 3G up to date with the launch developments. We also used the registration data to keep Apple up to date on the phenomenal interest and to support our orders for the phones with them. We have been working continuously with them to get as much stock for the UK as possible. Unfortunately, they have only been able to supply a small proportion of the number of phones we asked for, because they are launching simultaneously in 22 countries. We are confident that over time we will start to get sufficient volume to meet demand, but it is likely that stock will be in very short supply for some weeks to come.



We opened the online shop yesterday, having only told those who had registered that it was available, to give them a chance to be one of the first to get their hands on the iPhone. This also meant that successful orders could be delivered to customers’ homes on the same day as the retail high street launch, 11th July. To put it in context we had over 200,000 people expressing interest and only a very small proportion of that number of devices available. Faced with this dilemma, we made it clear in the communications that to be fair to all customers the orders would be managed on a first come first served basis, as stock was limited. The response was so great that the online store completely sold out of iPhones within just a few hours.



We did also take steps to ensure our own customers were not disadvantaged by providing a stock allocation for them. We took as many upgrades orders from O2 customers as we did from the customers of all the other networks put together.



We run one of the busiest and most robust web stores in the UK. I appreciate that it is little comfort to you given your experience, but we had invested heavily to add a huge amount of additional capacity, 250 times its normal rate, and back-up systems. We tested this carefully in advance. The massive simultaneous crush, partly created by our open and honest communications approach with the registered community, exceeded even our worst case assumptions. Demand was at 13,000 orders per second. Frankly, we have to admit we just weren't prepared for this unprecedented level of demand. No website is.



The next opportunity to get an iPhone will be when the device goes on sale in the high street on 11th July. O2 and Carphone Warehouse stores will be taking new orders and upgrade orders. Apple stores will only be taking new customer contracts. Most shops will open at 8.02am but some stores, particularly in shopping centres where early access is not possible, will open as usual from 9am. The approach on Friday will also be on a first come first served basis. The amount of devices will vary depending on the store but will be on average a few dozen iPhones in each O2 or CPW store. We are expecting early queues and, like the online site, are expecting to sell out very quickly. Apple stores will have more devices. We will be receiving deliveries from Apple roughly once a week for the foreseeable future but it will be several weeks before stocks increase. We will release stock updates for the online shop as they become available.



I am sorry that you haven’t been successful in getting your hands on the new iPhone and once again I would like to apologise that the experience you had wasn’t as we wanted or you deserve. All I can do is reassure you that we will continue to work closely with Apple to get as much stock as possible for the UK. We will also continue to use the principle of first come first served as stock becomes available for both online and in our stores as we feel that is the best way to be fair and equitable to the many tens of thousands of other customers also desperate to get one.



Thank you



Stephen Shurrock

Sales Director

O2

Here comes the O2 standarised email responses!

[RichMercer]

Originally Posted by captain kaos

Here comes the O2 standarised email responses!

Yep, I've already seen the same reply on another forum.

[aquarterof]

I think that's a very fair and measured response. Well done O2! We have no right to know any stats about stock levels, hits to the website, etc. They obviously prepared, and because of people like you and me who constantly tried to upgrade, we crashed the website.

I say credit to O2, and let the lines begin outside O2 stores from now...

[ChrisDolphin]

Originally Posted by RichMercer

I placed my order on the O2 website yesterday morning and completed it at 8:02 (I was refreshing the page until it would let me start the order so I know I was one of the first to order it) but have received no calls or emails

Heard anything yet ? I ordered at 0842 yesterday without any probs (UK) and got the email saying they'd received the order but havent been contacted with regard to credit check etc. O2 customer service dont know anything........just wanted to know if they'd allocated all those orders or not really........surely they can't have run out for non existing by 0842hrs ?

What's the latest (new) order placed whose been contacted for credit check - anyone ?

[macfettish]

OK, getting worried now. I have my order number, for a 16GB on a new contract, which is still showing 'In Progress' when I check the order on the website. No call from the people at credit to check my details. No follow up e-mail. Anyone else in the same situation? Have rang their customer services number yesterday, who said that someone should soon be in touch. But nothing as yet!

...Posted this as the one above was being written. Seems that there are a few of us in this situation? I placed my order just after 8.30.

[Sin]

Originally Posted by aquarterof

I think that's a very fair and measured response. Well done O2! We have no right to know any stats about stock levels, hits to the website, etc. They obviously prepared, and because of people like you and me who constantly tried to upgrade, we crashed the website.

I say credit to O2, and let the lines begin outside O2 stores from now...

Sounds like standard corporate backpeddling to me. Take a complete screw up and pretend that they're just victims of their own success.

Had they prepared, they would not have had the issues we saw yesterday. Again, the issues were only with the upgrade path - which had a very well defined (and perfectly handleable) number attatched to it. They may well have not had enough phones to go round, but they certainly could have had a website which coped with demand until all were gone.

They said "first come first served", but in reality it was a free for all that favoured new customers. Whatever the reason for that, even if it really is just outright stupidity on the part of the web people, O2 did not deliver on their promises.

I'd love to see a proper survey of how many people succeeded in being upgraded versus how many people were able to order a new phone (and how many people of each tried and failed, for comparison).

[captain kaos]

Originally Posted by Sin

Sounds like standard corporate backpeddling to me. Take a complete screw up and pretend that they're just victims of their own success.

Had they prepared, they would not have had the issues we saw yesterday. Again, the issues were only with the upgrade path - which had a very well defined (and perfectly handleable) number attatched to it. They may well have not had enough phones to go round, but they certainly could have had a website which coped with demand until all were gone.

They said "first come first served", but in reality it was a free for all that favoured new customers. Whatever the reason for that, even if it really is just outright stupidity on the part of the web people, O2 did not deliver on their promises.

I'd love to see a proper survey of how many people succeeded in being upgraded versus how many people were able to order a new phone (and how many people of each tried and failed, for comparison).

Exactly.

It was just a complete bun fight. What ever happened to the O2's helping out the existing owners to upgrade? I had the same kind of situation with O2 about 2 years ago. I saw the phone i wanted on their web site, called up and was told it wasn't in stock, but it was on their web site. In fact, if i was a new customer i could add the phone to the basket, pick a tariff and have the phone next day delivery...but not if i was already a customer. No if i was an existing customer the phone wasn't in stock. How does that work? It was, and so was yesterday, just another example of O2 caring more about getting new customers signed up to 18 month plans then actually keeping their existing customers happy. Now i know they are a business and the idea is to make money, but this time around they know they can get away with murder, its the iphone. everyone wants it and they are the only carrier.

[RichMercer]

Originally Posted by ChrisDolphin

Heard anything yet ? I ordered at 0842 yesterday without any probs (UK) and got the email saying they'd received the order but havent been contacted with regard to credit check etc. O2 customer service dont know anything........just wanted to know if they'd allocated all those orders or not really........surely they can't have run out for non existing by 0842hrs ?

What's the latest (new) order placed whose been contacted for credit check - anyone ?

Nope, I've heard nothing and I'm really not expecting to until at least Thursday judging by what the guy said.

[RichMercer]

Originally Posted by macfettish

OK, getting worried now. I have my order number, for a 16GB on a new contract, which is still showing 'In Progress' when I check the order on the website. No call from the people at credit to check my details. No follow up e-mail. Anyone else in the same situation? Have rang their customer services number yesterday, who said that someone should soon be in touch. But nothing as yet!

...Posted this as the one above was being written. Seems that there are a few of us in this situation? I placed my order just after 8.30.

Yeah, same situation as me I'm afraid. It is worrying but I guess there's nothing we can do but wait so I'm trying not to think about it!

[macfettish]

Just read back my last post, I sound like such a sad git!!! Only Apple could have me this worked up about what is, essentially, a toy for grown ups. I am regressing!

[maverickuk]

All I can say is o2's response is absolute crap. And full of lies.

I don't believe half of the stock went to o2 customers. Not a chance. Judging from the responses here and on other websites, most if not ALL of the stock went to new customers.

The upgrade form didn't work. I tried solid for 7 hours and had no luck. I have a 20meg connection and I had several people through the day try for me, from different locations. None of us succeeded.

I believe the upgrade process was designed to fail. So that o2 can boost their market share and use the existing stock, to bait new customers.

They better let me upgrade on Friday or there will be world war III in the store.

[maverickuk]

Just read back my last post, I sound like such a sad git!!! Only Apple could have me this worked up about what is, essentially, a toy for grown ups. I am regressing!

Yup. I feel the same. Thing is, we obviously love our gadgets. Apple make among the best. Lets face it, there has been HUGE anticipation for this phone and being members here, we've been right in the middle of it.

Suddenly to be shafted at the last hurdle...

[captain kaos]

Originally Posted by maverickuk

All I can say is o2's response is absolute crap. And full of lies.

I don't believe half of the stock went to o2 customers. Not a chance. Judging from the responses here and on other websites, most if not ALL of the stock went to new customers.

The upgrade form didn't work. I tried solid for 7 hours and had no luck. I have a 20meg connection and I had several people through the day try for me, from different locations. None of us succeeded.

I believe the upgrade process was designed to fail. So that o2 can boost their market share and use the existing stock, to bait new customers.

They better let me upgrade on Friday or there will be world war III in the store.

Im not one of the many trying to get a new iphone on friday, but O2 must know that if they mess up on instore upgrades, they are going to be in serious trouble, and yes WWIII will ensue!

[bertybassett]

do we have a 100% confirmed yes about an exisiting iPhone owner being able to go into the store on friday and purchase an iphone for £99 and be left with only one new 18 month contract?

Steven's reply just said customers can upgrade in store. from that I think he means upgrades for current non-iphone 02 customers near the end of thier contracts only. It does not mention currenty iPhone owners. The 02 web site and o2 reatail store have both confirmed that this will not be possible in store, so I am not holding my breath.

BTW I replied to steven asking him this exact question.

[monkeytennis]

Originally Posted by captain kaos

Holy crap thats stupid! That equals approx £125 per month! Thats crazy.....all for 1gb of usage?!? Makes O2's tariffs over here look nice! Have you guys got an online petition? I signed the Canadian one for them!

Yeah, I agree that's insane. There may be plenty wrong with this country (UK) but at least mobile phones are affordable and I don't have to pay to own a bank account

[bertybassett]

well it will not be long before we have to pay for our bank accounts. you just wait and see.

[captain kaos]

[quote=monkeytennis;5732754..............I don't have to pay to own a bank account [/QUOTE]

Not yet we dont!

[monkeytennis]

Originally Posted by captain kaos

Not yet we dont!

Berty/captain - good point.

And last night I paid £3.80 for a pint of Guinness. Another benefit of NZ I think.

[cecemf]

Originally Posted by captain kaos

Here comes the O2 standarised email responses!

Yes but at least now we know that we can go to the O2 Store on Friday on not ONLINE ONLY !!!

[bertybassett]

http://www.allaboutiphone.net/2008/0...ders-fear-not/

[jfanning]

Originally Posted by captain kaos

Holy crap thats stupid! That equals approx £125 per month! Thats crazy.....all for 1gb of usage?!? Makes O2's tariffs over here look nice! Have you guys got an online petition? I signed the Canadian one for them!

You may have confused your dollars there, NZ$250 is only about £95

[brodie]

Demand was at 13,000 orders per second.

At 13,000 orders per second (I'm going to assume he meant attempts, on the .../failover/... form) Over the approx 7 hours before the sold out, with lets say an average of ten attempts per customer, that's 32,760,000 individual people trying to order.

More than half the population of the UK trying to order an iPhone in one morning? Smacks of complete boll*cks to me. Even if you give people 20 attempts that's still 16,380,000 people.

Remember, he states 13,000 orders per second, not hits.