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Orange Announces UK iPhone Pricing
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I actually really like 02's support / customer service. Used them quite a lot and they actually UNDERSTOOD my issue(s).
When I bought my 3gs a few weeks ago I moved from Orange, O2 said that the limit for data is high enough that the only way to go over it is unauthorised tethering, I don't plan to do that any time soon so it's ok.
Upside of using O2:
The cloud WI-FI networks in the UK, I haven't used them myself but they're pretty much everywhere (the entirety of the city of London is covered, so if you're within the square mile, you can get reception, same for all wetherspoons pubs and starbucks, again though I haven't tested this)
Upside of Orange:
Orange wednesdays. Half price pizza express for two and half price cinema tickets, normally all moves after one week of it's release. So that means you can have a meal and a move in central london for under £8! Considering that cinema tickets normally are that much on their own it's a good deal for students.
Word of warning though, I was an Orange customer for about 7 years and their support SUCKS. I only had to use it a couple of times but it's not good at all. Plus their call charges if you run over your minutes are higher than O2 (or at least they were before they announced they were selling Iphones)
Upside of using O2:
The cloud WI-FI networks in the UK, I haven't used them myself but they're pretty much everywhere (the entirety of the city of London is covered, so if you're within the square mile, you can get reception, same for all wetherspoons pubs and starbucks, again though I haven't tested this)
Upside of Orange:
Orange wednesdays. Half price pizza express for two and half price cinema tickets, normally all moves after one week of it's release. So that means you can have a meal and a move in central london for under £8! Considering that cinema tickets normally are that much on their own it's a good deal for students.
Word of warning though, I was an Orange customer for about 7 years and their support SUCKS. I only had to use it a couple of times but it's not good at all. Plus their call charges if you run over your minutes are higher than O2 (or at least they were before they announced they were selling Iphones)
Orange signal in my house = poor.
750mb per month??!! And they have the cheek to call that unlimited??!! I could sneeze 750mb in a month....
Glad I went with O2 now.
750mb per month??!! And they have the cheek to call that unlimited??!! I could sneeze 750mb in a month....
Glad I went with O2 now.
You were expecting something else?
Given the choice, I think I'm going to go with Orange.
Really its cheaper to get one of those free SIM offers and sticking a tenner on making the odd call to keep it active.
That cap is awful, think I'll stay with O2, always had good customer service, coverage never too bad, although Bristol is annoyingly lacking from time to time...
O2 does have limit on the internet usage. It is in the fair usage agreement that you sign. Also you are not allowed to tether unless you pay an extra fee and if you are caught tethering then your data plan can be cut off. You still get to pay the same monthly fee as before. So the only benefit is that orange has a lot better network ( 3g coverage and stuff ). It's all pretty much as expected though. You might get better rates next year when Vodafon starts selling iPhone. Vodafon usually has better plans than both O2 and Orange and in fact currently you get Storm2 for free with plans over 35 quid. Should be the same for the iPhone since the devices cost about the same and it's more or less the same effort on the side of the provider.
They messed me about good and proper.
I'm on the £30 O2 tariff so the Orange deal looks tempting.
So we are gonna be milked like cows in a shed
Orange's pricing is a clear indication where this whole thing is leading. ISPs and smartphone manufacturers are trying to cash in on this new trend of mobile internet and unfortunately for us by giving the bare necessary carrots to lure us in. If you really wanna know what you can do on your iphone read below the quoted small print on the Payg terms. Hell after reading that i realize that i might as well use a 1998 Nokia 3210
4. Inclusive Mobile Internet. Mobile internet browsing is for use within the UK only. Any use outside the UK will be charged at the relevant international rates. Mobile Internet browsing does not include event charges such as for ringtones or games (transport costs for these events are included). Fair Usage policy of 750MB applies. Usage above this amount will constitute abuse and Orange may monitor usage, apply Network protection controls which may result in reduced speed of transmission and/or withdraw the Offer from your account if the fair usage policy is abused. Not to be used for other activities (e.g. using your handset as a modem, non-Orange internet based streaming services, voice or video over the internet, instant messaging, peer to peer file sharing, non-Orange internet based video). Should such use be detected notice may be given and Network protection controls applied to all services which Orange does not believe constitutes mobile browsing. This may result in reduced speed of transmission, suspension of data browsing services and/or suspension of your account.
5. Inclusive WiFi - use of BT Openzone hotspots in the UK only. Fair Usage policy of 750MB applies. Usage above 750MB per month may result in suspension of Wifi services and/or suspension of your account.
Orange's pricing is a clear indication where this whole thing is leading. ISPs and smartphone manufacturers are trying to cash in on this new trend of mobile internet and unfortunately for us by giving the bare necessary carrots to lure us in. If you really wanna know what you can do on your iphone read below the quoted small print on the Payg terms. Hell after reading that i realize that i might as well use a 1998 Nokia 3210
4. Inclusive Mobile Internet. Mobile internet browsing is for use within the UK only. Any use outside the UK will be charged at the relevant international rates. Mobile Internet browsing does not include event charges such as for ringtones or games (transport costs for these events are included). Fair Usage policy of 750MB applies. Usage above this amount will constitute abuse and Orange may monitor usage, apply Network protection controls which may result in reduced speed of transmission and/or withdraw the Offer from your account if the fair usage policy is abused. Not to be used for other activities (e.g. using your handset as a modem, non-Orange internet based streaming services, voice or video over the internet, instant messaging, peer to peer file sharing, non-Orange internet based video). Should such use be detected notice may be given and Network protection controls applied to all services which Orange does not believe constitutes mobile browsing. This may result in reduced speed of transmission, suspension of data browsing services and/or suspension of your account.
5. Inclusive WiFi - use of BT Openzone hotspots in the UK only. Fair Usage policy of 750MB applies. Usage above 750MB per month may result in suspension of Wifi services and/or suspension of your account.
So yeah, they do limit it. Realistically they can't do anything though.
I use about 300mb a month. I'm very happy with O2, I don't really care about the lack of 3G coverage; the GPRS and EDGE coverage is far better than Oranges.
From a £10 top up a month I get unlimited texts to O2 mobiles (all my friends). I also obviously get the free internet.
One thing they don't publicise much is that it is only 12 months of free internet. Although my credit is about £50 atm, because I top up £10 a month and have nothing to spend it on. I wish you could spend it in the app store
~Callum
I really don't know what kind of idiotic analysts they have in Europe talking about iphone price wars in the UK when the iphone exclusivity ends.
Just look at every newspaper coverage of the US iphone exclusivity situation --- every single newspaper report points out that if/when Verizon gets to sell the iphone, the handset subsidies will go down (which means that the iphone will cost more) and that Apple will have to accept a lower gross profit margin per unit (in exchange for selling more units).
Just look at every newspaper coverage of the US iphone exclusivity situation --- every single newspaper report points out that if/when Verizon gets to sell the iphone, the handset subsidies will go down (which means that the iphone will cost more) and that Apple will have to accept a lower gross profit margin per unit (in exchange for selling more units).
I have O2 unlimited, wth £15 top up so free calls and texts to O2 and free evening landline calls.
I haven't topped up in four months, two of which seemed to carry on with the unlimited plan, even though I didn't top up that month.
Down to £6 now, had £35 on it four months ago.
I have a feeling Apple are setting the price like they have done with O2. O2 cannot have any offers with the iPhone, unlike other handsets where you can lower your monthly payment of have the device fully subsidised if you have been a loyal O2 customer for a number of years.
I haven't topped up in four months, two of which seemed to carry on with the unlimited plan, even though I didn't top up that month.
Down to £6 now, had £35 on it four months ago.
I have a feeling Apple are setting the price like they have done with O2. O2 cannot have any offers with the iPhone, unlike other handsets where you can lower your monthly payment of have the device fully subsidised if you have been a loyal O2 customer for a number of years.
So yeah, they do limit it. Realistically they can't do anything though.
I use about 300mb a month. I'm very happy with O2, I don't really care about the lack of 3G coverage; the GPRS and EDGE coverage is far better than Oranges.
From a £10 top up a month I get unlimited texts to O2 mobiles (all my friends). I also obviously get the free internet.
One thing they don't publicise much is that it is only 12 months of free internet. Although my credit is about £50 atm, because I top up £10 a month and have nothing to spend it on. I wish you could spend it in the app store
~Callum
3G worth a damn. I have an O2 3G stick and it's worse than useless. Furthermore, their support when I asked them why I couldn't use BT Openzone (as their advertising says I can with their 3G data bundles) I got put through to a far east call centre that couldn't understand me, I couldn't understand him and he pretended his name was Adrian. I gave up after 20 minutes of 0870 premium hell.
I have an Orange phone - I get good coverage everywhere I frequent and my experience with their customer service has been superb.
And if you can do 750 meg via 3G in a month, you deserve a medal for patience.
It IS a good thing. However this isn't competition - it's a cartel, it's price fixing by Apple.
There is no such thing as 5GB "soft" cap for the iPhone.... people really need to end that blatant lie of rumor.
As expected, practically identical pricing to O2. Seeing as the handset price is clearly defined by Apple, variance in service provider pricing was never going to be big!
So, I'm happier with my O2 contract as it means I got the same phone, five months earlier than Orange customers will, with a considerably better data plan.
With reference to restrictions on O2, I though that unlimited data on the iPhone contracts actually was unlimited and the 5GB restrictions only applied to the 'unlimited bolt on' for standard contracts/handsets?
So, I'm happier with my O2 contract as it means I got the same phone, five months earlier than Orange customers will, with a considerably better data plan.
With reference to restrictions on O2, I though that unlimited data on the iPhone contracts actually was unlimited and the 5GB restrictions only applied to the 'unlimited bolt on' for standard contracts/handsets?
Competition is a good thing --- that's why the o2 UK iphone price plans remains the best iphone plan in the G7 countries.
Wait until T-Mobile UK and Orange merger --- and 5 national carriers become 4 national carriers --- you will see major price jumps.
I find it ridiculous that companies today allow themselves to say that something is "Unlimited" while it is NOT unlimited. It's retarded, that's like selling a car and saying that it's "Free*" and then adding that the little asterisk means £6000 in the footnotes. It's freaking lying and they should be sued for it, I demand consumer rights! lol... lame!
On the other hand, I hope this makes O2 drop prices.
On the other hand, I hope this makes O2 drop prices.