O2 Offering iPhone 3G Contract Signups Prior to July 11th?

[rashdown_online]

Not Just O2 and iPhone 3G???

Don't know what to make of this, but when I got an upgrade at a Vodafone store in Manchester last week, the rep tried to get me into these iPhone wanna-bes. When I told him that I've been spoilt with device interfaces by using the iPod Touch, he suggested that "I wait a few weeks, as there may be a good chance of Vodafone stocking the iPhone 3G".

1) I'm not going for the iPhone 3G as I have a perfectly adequate iPod Touch, and don't want to spend money on another one that has some phone connectivity in it. (I know it's more than that, but I'm not quite ready for it - and besides, there's still no radio built in or front face camera).

2) Can you trust a mobile phone rep??? Well he did suggest I wait a while instead of trying to pester me into a sale!!! Is that worth something???

3) i got a new Samsung U900 Soul, and am very pleased with it - as a phone. But am pi$$ed that even though Novamedia say they have support for the U900 iSync plug-in, it doesn't work!!! Let's see if the support is worth anything...

Later.

 

[captain kaos]

Am I the only person who doesn't understand a word of what this person is trying to say?

nope, I don't either !

 

[swingerofbirch]

I called AT&T today to see if they had official rate plans and the guy very confidently told me the rate plans. I said and this is for the new iPhone coming out on July 11. He reassured me it was. And he gave me the rate plans (voice and data) that existed for the previous iPhone. Now I'm pretty sure he just assumed they were going to be the same. But I wonder if the company so systematically gives the wrong info (as it seems other have gotten bad info), are they creating legal obligations to honor that bad information? Saying you don't know is one thing, but giving out whatever information you think could be right is another.....Apple is at least consistent in saying they don't have the information.

 

[sallythemac]

Each Apple store and ATT store will only have about 100 iphones each
on July 11. Best thing to do is get there really early and stand in line.

I thought the month long gap between announcing the iPhone and actually selling them may have had something to do with Apple manufacturing enough phones so they have somewhere near the quantity needed to satisfy demand come 11th July.

 

[TonyHoyle]

When I told him that I've been spoilt with device interfaces by using the iPod Touch, he suggested that "I wait a few weeks, as there may be a good chance of Vodafone stocking the iPhone 3G".

O2 have an exclusivity agreement. Chance of voda stocking the iphone 3G within a few weeks is about zero.

2) Can you trust a mobile phone rep??? Well he did suggest I wait a while instead of trying to pester me into a sale!!! Is that worth something???

If you decide to get an iphone 3G you're tied to O2 for 18 months.. that's what he's trying to stop you doing. Whilst he can keep you talking there's a chance you'll take one of his phones and tie to Voda for 12-18 months.

Good salesmen know very well that pestering a customer to buy often has the opposite effect... so they don't. They're 'nice' to you. You remember that, then you go back and buy from them later.

 

[sallythemac]

Just out of interest, I don't suppose I can phone Orange now and request a new PAC code that would be valid on the 11th? Or do I have to wait 'til the current one expires?

As far as i know, you only get one PAC code. Once it's expired it's gone.

 

[camperdown9]

No, I think you will find the wording is quite careful.

The front page reads "Upgrade early to 3G. Get the new 3G iPhone before 11th Oct. 2008 ".

Note that it says October 2008!.

Then if you follow the link, you get a section which reads "we're offering you an early upgrade to the iPhone 3G when it launches on 11th July 2008. You won't have to wait until the end of your existing contract".

In otherwords they will allow you to start a new 18 month contract on July 11th and get the subsidised iPhone.

From that point on, you are at the mercy of O2 for any subsequent iPhone upgrades (you know, the 32GB iChat video enabled one ).

DrCamel

Hi

The text that they have sent to current O2 iPhone users talks about the new tariffs then states:

"This special early upgrade offer is only available online at o2.co.uk anytime from early July until 11th October 2008. For now, please just register your interest by clicking on www.o2.co.uk/iPhone and we'll reserve a new iPhone for you. If you do register, well then drop you a line in early July to tell you what you need to do to be one of the first to get your hands on the new iPhone"

I am guessing that around the 1st of July Apple will launch 2.0 at the same time o2 will let current iPhone users upgrade and pay for their new handset online. Then on the 10th July they will send the new handsets to current iPhone users that have upgraded so that they arrive with the customers on the 11th.


This way O2 will be able to keep current iPhone user who want to upgrade happy as they will get their new handsets on the 11th. O2 will also not have people in store trying to upgrade so they can concentrate on new customers.

Letting new customers compleate the credit check before the 11th will make it easier for O2 as on the 11th all these new customers will need to do is to pay for the handset and collect it. So it will take much less time.

Alex

 

[Mr. Giver '94]

Each Apple store and ATT store will only have about 100 iphones each
on July 11. Best thing to do is get there really early and stand in line.

I find that really hard to believe, especially for me since I live right near LA. But, if it's true, you can bet that I'll be at my local ATT store WAYYY early to get the iPhone first. I'm leaving for vacation the next day, so I NNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD the iPhone before i go. Otherwise, I'll die from waiting another two weeks. I'm not crazy, just crazy about my iPhone!!!!!!!!

 

[sneeks]

Just because your with a company already your accepted for any credit agreement. Maybe because I work for a bank I would say that, but peoples circumstances change all the time, as do their credit arrangements. If I went to work and said that anyone who has an account with us can have a mortgage, I'm sure we'd go bust pretty quick. I can understand what your saying though, if your tariff isnt changing, it should be without check, since your already making the necessary payments.

Hopefully exisiting iPhone owners will get it easy and will just be a matter of giving them your Phone number, and let them do the rest for you. It would only be a matter of activating the SIM with your new number ?

If you are a existing O2 customer they will not perform a new credit check. This has always been the case with any upgrade I have had with O2 including the iPhone last November.

 

[bushido]

no surprise here, i pre-ordered mine on the german t-mobile page like 2 weeks ago and they even guarantee a HOME delivery for the first 1.000 ppl on july 11

 

[twoodcc]

this would be nice in the US

 

[Kane.Elson]

Am I the only person who doesn't understand a word of what this person is trying to say?

He is obviously talking about their removal of the home activation service because people where buying them and then never activating them or something.....

 

[Kerching]

I spoke to O2 this morning reference all of the above.

What i was told was:-

1. O2 will not send out 3G iPhones until the 11th of July
2. If you want to get one on the 11th of July you will need to go to a retail store to get one
3. Whilst you have registered interest they are going to try and ensure all existing customers who want to upgrade will get one, however they wouldn't give a precise time frame as to when this will happen, ie it could be 24hours after launch - it could be 6 months(unlikely but possible).
4. There is no pre-registration/pre-release contract signing service available at retail stores.
5. I will be going to a coupl eof O2 stores this morning in West London (Notting Hill and High St Ken) to find out what they have to say.

 

[camperdown9]

I spoke to O2 this morning reference all of the above.

What i was told was:-

1. O2 will not send out 3G iPhones until the 11th of July
2. If you want to get one on the 11th of July you will need to go to a retail store to get one
3. Whilst you have registered interest they are going to try and ensure all existing customers who want to upgrade will get one, however they wouldn't give a precise time frame as to when this will happen, ie it could be 24hours after launch - it could be 6 months(unlikely but possible).
4. There is no pre-registration/pre-release contract signing service available at retail stores.
5. I will be going to a coupl eof O2 stores this morning in West London (Notting Hill and High St Ken) to find out what they have to say.

Hmm on another website there is a post from someone that states that O2 told him that they will only have the 8GB handset on 11th July.

I don't think this is true but I am also not sure that o2 general staff know that much at this point.

 

[Kerching]

Well both High St Ken and Notting Hill O2 stores said:-

They will have loads of stock on July 11th - no problem for me to just walk in on that day and pick one up.

To be honest not that confident of that statement.

 

[camperdown9]

Hi

I think maybe we all need to relax a bit. When the first iPhone went on sale in the UK we had people saying that it would be sold out within the first few hours. On the launch day lots of talk in the media about how it would be the next hot item to have. What happened?

There was a bit of a rush but some stores that were due to stay open to midnight closed at 10pm due to lack of customers.

I "like most of you" have been checking a few websites with regards to iPhone 3g and there are lots of bits of info out there, not all of which can be true. When the last iPhone went on sale I ask a guy at an O2 store in Oxford Street if a friend could buy one for me on the launch day as I would be away on holiday. His reply was no as the credit check would need to be done. When I said about the online sign up he said he did not know about that and that they were only being trained on the product on the Thursday, so the day before launch.

My guess is that most O2 call centre and O2 in store staff have not been given all the details yet and we will know more maybe next week

I don't think there will only be 50 or 100 hansets in each store. O2 will have some stores that sell more phones than others so the stock will not be the same. I also don't think that only the 8GB will be on sale on 11th July as reported on another site. As for the launch time could be 7.02am, 7.02pm, 6.02pm, 5pm..who know.

Try and remember in the UK this is not a new product but an upgrade to a previous handset. There will be lots of people out there who are not that interested.(not everyone is a phone junkie)

Alex

ps if I don't get my 16gb iPhone 3G in black on Friday 11th there will be blood and tears

 

[bushido]

i bet it'll bomb in germany again and they'll have enough in stock. Most ppl arent willing to pay more then 1 € for a phone + contract here

 

[macmedal]

I did not sign up to the original iPhone as I was awaiting 3G capability, and I was locked into a vodafone contract. Now that 3G is here I am as eager as most here to get my hands on one and no doubt will be looking at going to an O2 store on 11th July to sign up to a contract (even though I still have 5 months remaining with vodafone).

What has amazed me however is the total lack of information which has been released by Apple and O2 with regards basic information i.e. cost of PAYG, whether we can buy the iPhone at Apple stores etc etc.

Now this is either one of two things a very clever marketing ploy i.e. releasing iPhone info on O2 website and then removing it and keeping customers in the dark until nearer the release date. As it quite clearly is leading to a lot of excitement and frustration (in equal measures) especially on Mac type Forums. But I am more inclined to think this more a case of the usual wing and a prayer corporate UK inefficiency combined with Apple's almost manic obsessive secrecy that surrounds it products.

Maybe I am being unfair but I have to say whatever the cause maybe I more frustrated by this whole approach, to the extent that I am now thinking well I have done without an iPhone for this long maybe I will just stick with my Blackberry. Is it too much to ask that we are pre released contract details and calling plans/prices with precise information as to how we can purchase a product that is due to launch in less than two weeks time ? I see that even the contract phone tariffs have now been removed from the O2 website. If this is indicative of how O2 run their business I have even more reservations about switching to them.

 

[jstride]

Still no luck

I tried again today to get pre-authed. O2 were a nightmare and I have written about it.

 

[captain kaos]

I did not sign up to the original iPhone as I was awaiting 3G capability, and I was locked into a vodafone contract. Now that 3G is here I am as eager as most here to get my hands on one and no doubt will be looking at going to an O2 store on 11th July to sign up to a contract (even though I still have 5 months remaining with vodafone).

What has amazed me however is the total lack of information which has been released by Apple and O2 with regards basic information i.e. cost of PAYG, whether we can buy the iPhone at Apple stores etc etc.

Now this is either one of two things a very clever marketing ploy i.e. releasing iPhone info on O2 website and then removing it and keeping customers in the dark until nearer the release date. As it quite clearly is leading to a lot of excitement and frustration (in equal measures) especially on Mac type Forums. But I am more inclined to think this more a case of the usual wing and a prayer corporate UK inefficiency combined with Apple's almost manic obsessive secrecy that surrounds it products.

Maybe I am being unfair but I have to say whatever the cause maybe I more frustrated by this whole approach, to the extent that I am now thinking well I have done without an iPhone for this long maybe I will just stick with my Blackberry. Is it too much to ask that we are pre released contract details and calling plans/prices with precise information as to how we can purchase a product that is due to launch in less than two weeks time ? I see that even the contract phone tariffs have now been removed from the O2 website. If this is indicative of how O2 run their business I have even more reservations about switching to them.

Im totally with you on this. I believe O2 thinks it can do whatever it fancies, whether its right or wrong. They know that they are the only carriers for the iphone and there's already over 135k people wanting the phone for starters. This leads them to be very slack, but i as well as yourself never bought into the original iphone and i do want to get the v2.....but if O2 keeps this up i'll also be looking elsewhere to have my email on the move.....ie a blackberry.

 

[ramases]

According to my local O2 store, they will be starting pre-reg credit checks on Friday 4th July. This sets up and suspends the contract until you collect your iphone. Passing the credit check doesn't guarantee you a phone however. If there is a rush and non left when you get there then tough. I would suspect that for those of us who have "registered an interest" on the O2 website should start receiving their e-mails sometime tomorrow afternoon. I was also told that the "current iPhone business rates" on the O2 web site will not be valid and that the new rates will be the same as the personal ones?