O2 Offers Free iPhone 3G with Certain Plans

[MacRumors]

O2 announced their plans for the iPhone 3G yesterday, revealing that the iPhone 3G will be fully subsidized (free) for certain rate plans:

*Best of all, the new 8GB iPhone won't cost you a penny on our £45 and £75 tariffs. And it's just £99 on our £35 tariff and new £30 tariff.

All tariffs include unlimited browsing, free Wi-Fi, visual voicemail and require an 18 month contract. For existing iPhone owners who wish to upgrade, the 18 month contract replaces your current contract rather than adding onto it.

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[BufferOverflow]

I got my iPhone on day one so feel I've had my £269 out of it, an upgrade to 3G, GPS and 16Gb for £159 seems a bargain to me (£35 tariff). Friend who got iPhone in February isn't impressed, but then again the new features aren't killer for her.

I think it's reasonable. Upgrade terms for existing O2 users seem harsh, there will be a lot of people unable to upgrade until the end of their current contract.

In the UK market that is already over saturated with subscribers O2 have made a very good business decision - I think there will be a lot of customers switching considering the new price point.

P.S £30 tariff? Why bother you get nothing for your money.

 

[Fuzzy14]

They also offer the iPhone on Pay & Go (i.e. pre-pay as you go) but they don't mention a price.

I've been a big skeptic of the iPhone and never really liked the endless threads in here about it, but it's becoming too compelling now....

 

[Mixalis]

Reasonable contracts

The new O2 prices seem reasonable enough to me, particularly bearing in mind they include unlimited wifi on BT and The Cloud. As someone else here said, you get nothing much for the new £30 contract, but the £35 version gives a reasonable 600 minutes and 500 texts. But on both these you have to pay £99/£159 for the phone. However, unless you are definitely going to use the 1200 minutes of the £45 contract, costing £180 extra over the 18 months, it's cheaper to buy the phone and stick with the £35 contract.

I was also interested to see that the data roaming charge in Europe at £3 per MB is not excessive at the moment, and there are 20MB and 50MB bundles for roaming, which is something I haven't seen from other providers.

 

[captain kaos]

o2 pricing

Firstly, thank the lord for an actual UK based thread!

Secondly as i mention in another one, i cant upgrade my phone till october, some im basically prying the 02 PAYG price isnt going to be to mental, then its old sim card in and im sorted!

Any ideas/guesses on the price....start your bids!

 

[bigmc6000]

I wonder how long it is until someone complains about this. As someone who's in the US I'm totally jealous! My rate plan is going to run me $90+tax and I still have to pay the full price for my iPhone. My only hope is that they'll allow the corporate discounts again (+$10 for 3G - $10 for corporate discount).

I am glad to see that Apple's foreign customers aren't getting screwed by their carriers like we are here in states this time around (yeah, I know for the 1.0 all the non-US people got the short end of the stick but this more than makes up for it I think)

 

[un3creation]

i know is a bit off-topics..but since this is kind of UK-related thread...
just out of interest...
is there anyone who has the contract attempt to ask o2 to unlock their 1st gen iPhone ?

Just like other locked phone on the market....usually if u ask your operator to unlock after 3 months with a reason(of coz u can make up one...such as u need to use it in other country's carriers...etc...)....they would usually do it for u..

Notice that the questions above is only applied for those of you who has an O2 contract with 1gen iPhone....many thx^^..

 

[Mixalis]

PAYG pricing

The PAYG card from O2 is very interesting. I will be unusual because PAYG cards don't usually include data (unless I'm well out of touch). I have previously tried to buy PAYG SIMs in Germany and other countries (from Vodafone, T-Mobile, etc but NOT for iPhone) and have been unsuccessful. All I could get were voice/SMS cards. I look forward to finding out the rates for both data and voice.

The fact that PAYG is now allowed raises another interesting question. If I have a UK-registered iPhone, can I take it to an Apple retailer in another European country and buy a PAYG card? I cannot believe it is possible, but then PAYG is a sort of ad hoc arrangement anyway.

 

[jldreyer]

Free iPhone

I'll be one to complain here. It's certainly not fair that they don't do this kind of thing here in the states. But I guess that's what you get for living here.

 

[Jowl]

I think the O2 deal is pretty good - and is better than the US and even the recent European tarrifs.

I'll certainly be switching and my other half will upgrade her current O2 deal to the iPhone.

But July 11th.....that so long to wait

 

[Jowl]

I'll be one to complain here. It's certainly not fair that they don't do this kind of thing here in the states. But I guess that's what you get for living here.

It's not normally as good as this. The normal 'tech$ exchange rate is 1:1 !!

As for PAYG phones, I presume they'll offer some sort of Data 'bolt-on' - maybe £10 a month ?

 

[ksolano]

End of 02

whats the life time of this o2 exclusive contract with apple?
Will see a open iphone 3g on all networks anytime soon? if so i'll wait. But then again, my contract ends in october so i could pick up a iphone for free. any ideas?

 

[sananda]

As for PAYG phones, I presume they'll offer some sort of Data 'bolt-on' - maybe £10 a month ?

the pay and go data bolt on is £7.50. i wonder if they'll just let people use that. that bolt on doesn't allow email though so it's not really suitable at present.

 

[LukeHarrison]

It's not normally as good as this. The normal 'tech$ exchange rate is 1:1 !!

As for PAYG phones, I presume they'll offer some sort of Data 'bolt-on' - maybe £10 a month ?

They already offer a £7.50 a month O2Web bolt on. I use it now with my iPhone.

 

[Mixalis]

I wonder how long it is until someone complains about this. As someone who's in the US I'm totally jealous! My rate plan is going to run me $90+tax and I still have to pay the full price for my iPhone. My only hope is that they'll allow the corporate discounts again (+$10 for 3G - $10 for corporate discount).

I am glad to see that Apple's foreign customers aren't getting screwed by their carriers like we are here in states this time around (yeah, I know for the 1.0 all the non-US people got the short end of the stick but this more than makes up for it I think)

I cannot believe anything is cheaper here in Europe than in the States! Maybe you will have a pleasant surprise.

Today I was chatting with an assistant in the Apple Store in Regent Street and he said that the phone price (free/£99/£159, depending on contract) would be standard throughout Europe and, possibly, throughout the world. So I cannot see you having to pay full price for the phone. In some countries such as UK the discounted price is quoted. In other locations the price may be higher and the rebate will be on registration.

 

[jimexplore]

hmmmm, i'm wondering whether o2 will allow me to convert my current o2 N95 8GB £35 p/month contract into an iphone contract? I wouldn't mind paying the £159 for the 16gb if they'd allow it. any ideas?

 

[nick9191]

It's not normally as good as this. The normal 'tech$ exchange rate is 1:1 !!

Not for phones it isn't.

I've decided I'm going to forget my plans about getting an Apple TV and get this new iPhone, now that its at a great price, with great contracts in the UK.

 

[jmmo20]

The PAYG card from O2 is very interesting. I will be unusual because PAYG cards don't usually include data (unless I'm well out of touch). I have previously tried to buy PAYG SIMs in Germany and other countries (from Vodafone, T-Mobile, etc but NOT for iPhone) and have been unsuccessful. All I could get were voice/SMS cards. I look forward to finding out the rates for both data and voice.

The fact that PAYG is now allowed raises another interesting question. If I have a UK-registered iPhone, can I take it to an Apple retailer in another European country and buy a PAYG card? I cannot believe it is possible, but then PAYG is a sort of ad hoc arrangement anyway.

in 2001 there used to be a "virtual" or whatever operator called Genie that had unlimited WAP.. and cheap SMS or something like that, I don't really remember. WAP back then was pretty useless tho.

 

[Dan1990]

Firstly, thank the lord for an actual UK based thread!

Secondly as i mention in another one, i cant upgrade my phone till october, some im basically prying the 02 PAYG price isnt going to be to mental, then its old sim card in and im sorted!

Any ideas/guesses on the price....start your bids!

I would check in at an O2 store, a friend of mine is getting on the iphone train and the guy in store told him of an offer by where they actually buy you out of your existing contract, not sure of the exact details but its worth checking it out.

Personally, i cant wait till 11/07, (thats 07/11 for the americans!) I'm on the £45 deal at the moment and think that £50 for an upgrade to the 16GB iPhone 3G'll be worth it - especially considering that ill have to make room for some new apps.

 

[Mixalis]

whats the life time of this o2 exclusive contract with apple?
This we'll see a open iphone 3g on all networks anytime soon? if so i'll wait. But then again, my contract ends in october so i could pick up a iphone for free. any ideas?

This is a very good question. In my (very humble) opinion, the idea of locking in to one company in one country was a marketing mistake and potentially disastrous in Europe. Apple have now partially rectified it by offering incentives for contracts, but they are presumably still locked into their contracts with O2, AT&T and so forth.

Similarly, with iPhone 1.0 they told us 3G wasn't necessary/drained the battery/you can always use wifi. It may not have been necessary in the US, but it is definitely necessary in Europe and the rest of the world. Why they couldn't have foreseen this is a great mystery to me. Meanwhile, we've all suffered...

 

[memesmith]

whats the life time of this o2 exclusive contract with apple?
This we'll see a open iphone 3g on all networks anytime soon? if so i'll wait. But then again, my contract ends in october so i could pick up a iphone for free. any ideas?

Five years. Don't wait.

Me though ... Hmm ...

I had decided prior to yesterday, not to upgrade. And yesterday didn't change my mind. I LOVE my iphone so much. I love its form factor, and the metal back. And the new one, just ain't as pretty. But a new one for just £99, hmmmm that's tempting.

 

[badgerman]

Eleven Seven

Checkout the O2 and Carphone Warehouse sites... you can preregister your interest and find out first (or with everyone that registers) how to get her on the day. I believe O2 will do it online and the stores, but just called up and they couldnt confirm until nearer the time... Have already booked the day off just in case.

 

[notsofatjames]

I think its good they're allowing iPhone users to upgrade. I wonder if o2 will notice if I upgrade my plan to the 55 for one month then downgrade it to the 35 plan. Get a free iPhone out of it... If not I'll end up paying twice as much!

Edit:

Just reading through the t&cs it says that you can change between iPhone plans at any time, though you sacrafice your remaining months alowance by the look of things. I wonder if they'll change this for 3G. I would copy and paste the quotes of the conditions, but I'm on my iPhone...

 

[garethpeate]

in 2001 there used to be a "virtual" or whatever operator called Genie that had unlimited WAP.. and cheap SMS or something like that, I don't really remember. WAP back then was pretty useless tho.

I remember Genie. Unlimited WAP, and unlimited SMS (fair use - about 2000/month, I think). They eventually became the online arm of O2 (which is why O2 stores are reluctant to help if you purchased your phone from their website).

Happy days..

 

[yogi477]

I think its good they're allowing iPhone users to upgrade. I wonder if o2 will notice if I upgrade my plan to the 55 for one month then downgrade it to the 35 plan. Get a free iPhone out of it... If not I'll end up paying twice as much!

Edit:

Just reading through the t&cs it says that you can change between iPhone plans at any time, though you sacrafice your remaining months alowance by the look of things. I wonder if they'll change this for 3G. I would copy and paste the quotes of the conditions, but I'm on my iPhone...

I've done that before with other phones as they often have a sliding scale of prices for the different tariffs. I've never tried it the month after though, I think they would probably try to make you pay the extra in that case but if you waited 3 months or so you might be ok.

Might be worth asking what would happen if the plan "didn't wok out for you" and if you would be able to change without penalty.