The U.K. iPhone 4 Thread

[nwlondonlad]

Just got off phone with Regents Street. I asked about my reservation to collect, and she flatly told me she was unable to confirm it one way or another. She also told me she didn't know how the process on teh day will work, and refused to confirm any phones will be held for anyone that reserved. She also stated she didn't know anything about the white iPhones, or whether or not i'll be able to buy on a monthly contract at a subsidised rate when I turn up. She just said to wait until the 24th and give it a try.

Apple are such a useless, service-retarded, closed, secretive, misinformed, bullcrap organisation.

Crazy isn't it? Just got off the phone from Regent st about 10 mins ago after being number 9 in the que for like 30 mins.

Asked the lady to check my reservation, she first said something along the lines of the reservation system has now crashed and that they were not taking any more reservations.

I then said i reserved mine around 9.10am on Tue. She then took my email and confirmed my order and said they would hold it till the close of the business.

 

[hundleton1]

DONT Take Orange Contract unless you have to

just bee going through the new Orange plans and they are a con again if you take the iphone,

Take 16gb iPhone 4 option 1 on 18 months contract
Handset £229
Plan £35 per month
750MB Data usage limit
600 Minutes
500 Texts
total cost across life £859

however better way is

Sim Only and PAYG
PAYG Handset £480
Sim Only Dolphin 1 30 DAY CONTRACT PERIOD
Plan £20 per month
500MB Data usage limit
500 Minutes
Unlimited Texts
total cost across life £840

Or Dolphin 2
PAYG Handset £480
Sim Only Dolphin 2 30 DAY CONTRACT PERIOD
Plan £25 per month
500MB Data usage limit
600 Minutes
Unlimited Texts
total cost across life £930


These Iphone deals are crap , i would personally go with Dolphin 1 and no contract, yes there is less data and minutes but i can handle that for no contract.

P.S i got my handset reserved first thing on the 15th so i OK

 

[Mike Oxard]

Vodafone rep on Twitter is just saying register for interest on their website blah blah... usual crap..

I guess we'll be finding out next week!

I spoke to Vodafone yesterday and they said their contract prices will be announced on Friday. I'm taking that with a pinch of salt, I may just switch to Orange as they are the only company with the balls to actually announce anything!

 

[Boblister]

Isn't that for Genius appointments etc. rather than product reservations?

I thought they were one and the same. There are six reservation options including personal shopper on that page with the other link to check a reservation which I presumed covered all six types of reservation.

 

[Boblister]

Just got off phone with Regents Street. I asked about my reservation to collect, and she flatly told me she was unable to confirm it one way or another. She also told me she didn't know how the process on teh day will work, and refused to confirm any phones will be held for anyone that reserved. She also stated she didn't know anything about the white iPhones, or whether or not i'll be able to buy on a monthly contract at a subsidised rate when I turn up. She just said to wait until the 24th and give it a try.

Apple are such a useless, service-retarded, closed, secretive, misinformed, bullcrap organisation.

If she said that, then I would be taking her name. As far as reservations are concerned, that contradicts everything Apple have told us so far. You might meet her again next week. Flipping burgers over the road!

 

[179202]

I thought they were one and the same. There are six reservation options including personal shopper on that page with the other link to check a reservation which I presumed covered all six types of reservation.

By reserving an iPhone 4 you've not booked any of those 6 types of appointments, so your reservation wouldn't show up.

 

[Cloudane]

Just phoned up the Regent Street store to see if I could get confirmation on the reservation I've made. Here's the outcome, much of which has already been confirmed.

1) Stores don't yet have access to the allocation system being used for the iPhone 4 release.

2) Those who have received a confirmation email are guaranteed a phone until close of business on the 24th.

3) The store will be closed until midday for anyone who does not have a confirmed iPhone4 reservation. (This is for the Regent Street store, not sure about others)

4) Upgrades and new contracts will be available in store for at least two of the telcos, was unable to tell me which ones.

5) No matter which reservation type you opted for, sim-free / pay-monthly / paygo you will actually be able to choose on the day. Just make sure you bring all the required documentation.

6) Has not heard that white will be available at launch in Apple stores.

Hope that's useful for some of you. As always I take this all with a pinch of salt

Great work, thanks for clarifying that with them.

As I suspected - it's a totally different system which they simply don't have access to yet. So it makes perfect sense that it doesn't appear on the site. I know some of their shop staff can be a bit blunt with "I don't have access to that information" but I guess being the secretive organisation that it is, they get to say it often enough that it gets tedious

Interesting on the non-reservation opening time. I'm kind of hoping that only applies to that one store as the lines will make the whole thing more exciting/interesting.

 

[copydeskcat]

Just realised that the company I work for is offering £125 off a handset+contract at O2 if the contract is over £20 per month.

Looks like I'll pretty much be getting my iPhone for free, if O2 even has any in stock (after I sell my 3G, that is).

I just wish they would hurry up and announce the handset + contract prices.

 

[LouisBlack]

I spoke to Vodafone yesterday and they said their contract prices will be announced on Friday. I'm taking that with a pinch of salt, I may just switch to Orange as they are the only company with the balls to actually announce anything!

Well, I got this e-mail this morning saying we should have our PAC codes ready if we want to port numbers. Hope this means they are getting ready.

http://ebm.cheetahmail.com/c/tag/hBMGbj0B7XlT3B7umKNNVHGbLD0/doc.html?t_params=I_FOOTER%3Dsku3060032%26I_MAINBODY%3Dsku3060032%26I_SUBJECT%3Dsku3060032%26REMOVE%3Drm-0bxezpxabg6f890axbvzptq89x8ayjm%2540vodafone.chtah.com

 

[biotricon]

All this contradiction just shows you how big that pinch of salt has to be.

 

[mjhutchy]

O2 - Handset Cost With Pay Monthly

Hey,

I am just wandering if anyone knows when O2 will be posting their Pay MOnthly handset Costs for the IP4. I have registered to "recycle" my Iphone 3gs for £230 which will pay for me to get out of my Contract (£20 x 12 = £240).

I was then planning to get a £45 month contract, but until I find out what the Handset costs with that contract are I dont know if I will be further out of pocket. Last year the phone was free on that tariff, but who knows this year. Also Vodaphone on the £45 tariff are chanrging £29 for the phone (which isnt bad) but would like to know all the same before I commit to sending my IP3GS in to O2 for recycling.

Any views?

 

[adpeace]

just bee going through the new Orange plans and they are a con again if you take the iphone,

Take 16gb iPhone 4 option 1 on 18 months contract
Handset £229
Plan £35 per month
750MB Data usage limit
600 Minutes
500 Texts
total cost across life £859

however better way is

Sim Only and PAYG
PAYG Handset £480
Sim Only Dolphin 1 30 DAY CONTRACT PERIOD
Plan £20 per month
500MB Data usage limit
500 Minutes
Unlimited Texts
total cost across life £840

Or Dolphin 2
PAYG Handset £480
Sim Only Dolphin 2 30 DAY CONTRACT PERIOD
Plan £25 per month
500MB Data usage limit
600 Minutes
Unlimited Texts
total cost across life £930

Note that Orange have a specific iPhone SIM-only tariff. When I called asking about SIM-only for iPhone (prior to iPhone 4) I was told that the non-iPhone SIM-only tariffs were 'incompatible with the iPhone'. I suspect that the SIM is perfectly compatible, but it is possible that Orange will attempt to detect usage of non-iPhone SIMs in iPhones and not allow it. (Others in the forum have reported AT&T in the States adding an iPhone data plan with them asking, as a result of AT&T detecting use of an iPhone.) In addition, you may have to 'make your own' micro-SIM for these plans.

 

[CJM]

Where do you go for O2 online support? I got a few questions to ask.

Yeah it's pretty tucked away. You have to make it look like you're trying to order something, so by adding it to your basket or going to the enter details page, and the window pops up.

You then have to give your name and say that you're not an existing customer in order for you to be directed to an agent.

 

[Cloudane]

Change detection just pinged up on Three's page. I don't see any change yet but perhaps they're preparing something.

Edit: Just a global change in their header "Buy online or call 0800 358 8460" - never mind

 

[knuster]

can i pay with cash in regent street London for my reserved sim unlocked iphone4 or do they only take credit card on launch day??

 

[copydeskcat]

Hey,

I am just wandering if anyone knows when O2 will be posting their Pay MOnthly handset Costs for the IP4. I have registered to "recycle" my Iphone 3gs for £230 which will pay for me to get out of my Contract (£20 x 12 = £240).

I was then planning to get a £45 month contract, but until I find out what the Handset costs with that contract are I dont know if I will be further out of pocket. Last year the phone was free on that tariff, but who knows this year. Also Vodaphone on the £45 tariff are chanrging £29 for the phone (which isnt bad) but would like to know all the same before I commit to sending my IP3GS in to O2 for recycling.

Any views?

Join the queue mate - we're all "wandering" when O2 will release their handset prices. See the previous 5000+ posts in the thread.

 

[tiptopp]

Well, I got this e-mail this morning saying we should have our PAC codes ready if we want to port numbers. Hope this means they are getting ready.

http://ebm.cheetahmail.com/c/tag/hBMGbj0B7XlT3B7umKNNVHGbLD0/doc.html?t_params=I_FOOTER%3Dsku3060032%26I_MAINBODY%3Dsku3060032%26I_SUBJECT%3Dsku3060032%26REMOVE%3Drm-0bxezpxabg6f890axbvzptq89x8ayjm%2540vodafone.chtah.com

It's the same one that I got a few days ago. I don't think it shows that they're gearing up.

I went into the local Vodafone shop yesterday. They were as frustrated as we are, not being told anything by their head office. They've got the 'pre-order here' signs ready to go up, but haven't any information on when they'll be able to do it. They took my phone number to let me know - I'll update if they call me back (after I've ordered mine!).

However, a colleague of mine went into phones4u yesterday and put down a £5 deposit each on both a black and WHITE iP4. They said they guaranteed they would both be available on 25th (for some reason, not 24th). It could just be dodgy selling practices, promising something you can't deliver and getting a deposit so that the customer is less likely to go somewhere else in the meantime, or maybe not...

TT

 

[andybno1]

wow just shows how bad Orange don't want customers lol just asked for my PAC to be generated asked me why I said was goin with the new iPhone and their tariffs are not to my liking so she went ahead and did the PAC didn't even bother to try and persuade me to stay or haggle me

 

[Cloudane]

However, a colleague of mine went into phones4u yesterday and put down a £5 deposit each on both a black and WHITE iP4. They said they guaranteed they would both be available on 25th (for some reason, not 24th). It could just be dodgy selling practices, promising something you can't deliver and getting a deposit so that the customer is less likely to go somewhere else in the meantime, or maybe not...

Almost certainly just dodgy selling practices. Phones4u (Caudwell Group) are infamous for it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phones4U

Been there done that - they're a VERY hard-sell bunch who I had the misfortune of dealing with about 5-7 years ago and decided not to bother with again.

 

[billyjoegibsonx]

The Apple Store Glasgow confirmed that if you reserved a iPhone 4 then it will be there awaiting you collecting it on the 24th.

Great! I reserved to pick mine up there! I wont be able to make it for opening time. Might need to be afternoon! So hopefully it'll be there waiting

Will apple be providing microsims or do we need to go to a carrier shop and buy one? I just need an o2 payg microsim! Id rather just go to an o2 shop but not sure if they will have any in stock time i get there! So maybe ill try the various o2 stores in glasgow, then if no luck ill go to apple. If i cant get a sim off apple or o2 ill just cut up my current sim!

Just hope the person i quoted has authentic info and that i can rely on apple if o2 has none in stock!

 

[andybno1]

Almost certainly just dodgy selling practices. Phones4u (Caudwell Group) are infamous for it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phones4U

Been there done that - they're a VERY hard-sell bunch who I had the misfortune of dealing with about 5-7 years ago and decided not to bother with again.

I got stung by them once, I told them what contract I was on and stupid me never once asked what tariff I was being put on so anyway I was told I'd be saving money with the tariff I was being put on..... got back to work and low and behold they put me on a tariff that was £15 more lol

 

[Andy2004]

Just called o2 about moving my number over to my new simplicity SIM. Had a really nice "chat" with the guy on the other end, about iphone 4, 3g coverage, the price standoff between the networks, microsims, the 500mb data cap everything...

Thats one thing that may go unmentioned on here, despite o2's recent tariff changes and lack of preorders etc, their customer service is really really good (in my experience)

Turns out they let me cancel my contract three days early so i didnt have to call back

 

[TheAlchemist]

This may have already been said but I didn't see it anywhere so thought I'd share.

I just came back from an o2 store to enquire about my best option on contract for the new iPhone. They confirmed what I already knew. And stated that the best choice would be to go on a 25 quid simplicity contract and buy the phone outright.

However what interested me was that she said they estimate the 499 version will be roughly 80-90 quid on the 40 quid contract (what I'm on currently). Thought someone may find that interesting ?

 

[djrm]

Just realised that the company I work for is offering £125 off a handset+contract at O2 if the contract is over £20 per month.

Looks like I'll pretty much be getting my iPhone for free, if O2 even has any in stock (after I sell my 3G, that is).

I just wish they would hurry up and announce the handset + contract prices.

O2 Open scheme will not be available on the iPhone4 for a while i'm afraid.

 

[knuster]

can i pay with cash in regent street London for my reserved sim unlocked iphone4 or do they only take credit card on launch day??

anybody has some info on this?

i called them yesterday to ask if i will be getting one as a foreigner (since i'm coming from belgium to pick it up) if i reserved the full price sim free one.
they told me "no problem, just bring your confirmation email and you'll be fine"
but i forgot to ask about the cash/credit card question.