I have to commend O2/Apple's vice like grip over us.

[matttye]

Smiddlehurst - Consumers SHOULD have the choice to just move about, whenever they want!

Thats called "comepetiton"! Its healthy, its what business is all about and it ultimately leads to a more rewarding and affordable market for us all. Why WOULDNT you move if you could save money!?

You can do that with utilities, automotive, even your mortgage can be ported to a more competetive deal.

But not your mobile phone. Oh no, that you have to be attached to for, apparently, up to 3 years! Thats crazy.

Then don't sign a contract!!

I will never have a contract phone again, purely because something I feared would happen, happened: when I lost my old job I couldn't keep up the payments.

PAYG is so much better, because you have the freedom to do whatever the hell you want. Sim free is even better than that! ..but you have to pay so much.

 

[frontman]

Stop whining?

Ok

I've enjoyed the discussion and heard some good alternate views. Thanks for the comments!

 

[Razeus]

I am VERY transparent arkitect, yes, no bad thing either my friend, you wont see me hiding behind smoke and mirrors.

I'm really only interested in putting forward my views of the O2/Apple upgrade model, I am slightly embarrassed that some less-than-articulate posters choose to try and provoke with talk of "whining" and the like. I'll let these Sun "Dear Deirdre" readers continue to focus on that side of things, if you could hear my tone of voice you would know I am not whining, I am highlighting the truth behind the model as it exists today. So thanks for your comments, but I think you might be missing Jeremy Kyle repeats on Sky, so see you next time!!

I have every right to want to upgrade once a year, EVERY RIGHT indeed, its something we always had, for the last decade until the iPhone came along and brought with it 18 and 24 month contracts, until then it was almost all 12 months. As a result the high users, the web savvy, the gadget-dependent of us ARE BEING BENT OVER A BARREL AND SHAFTED FOR FEES THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY.

They're the facts of it.

I will continue to use my iPhone, I will most likely even pick up the new model too, but if you havent yet opened your eyes to the hidden complexities and the long-term strategies of O2's upgrade model, then seriously, you are missing a trick.

yes, you do have the right to upgrade every year if you so please. Note the fact that their is a price with this right and it's associated with the time value of money. Sounds to me you just want the latest and greatest for free and already have your mind made up O2/Apple is out to get you. It's you and only your fault for getting the 3G. O2's model is no different anywhere else. Show me one company that will let you buy an iPhone without a 2-year standard contract and still give the subsidized price.

Or would you rather not have the standard subsidize pricing and have high phone prices with people moving around networks at will, leaving no room for growth of the wireless phone industry, thus not even having cool stuff like 3G and apps.

 

[Cardy]

I simply stunned at the amount of smug, condescending tosspots these o2 debates have thrown up today.

If o2 have customers who have contracts ending in the next six months, then they should be doing more to ensure these people remain as customers.

It simply doesn’t make good business sense to allow these people to have cheaper non contract options open to them when their contracts are up.

I think a more subtle choice of wording would go a long way here. The approach of “you must pay up your existing contract” not only gives people a sense of being disloyal, but also lends weight to the aforementioned tosspot’s argument of “you signed a contract, deal with it” bull.

That argument doesn’t hold. It’s not like these people are wanting to rip a the contract and go with another provider. They merely want the new hardware, and are willing to commit to o2 for a much more significant period of time than their current six or seven months.

For me, all that’s needed is a fair figure. One that keeps customers happy, keeps them in contract and means o2 are aiming this product at the people who they should be aiming it at.....iPhone fans

 

[frontman]

Nicely put Cardy.

 

[con500]

Ok,

Here's the thing:

You signed a two year contract. - No I didn't, it was 18 months.

Matttye - I think its an unacceptable model to put people on contracts of up to TWO YEARS on a product which is marketed and designed to be upgraded every 12 months.

PLEASE NO ONE tell me what I signed or agreed to, or that I have choice... because I did not have choice, not really. I HAD to sign an 18 month contract and then watch a new phone being release 9-12 months later. Not 12 months, but 18, and now O2 are telling me the 24 MONTH contract would be my best option.

Please don't state the obvious at me, I know what I signed, you are not (hopefully) a robotic call centre staff member, so lets avoid the kiddie stuff shall we?

Why would 24 months be better? Because in 12 months from now there will be ANOTHER new iPhone and maybe then the mugs that got the free phone this time round will then pay 12 months PLUS ANOTHER 24 months after that!

So in 2 years you've essentially paid for a whopping 42 MONTHS!

Year one paid plus 6 extra (buyout) + 12 more months paid plus another 12 (buyout) = 24 months online but 42 paid for.

Now, if you CHOOSE to keep your pocket technology up to date, then you HAVE to accept that you pay as much as the above.

If you think that's a FAIR model, I pity you frankly, if you think its a GENIUS business model then I'm with you!

Like I said, in the "old days", when I worked for Vodafone, we subsidised handsets, of course we did, but you had a fair and balanced upgrade path after 11 months.

If I REALLY had CHOICE, then why cant I buy my new handset at a medium-subsidised cost, and take a 12 month contract?

If I REALLY had CHOICE, then why cant I change my tariff straight to the £30 a month tariff now? Why can I only drop one tariff bracket per month?

arkitect - Thank you for your dictionary definition. As a clear competent user of online dictionary resources, may I encourage you to look up "sarcasm" in there

Razeus - Don't be rude matey, I am not whining, I am making a valid point about the nature of iPhone operations at O2. I think its unfair, you are in no position to tell me so arrogantly that I do not have the right to voice my thoughts and opinions.

Anyway, there you go. I have other options open to me than to follow this route, I was merely showing you just how incredibly brilliant this model is at getting the desire in people to part with possibly thousands of pounds simply to own a mobile phone.

If this phone was on multiple networks, or unlockable, you would not have this issue. This is called "a monopoly". Welcome to its effects!



Happy to hear your comments.

Well Said frontman

think youll find the ones accusing you of whining are the ones who do nothing but

 

[FearNo1]

If iphone users are stupid enough to keep buying iphones each year, you have no one to be mad at but yourself...

 

[Merlinwiz]

I'm sorry but I got to make a comment in defence of o2. When the original Iphone came out and people bought it unsubsidised and then went home to activate it they legally agreed to a minimum 18 month contract, however o2 allowed people out of their contract early but they would of been well within their rights to hold people to their minimum contract.

I wish like everyone else that o2 would of set up some kind of early upgrade penalty say £20 for every month left on the contract, but unfortunetly they haven't, people will just have to accept that if you want the latest Iphone your going to buying one at full cost every other year.


Oh and current trade in for an iphone 3g is £180 at CPW so a 3gs 16gb one on payg would only cost £270 + your not tied into another contract so when the next iphone comes out in 2010 your ready to upgrade!