U.K. No O2 PAYG at launch? No Deal?

[CD3660]

It's pretty clear from the forums that there are a lot of people in the U.K. who are keen to have the PAYG version of the iPhone 3G, and there has been a lot of justifiable frustration with the uncertainty as to pricing.

After the brief accidental posting of the handset prices and tariffs last week comes news that the PAYG will not be available at launch (at least from CPW, but why would it be just them?).

If this is true, this is clearly a strategy by O2 designed to get as many as possible signed up to contracts.

Will you be one of those who are persuaded to sign up for a contract, or are you prepared to wait? Alternatively, is this the final straw which will make you change your mind about having an iPhone?

 

[BongoBanger]

The only other phone that interests me is the Nokia N96 which isn't out until the end of July so if it's just a few weeks delay it's no biggie.

 

[WellRedd]

If PAYG isn't available at launch, I can wait. I've been thinking about waiting for a larger capacity iPhone in any case, as 16GB just isn't enough. Well, I'm sure I'd be able to live with just 16GB, but going away on holiday would necessitate taking an iPod too.

 

[Nicholas.C]

I'm probally going to have to wait.. I think or at lest find another phone.

 

[Neil321]

I dunno if i want to go contract or payg, but i'll just add that yesterday i went into a CPWH shop and asked to speak to the manager about the iphone on paygo and he said yes they would be available from them on release day

 

[matthew.baker7]

I considered contract, but after I saw the leaked prices for the PAYG, I could no longer justify spending £35 a month when I probably wouldn't use all of the texts and minutes and with no rollovers, it would be pointless. Still using my Samsung ok though so no issues with waiting for PAYG would just be nice to know how long I have to wait!

 

[zainjetha]

Im pissed off that they have posted no details about it on the site but it will make no sense for them not to launch PAYG on launch day? What good reason do they have? They need the immediate sales aswell... And even if they dont release it on PAYG on launch day they will do it a few days after...

 

[zed2]

I'm on a contract with my current iphone, and will be on a contract for version 2.

I was however interested in putting my old iphone on PAYG, I want to keep the old one so I can use it as a test phone when I'm developing. However it now appears that the old phone will still work just no phone calls so I might not bother.

--Zed

 

[Igantius]

If this is true, this is clearly a strategy by O2 designed to get as many as possible signed up to contracts.

It might be to do with having lower than expected number of handsets - I'm sure people have seen the new stories/rumours that less are being shipped over here because only 15% of the first-gen iPhones sold in the UK went onto O2 contracts. Certainly CW is receiving far fewer units than it expected, which has restricted the company - e.g. no pre-orders.

Personally, I'm not bothered as I've no interest in PAYG - but I'm hoping that these units do go on sale quickly, because as you say there seems to be rather a lot of people who are.

 

[alFR]

Certainly CW is receiving far fewer units than it expected, which has restricted the company - e.g. no pre-orders.

What's your source on that? Most people on here who have asked in CPW have been told there will be plenty of stock. It's far more likely that this is a business decision by O2 to try to get more contracts.

 

[Igantius]

What's your source on that? Most people on here who have asked in CPW have been told there will be plenty of stock. It's far more likely that this is a business decision by O2 to try to get more contracts.

Three different managers (not all in the same region) and another member of staff at a more senior level. From what I inferred, this is the main reason they are not doing pre-orders – additionally, the people I talked to are far from happy about the amount of stick they will be receiving.

 

[alFR]

Maybe O2 want to keep the lion's share of the upfront fees for themselves? After all, if CPW sell the phones they'll have to take their cut.

 

[Igantius]

Maybe O2 want to keep the lion's share of the upfront fees for themselves? After all, if CPW sell the phones they'll have to take their cut.

Could well be - that was what I assumed when I first heard. But it might be that UK stocks are lower than what both companies expected.

 

[zed2]

Could well be - that was what I assumed when I first heard. But it might be that UK stocks are lower than what both companies expected.

If people suspect CPW to have lower stock levels then they are just going to go to O2 stores instead and then CPW will not get any sales!... this seems really dumb.

--Zed

 

[Igantius]

If people suspect CPW to have lower stock levels then they are just going to go to O2 stores instead and then CPW will not get any sales!... this seems really dumb.

--Zed

Not quite sure how that relates to the post you quoted - I was speculating that the stock levels for both O2 and CW are lower than the companies had expected.

 

[zed2]

Not quite sure how that relates to the post you quoted - I was speculating that the stock levels for both O2 and CW are lower than the companies had expected.

clicked the wrong button...

--Zed

 

[Igantius]

clicked the wrong button...

--Zed

Thank god for that, I thought it was me!

 

[matthew.baker7]

Went into the o2 store today. They were putting out all of the merchandising and it says "PAYG coming later on this year". The sales assisstant said this was because "they don't know how they are going to do it yet". He did say that the leaked prices were correct however.

 

[trevreyno]

What's your source on that? Most people on here who have asked in CPW have been told there will be plenty of stock. It's far more likely that this is a business decision by O2 to try to get more contracts.

this may be the reason why


http://www.macworld.co.uk/ipod-itunes/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=21895

 

[deftangel]

If I can't get one on PAYG then I shall just have to look at the alternatives. Thanks to a friend, I have lifetime half price line rental on T-Mobile and I'm pretty happy with the network. I have no need for a contact, if I have to import an unlocked one then so be it, it'll cost nearly as much at the end of the day.

 

[alFR]

this may be the reason why


http://www.macworld.co.uk/ipod-itunes/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=21895

that's already been dissected to death in other threads - the consensus is that the Electric Pig are not a site with reliable record on rumours and they're just trying to increase ad revenue.