Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

The U.K. iPhone 4 Thread

I'm currently on 3, with a £35 contract that is due to finish on the 13th of July; that means I'm eligible for an upgrade now, so I registered on the 3 website for info about the iPhone when it gets released. I'm still waiting for an email or a phone call or something from them telling me about it, and I've heard nothing.

I just rung the upgrade line up, and asked about the pricing and if they know if I'm eligible. She told me that the cheapest will be £55 a month, as well as paying the handset price. There is no way I believe her; why would they join the iPhone market and only offer it at that price? Especially after reading a report yesterday that the reason 3 haven't released info yet is because they're waiting to undercut all the other networks in terms of pricing.

I was told to wait until the 24th and ring to find out then. As if I'm going to be doing that! She's just making me want to change networks, I told her that and she offered me a 3GS right now, free of charge, which obviously I don't want. I'm so annoyed at 3. Their pricing and coverage is great, it's just their ****** customer service that knocks them down all the time! At this minute it's looking like I'm switching to Orange!:mad:
 
MikeWilson said:
Does anyone know - for sure - that the iPhone 4 that is sold on PAYG is definitively locked to a carrier?

I suspect that logistically, all iPhones are sold unlocked. Plus it's better for Apple, who seem to consider carriers as mere utility pipes, at their products are unlocked and free to move between networks.

As yet, I suppose we will find out on Thursday!

Best,

Mike
Click to expand...

An iPhone purchased at the Apple Online Store with the Pay & Go service from O2 can be used only with an O2 SIM. Should you choose to return your iPhone for any reason within 14 calendar day remorse period of receiving your order, and you have activated your iPhone, please read your contract with O2 for any refund you may be entitled on your credit.

An iPhone purchased at the Apple Online Store with the Pay as you go service from Orange can be used only with an Orange SIM. Should you choose to return your iPhone for any reason within 14 calendar day remorse period of receiving your order, and you have activated your iPhone, please read your contract with Orange for any refund you may be entitled on your credit.
 
daleski75 said:
An iPhone purchased at the Apple Online Store with the Pay & Go service from O2 can be used only with an O2 SIM. Should you choose to return your iPhone for any reason within 14 calendar day remorse period of receiving your order, and you have activated your iPhone, please read your contract with O2 for any refund you may be entitled on your credit.

An iPhone purchased at the Apple Online Store with the Pay as you go service from Orange can be used only with an Orange SIM. Should you choose to return your iPhone for any reason within 14 calendar day remorse period of receiving your order, and you have activated your iPhone, please read your contract with Orange for any refund you may be entitled on your credit.
Click to expand...

Interesting...

I wonder what the unlock procedure is for, say, Orange. I think it I was going abroad, I would jailbreak, but my preference for getting one on the day is overriding my preference for colour choice or being unlocked from the Apple factory.
 
daleski75 said:
An iPhone purchased at the Apple Online Store with the Pay & Go service from O2 can be used only with an O2 SIM. Should you choose to return your iPhone for any reason within 14 calendar day remorse period of receiving your order, and you have activated your iPhone, please read your contract with O2 for any refund you may be entitled on your credit.

An iPhone purchased at the Apple Online Store with the Pay as you go service from Orange can be used only with an Orange SIM. Should you choose to return your iPhone for any reason within 14 calendar day remorse period of receiving your order, and you have activated your iPhone, please read your contract with Orange for any refund you may be entitled on your credit.
Click to expand...

However, iPhone 4 is sold without sim lock from Apple online.
 
glanv said:
Useful table mate, cheers. But when comparing 18mth against 24mth one has to consider the time value of money - ie, £1 today is worth more than £1 in the future (providing an economy is in an inflationary, rather than deflationary, position).
Click to expand...

A few percent of inflation won't have too much relevance, but what will is the residual value of the phone at the end of the contract.

After an 18 month contract, a phone will be vastly more re-sellable to be worth £80 to £150 more in terms of resale value than a 24 month old device.

You also need to consider;
1. The annual revamp of the iPhone. Although I would suspect that next years model will look visually similar, helping to keep its value.
2. An 18 month contract expires in the middle of a development year, so will you be holding out for the next model, in which case a 24 month contract makes sense or paying off your 18 month contract 6 months early to renew every year.
3. How heavily will you be using the phone. If you are a very heavy user and opt for a 24 month contract, the device might not actually last until the end of the contract, or at least might look very worn out, affecting resale value.
4. Each of the carriers has different data plans and some include additions in their plan such as European minutes / data. So choosing which plan is best for you, depends on more than your general UK usage.

If only we new what the 5th and 6th generation iPhones had in store, then we could decide more easily whether 18 or 24 month is best:D
 
rileyy said:
I'm currently on 3, with a £35 contract that is due to finish on the 13th of July; that means I'm eligible for an upgrade now, so I registered on the 3 website for info about the iPhone when it gets released. I'm still waiting for an email or a phone call or something from them telling me about it, and I've heard nothing.

I just rung the upgrade line up, and asked about the pricing and if they know if I'm eligible. She told me that the cheapest will be £55 a month, as well as paying the handset price. There is no way I believe her; why would they join the iPhone market and only offer it at that price? Especially after reading a report yesterday that the reason 3 haven't released info yet is because they're waiting to undercut all the other networks in terms of pricing.

I was told to wait until the 24th and ring to find out then. As if I'm going to be doing that! She's just making me want to change networks, I told her that and she offered me a 3GS right now, free of charge, which obviously I don't want. I'm so annoyed at 3. Their pricing and coverage is great, it's just their ****** customer service that knocks them down all the time! At this minute it's looking like I'm switching to Orange!:mad:
Click to expand...

It's nothing to do with customer service, as they have not been told anything yet. It's purely guess work.

Guaranteed, if you speak to someone else, they will say something totally different.

Sadly, if you want an iPhone 4 on Three, you are going to have to wait to find out how much it will cost. I doubt they care, if they were to loose you as a customer.
 
My local Phones4U is taking launch day preorders for £10 per iPhone, with network preference. No guarantee, but at least with a receipt for some money paid it's something. They're also opening at 8am, like all stores I imagine.
 
I have not read the all the prevoius 300+ pages, but

I didn't get any choice of carrier(or pickup at stores) when i preordered my 32 gig for 599, and I assume that it can't possibly be locked :confused: I was abroad at the time I ordered through Apple UK, maybe thats why.
I travel alot and the phone is useless to me if it is locked.
 
oddbob said:
I have not read the all the prevoius 300+ pages, but

I didn't get any choice of carrier(or pickup at stores) when i preordered my 32 gig for 599, and I assume that it can't possibly be locked :confused: I was abroad at the time I ordered through Apple UK, maybe thats why.
I travel alot and the phone is useless to me if it is locked.
Click to expand...
yours will be factory unlocked and wont get locked when you stick a sim in
 
Cybbe said:
Do you know whether it will be completely unlocked, ie free to use on any carrier, or free to use on any 'iPhone' carrier?
Click to expand...

if you brought the simfree version then you can use it on any gsm carrier in the world but you will have cut the simcards to size if they cannot provide you with a microsim.
 
MikeWilson said:
Does anyone know - for sure - that the iPhone 4 that is sold on PAYG is definitively locked to a carrier?

I suspect that logistically, all iPhones are sold unlocked. Plus it's better for Apple, who seem to consider carriers as mere utility pipes, at their products are unlocked and free to move between networks.

As yet, I suppose we will find out on Thursday!

Best,

Mike
Click to expand...

Yes I think all phones are given to the networks unlocked.
My theory is that when you buy phone from store, the IMEI is thrown into some kind of database with your account details (tariff info etc). When the phone is taken home and activated via iTunes, this is when the database is accessed to see which network, tariff etc. This is the time that your phone become locked.

I ordered mine from Apple online, i remember it displaying something like "iphone 4....No contract.....No tariff"
hence when I finally get round to activating phone via itunes, it knows not to lock it down to any network.

Just my theory anyway :)
 
Chic0 said:
Yes I think all phones are given to the networks unlocked.
My theory is that when you buy phone from store, the IMEI is thrown into some kind of database with your account details (tariff info etc). When the phone is taken home and activated via iTunes, this is when the database is accessed to see which network, tariff etc. This is the time that your phone become locked.

I ordered mine from Apple online, i remember it displaying something like "iphone 4....No contract.....No tariff"
hence when I finally get round to activating phone via itunes, it knows not to lock it down to any network.

Just my theory anyway :)
Click to expand...

It says:

[FONT='Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial, Verdana, san-serif]PHONE 4 BLACK 16GB-GBR
[FONT='Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial, Verdana, san-serif]MC603B/A[/FONT]
£324.68​
1​
£324.68​
Rate Plan:
No Voice Plan
No Data Plan
No Text Plan


[/FONT]​
 
CJM said:
Anyone get any SIMs delivered today? Bleedin' mailman :-/
Click to expand...

I did get 4 t-mobile PAYG sims - I planned using them as practice if I needed to make a homemade micro sim :)

I spoke to voda yesterday though and they have sent me a micro sim to replace my current one. SHould have it monday
 
ct2k7 said:
It says:

[FONT='Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial, Verdana, san-serif]PHONE 4 BLACK 16GB-GBR
[FONT='Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial, Verdana, san-serif]MC603B/A[/FONT]
£324.68​
1​
£324.68​
Rate Plan:
No Voice Plan
No Data Plan
No Text Plan


[/FONT]​
Click to expand...

That's the one ;)
 
Chic0 said:
I did get 4 t-mobile PAYG sims - I planned using them as practice if I needed to make a homemade micro sim :)

I spoke to voda yesterday though and they have sent me a micro sim to replace my current one. SHould have it monday
Click to expand...

i;'ve been asking voda for the past 2 days about micro sim's and they say they don't have any information about them!!!! :(

i have my 4 t-mobile sims in front of me so i'm just about to start hacking into one :0
 
sparkie1984 said:
has anyone from the uk's phones gone to prepared for shipment?????

maybe their already in the country?
Click to expand...

I learnt with my recent iPad order The uk apple store does not have a prepared for shipment status, and only changes once shipped.

If you check your order status from within the US store you can see if it is prepared for shipment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back