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Apple to Partner with O2 for iPhone UK? Orange in France?
- Thread starter needthephone
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I don't think we need to worry about 02 not introducing an unlimited data plan - the FT articles focuses on Apple's demands for a share of ongoing revenue but what they miss is that Apple was just as "unreasonable" in forcing the carriers to offer tariffs that won't kill the market before it even has a chance to take off.
Essentially, Apple is using the fear of a competitor getting the iphone to force the carriers not to slit their own throats with their usual greed and stupidity.
BTW, talking of stupidity, when I was researching data tariffs a week or so ago, the 02 website was so poorly designed that I simply gave up on trying to find out what they charge. Why are most big companies so blind to usability and style? These morons need Apple.
Essentially, Apple is using the fear of a competitor getting the iphone to force the carriers not to slit their own throats with their usual greed and stupidity.
BTW, talking of stupidity, when I was researching data tariffs a week or so ago, the 02 website was so poorly designed that I simply gave up on trying to find out what they charge. Why are most big companies so blind to usability and style? These morons need Apple.
I was going to make this exact point. Given that Orange is also the only network with an EDGE network in the UK (conceived as a backup to the 3G netwrok they went with).
Gimme the press release before I believe it.
The data rates charges won't matter on O2 if it's GPRS. No-one will be using it
, it'll be cripplingly slow.
Well if the iPhone is indeed 2G only as is rumoured then I'd suppose 3 will be out of the question
They don't do any 2G.By the way, I'm wondering this too, but I'm a bit worried about this statement: Finally, FTD.de reports that iPhone will start in only these three countries this Fall: UK, France, and Germany. Being from Holland and living in Ireland I have no way of easily getting one then, unless I take up a contract in Germany which will be utterly useless to me
Well if the iPhone is indeed 2G only as is rumoured then I'd suppose 3 will be out of the question
By the way, I'm wondering this too, but I'm a bit worried about this statement: Finally, FTD.de reports that iPhone will start in only these three countries this Fall: UK, France, and Germany. Being from Holland and living in Ireland I have no way of easily getting one then, unless I take up a contract in Germany which will be utterly useless to me
If the iPhone isn't 3G you'd want to be waiting anyway. Seriously, most people will be.
That's the only other explanation other than it's Orange.
No, it will almost certainly be launched in the UK and Ireland at the same time by the same operator, 02.By the way, I'm wondering this too, but I'm a bit worried about this statement: Finally, FTD.de reports that iPhone will start in only these three countries this Fall: UK, France, and Germany. Being from Holland and living in Ireland I have no way of easily getting one then, unless I take up a contract in Germany which will be utterly useless to me
Apple itself treats the two as one territory but with different currencies and slightly different pricing structures. It would make absolutely no sense, in terms of marketing and awareness, to launch in the UK but not Ireland.
Apple actually serves the UK market from Cork.
Are you sure about that? Maybe they would in some lesser supported area's, but I'm pretty sure I saw a UMTS (smaller antennas) base station being set up here in town just before three launched, and all the boxes had "Hutchinson Telecom" all over them, which is the company behind 3.
Edit: Wikipedia says that they get some 2G services from Vodafone wherever they don't support 2G but that they have their own 3G network. So that would appear to confirm that, although Wikipedia is not necessarily correct.
It also means that I was wrong saying they don't offer 2G at all but it's not on their own network anyway.
I also hope they will go with O2 here, and launch with the UK as Donnacha is saying.. I wouldn't mind the slow GPRS speed as I'm usually near a wifi access point anyway...
O2 was acquired by Telefónica last January... This means that Spain, Germany, Czech Republic and more could come later. I see Telefonica as a very big player in Europe. They are growing very fast. May be we'll see Telefonica acquiring more networks throughout Europe... who knows...
And for the French... You'll never be able to take Orange away from them... For them, it's orange or nothing...
what an annoying dilemma! I'm on o2, and i'm due an upgrade in November. As cool as the iPhone is, would I really pay more for it then a Nokia n95, with its clunky interface, but its superior spec? I dunno. The lack of 3G is rather annoying. Is their any way iPhone could browse the mobile internet?
Anyways, I've been happy with o2 the 7 years i've been with them.
Anyways, I've been happy with o2 the 7 years i've been with them.
Why would this be true?
Does the newspaper actually know anything about EDGE and 3G and all that stuff? O2 has no EDGE. The decision does not sound logical. They don't name sources for their story and they don't have any official confirmation. So even though they state it as fact, I still have my doubts.
Furthermore, the article says that Apple wants to go with the leading provider in each country. Is that O2 in the UK?
Does the newspaper actually know anything about EDGE and 3G and all that stuff? O2 has no EDGE. The decision does not sound logical. They don't name sources for their story and they don't have any official confirmation. So even though they state it as fact, I still have my doubts.
Furthermore, the article says that Apple wants to go with the leading provider in each country. Is that O2 in the UK?
02 is up there are one of the best. The Times is a very reputable broad sheet (although not my personal choice)
O2 = ?unlocked phone
Every phone I have had on O2 has been unlocked which is one of few plus points if they get it.
I left them as data rates were awful and they got my useage wrong each month and needed to manually correct. WHo wants to pay £45 + VAT for unlimited data. Moved to T-mobile with unlimited for £7.50
Every phone I have had on O2 has been unlocked which is one of few plus points if they get it.
I left them as data rates were awful and they got my useage wrong each month and needed to manually correct. WHo wants to pay £45 + VAT for unlimited data. Moved to T-mobile with unlimited for £7.50
Very strange news. Only one person from another EU country has to buy a phone to have a EU investigation going. I really wanna see Apple pull the stunt to sell something that won't work all over EU. What about roaming? Will a UK iPhone work in spain or italy? Or will you be able to use your phone another network? Because an iPhone that only works in your own country is just stupid.
Well, they are, but all mainstream rags are pretty sloppy when it comes to tech details and this article, though I don't doubt it's overall conclusion, does contradict itself - O2 larger than Vodafone? I doubt it. And, yes, 02's lack of an Edge network seems to run counter to the writer's repeated mention of no 3G.
My guess is that Apple always knew that the European iphone HAD to be 3G because negotiating with only the Edge-providers would have been a no-win scenario for them.
I thought that, but strangely in my house my Vodafone mobile cant get a 3G signal and yet my Three mobile can ? Which is just weird.
Also Vodafone on the 3G coverage map don't cover me, whilst Three on their coverage map do.
So maybe Three have extra transmitters outside the area's of vodafone ? Or coverage in Kerry is just screwed....
Well if the iPhone is indeed 2G only as is rumoured then I'd suppose 3 will be out of the question
By the way, I'm wondering this too, but I'm a bit worried about this statement: Finally, FTD.de reports that iPhone will start in only these three countries this Fall: UK, France, and Germany. Being from Holland and living in Ireland I have no way of easily getting one then, unless I take up a contract in Germany which will be utterly useless to me
Oh crap. Oh well looks like we'll be waiting till sometime 2008 then
Wasn't there a long long thread about how Apple was unable to find any partners in Europe because Steve Jobs insisted on one phone company in the whole of Europe?
If its true then..
YES!!!. I am sooo happy it wasnt Voda or T-Mob. O2 rocks...O2 ftw. Well actually, they already won....if this is true.
O2 has decent plans but data rates are quite ridiculous, hopefully they overhaul their data rates. Another big plus is they rarely brand or lock their phones. Not sure the iPhone will be unlocked though.
Pretty darn solid coverage. Never missed/dropped a call or text. Rarely get less than 3 bars. Great network for me.
YES!!!. I am sooo happy it wasnt Voda or T-Mob. O2 rocks...O2 ftw. Well actually, they already won....if this is true.
O2 has decent plans but data rates are quite ridiculous, hopefully they overhaul their data rates. Another big plus is they rarely brand or lock their phones. Not sure the iPhone will be unlocked though.
Pretty darn solid coverage. Never missed/dropped a call or text. Rarely get less than 3 bars. Great network for me.
I think you misunderstand something. Apple cannot prevent anyone from selling iPhones anywhere in Europe, and cannot prevent anyone from buying an iPhone, but they have no obligation at all to make it work anywhere but where you bought it.