The U.K. iPhone 4 Thread

[limesmoothie]

Its amazing how its taken a lot of you over 3 years to realize what i figured out from day one, that monthly simplicity or sim only contracts were the way to go.

Back in 2007 when the first iPhone came out the networks were offering loads more minutes and texts if you went with the sim only option now they have reduced the mins and even try to lock you into a 12 month sim only contract despite you buying your own iPhone.

I stopped taking mobile contracts when they went from 12 months to 18 months. I knew there was no way i'd be able to wait 18 months just to get the next model, and was not gonna chance it by saying 'oh i've been with my network for tons of yrs I'm sure they will let me upgrade early at no extra cost as I'm a loyal customer.

Just to clarify I'm on a monthly tariff of 1400 mins, unlimited texts and unlimited internet for £30. How many networks will be willing to match that now?

Its habit, though....most of us probably remember the days of getting a Nokia for £10/£15 per month on a 12 month contract and then upgrading in month 11. SIM only deals were unheard of then.

Once the networks started going to 18 month and now 24 month contracts , people started to wake up to the costs. Old habits die hard, though. And SIM only deals have totally exploded since smartphones/iPhones became commonplace. There are so many to choose from now.

We live and learn

 

[psxguru]

Its amazing how its taken a lot of you over 3 years to realize what i figured out from day one, that monthly simplicity or sim only contracts were the way to go.

Back in 2007 when the first iPhone came out the networks were offering loads more minutes and texts if you went with the sim only option now they have reduced the mins and even try to lock you into a 12 month sim only contract despite you buying your own iPhone.

I stopped taking mobile contracts when they went from 12 months to 18 months. I knew there was no way i'd be able to wait 18 months just to get the next model, and was not gonna chance it by saying 'oh i've been with my network for tons of yrs I'm sure they will let me upgrade early at no extra cost as I'm a loyal customer.

Just to clarify I'm on a monthly tariff of 1400 mins, unlimited texts and unlimited internet for £30. How many networks will be willing to match that now?

Not everyone can take the upfront hit of the PAYG handset cost so it's horses for courses.

I'm waiting to see what T-mobile will be charging before I make up my mind since I get the 50% discount with them and it's due for renewal this month.

 

[jarvojnr]

If I am able to get more for my white 16GB 3GS pay as you go on ebay, do you just backup your phone on your mac, then do a factory reset and then sell it?
And then resync the info back to the new phone?

If you can do this are you also able to keep the same tel number?

This is what I have done.

The phone number is linked to the sim/tariff you are using. If you use your current sim or upgrade with the same provider you will keep your number.

If you go to another service provider you will have to do a bit of leg work to port your number over (get a pac code from your current provider and provide this to your new provider when you sign up)

How long does it take for a PAC to be given? I am thinking nearer the time I may ask o2 for my PAC to see if they offer me a non standard deal to stay!

 

[Boblister]

Its amazing how its taken a lot of you over 3 years to realize what i figured out from day one, that monthly simplicity or sim only contracts were the way to go.

Back in 2007 when the first iPhone came out the networks were offering loads more minutes and texts if you went with the sim only option now they have reduced the mins and even try to lock you into a 12 month sim only contract despite you buying your own iPhone.

I stopped taking mobile contracts when they went from 12 months to 18 months. I knew there was no way i'd be able to wait 18 months just to get the next model, and was not gonna chance it by saying 'oh i've been with my network for tons of yrs I'm sure they will let me upgrade early at no extra cost as I'm a loyal customer.

Just to clarify I'm on a monthly tariff of 1400 mins, unlimited texts and unlimited internet for £30. How many networks will be willing to match that now?

I now have my wife and son on Three PAYG as well as myself. Most calls we make are generally between ourselves. I pay £5 a month out of my top up for internet and get free Three to Three calls and 300 texts each time I top up that last 3 months. And it's the best 3G coverage.

 

[Boblister]

This is what I have done.

The phone number is linked to the sim/tariff you are using. If you use your current sim or upgrade with the same provider you will keep your number.

If you go to another service provider you will have to do a bit of leg work to port your number over (get a pac code from your current provider and provide this to your new provider when you sign up)

How long does it take for a PAC to be given? I am thinking nearer the time I may ask o2 for my PAC to see if they offer me a non standard deal to stay!

I did this two weeks ago. O2 gave me my PAC code over the phone there and then. Though they did follow it up with a letter a few days later. I transferred to Three. I phoned them straight away after getting my code (Wednesday) and my number was ported over to Three on Friday 8am.

 

[bigchrisfgb]

So 3 and T-Mobile have been added to carriers for the iPhone 4. Thats good news for competition and prices in my opinion. Though T-Mobile and Orange are going to merge it's not going to be for a little while yet. I think we just need Virgin to join the race now, lol. Is it just me or do Apple seem to be hell bent on getting everyone in the UK using the iPhone?

 

[benfilan]

I was just doing the maths and reached pretty much the same conclusion. Over 18 months, the cost of PAYG & Sim only vs. Contract works out virtually even for me.

However, the issue comes with the annual roll out of iPhone, with the 3GS O2 didn't offer an upgrade path for 3G users, so since then I've preferred to go down the sim only route. It all comes down to whether the customer can afford the high initial outlay for the PAYG handset (easier once you have a iPhone to sell!).

I see a lot of people doing the maths like this, but it only works out cheaper on contract if your bills never ever go over £35 a month, which I'd guess is pretty unlikely for most people, considering the pretty meager allowance on that tariff.

 

[jarvojnr]

I did this two weeks ago. O2 gave me my PAC code over the phone there and then. Though they did follow it up with a letter a few days later. I transferred to Three. I phoned them straight away after getting my code (Wednesday) and my number was ported over to Three on Friday 8am.

Thanks for your reply, I will wait until pricing is out I suppose as I'm open to whichever provider is offering the best deal!

 

[paddyhazard]

This is what I have done.

The phone number is linked to the sim/tariff you are using. If you use your current sim or upgrade with the same provider you will keep your number.

If you go to another service provider you will have to do a bit of leg work to port your number over (get a pac code from your current provider and provide this to your new provider when you sign up)

How long does it take for a PAC to be given? I am thinking nearer the time I may ask o2 for my PAC to see if they offer me a non standard deal to stay!

I phoned up o2 this morning to find out this. They can give you your PAC code straight away and it's valid for 30 days but only with other carriers, if you want to go back to payg on o2 you can't have the same number. If you want to switch your contract to o2 payg or simplicity, it's 7 days internally.

They did say they can't do any offers for existing customers as apple fix the price but i thought they might throw in a dock or something to existing customers to get them to stay or something. I'm probably just going to pre-order a payg on o2 on tuesday and switch over to simplicity.

 

[freep]

Yes. When you plug your new phone into iTunes it will give the option to install a previous backup. A factory reset under iTunes will reset the phone ready for selling.

If you are staying with the same people they will probably port the number over for you. But if going to a different carrier as them for you PAC code which they are obliged to give you.

Does anyone know if a factory reset will 'relock' an unlocked phone? I had mine officially unlocked by O2 but dont want to lose this when I do a factory reset to sell it.

 

[nwlondonlad]

Not everyone can take the upfront hit of the PAYG handset cost so it's horses for courses.

I'm waiting to see what T-mobile will be charging before I make up my mind since I get the 50% discount with them and it's due for renewal this month.

That is the hardest part, coughing up the full amount for a phone at the start. Everyone back then in 2007 would have thought you were a madman if you said you were gonna pay around £400+ for a phone. People always say why not just get it free on a contract?

The thing is its never free, they take the money over a longer period of time, which means your still paying the same high price per month 18 months later despite that model being replaced once or twice since you signed up for it originally. But you are right horses for courses

 

[speed12]

I know this isn't really adding a huge amount to the discussion, but you can add me to the list of those excited (for want of a better term...I'm not really "excited" as such!) about iPhone 4 on 3. I had been on 3 pretty much since they started up until I got my 3G (right, this is getting confusing now, too many numbers....) and always said that if 3 launced the iPhone I would switch back. So sorted! Always found them to have great coverage and brilliant service. They even gave me amazing service when there was some confusion over the last payment for my contract...and I hadn't even been with them for over 6 months.

Obviously if for some reason they have appalling tariffs then I won't switch, but their pricing for other phones is very very competitive and generally better so I'm hoping for good things!

 

[speed12]

Rubbish, was meant to post this in as well. Ofcom maps of 3G coverage for all the major networks. 3 definitely has the best of all them.

Ofcom Coverage Maps

 

[nwlondonlad]

I now have my wife and son on Three PAYG as well as myself. Most calls we make are generally between ourselves. I pay £5 a month out of my top up for internet and get free Three to Three calls and 300 texts each time I top up that last 3 months. And it's the best 3G coverage.

Three do have the best 3g coverage but the worst customer service. I tried to get the iPad 3g 15gig plan and was on the phone for 2 hrs. Could not be done, had to go with o2

 

[stoplis]

Has any one done this yet?

Option 3: Wait until you're eligible for an upgrade.

All Pay Monthly O2 customers are part of O2 Priority List and everyone has an opportunity to upgrade early. Have a look at the table below to see how soon you will be eligible for an upgrade.

If you're a Platinum customer... get a 6 month early upgrade
If you're a Gold customer... get a 3 month early upgrade
If you're a Silver or Blue customer... get a 1 month early upgrade

If you don't already know your Priority List tier you'll be able to find out from mid-day 10 June by texting DATE to 21302.

I should be able to upgrade 14/7/10, so even if I'm only a Silver or Blue customer I should be able to preorder one for launch day!
I've text number, but no joy so far.

 

[Hero887]

Vodafone or O2?

Apparently Vodafone has a much faster 3G service than any other network in the UK right? If so how much faster and is it worth going with Vodafone over any other network?

I am currently with Vodafone with a Nokia phone and my contract ends next month. I am thinking of going with O2 because my broadband at home is with O2 and they give a £5 discount per month on that if I have a mobile with them too.

But Vodafone just called me up and said I can get the iphone 4 available for pre-order on June 15th with their much faster 3G service...

 

[jarvojnr]

Does anyone know if a factory reset will 'relock' an unlocked phone? I had mine officially unlocked by O2 but dont want to lose this when I do a factory reset to sell it.

It will still be unlocked. Unlocking is done by adding the iphones serial/imei to apples 'unlocked list'

 

[gravityfall]

Anyone know how much the bumpers will be here as they will be $29 in the US

 

[tungstentim]

I've been texting DATE to 21302 and got nothing back. i've tried four times now.
Is it just me or has everyone else got there info back?
I know I'm out of contract as it were since Jan or Feb.

 

[daleski75]

Three do have the best 3g coverage but the worst customer service. I tried to get the iPad 3g 15gig plan and was on the phone for 2 hrs. Could not be done, had to go with o2

I agree 3 customers service is very bad it took me nearly that length of time to get a PAC code out of them.

But I would go back to them over Vodafone any day!

 

[nwlondonlad]

Its habit, though....most of us probably remember the days of getting a Nokia for £10/£15 per month on a 12 month contract and then upgrading in month 11. SIM only deals were unheard of then.

Once the networks started going to 18 month and now 24 month contracts , people started to wake up to the costs. Old habits die hard, though. And SIM only deals have totally exploded since smartphones/iPhones became commonplace. There are so many to choose from now.

We live and learn

Fair point, I just think it went out the window when the contracts became 18/24 months. It was around that period of the Nokia N95 and when the 5 megapixel cam phones hit the scene.

These 'new' long contracts may have been ok if new iPhone models were released every 18 or 24 months but of course a new model comes out every 12 months which then puts the customer in a position on if to wait or not for the next model.

People on here have already concluded that they will skip iphone 4 and wait for version 5. The cycle continues

 

[Nevasleep]

Also 3, Orange and T-Mobile will be sharing their masts/ network soon

 

[nwlondonlad]

I agree 3 customers service is very bad it took me nearly that length of time to get a PAC code out of them.

But I would go back to them over Vodafone any day!

Vodafone for me is out of the question (way to expensive) they are the only network i've never tried. I don't see that many vodafone posters on here, maybe they are too posh to type

 

[Boblister]

Three do have the best 3g coverage but the worst customer service. I tried to get the iPad 3g 15gig plan and was on the phone for 2 hrs. Could not be done, had to go with o2

I remember you posting about that in another thread. Three had just jumped on the iPad bandwagon then and their foreign support system had not ben geared up for it. Not long afterwards they got their act together and reports were very promising from other people. When I ported my number over they were very efficient.

 

[djrm]

And it would have cost him at least £50 in eBay/PayPal fees. The best eBay prices are around £400 for a used 3GS, minus fees = £350. Time to get the calculator out again chief.

Fees were £13.79 for my £599 iPhone sale actually (including listing and final value fee) prehaps you should understand the fee structure between an auction format and buy it now i.e BIG DIFFERENCE

I bought it just before Christmas and sold it as soon as the Gizmodo leak came out (i.e when I saw how great the new iPhone looked)