UK iPhone 4 Updates: O2 Axes Unlimited Data and Announces Upgrade Offer, T-Mobile and 3 On Board

[Bluethree]

BP isn't a wholly owned British company. It 40% British 40% Merkin and 20% other. Also bear in mind the people running the rig, the sub-contractors, the people who built the cap and many of the workforce are Merkins.

BTW anyone remember Bhopal?

Couldn't agree more and perhaps somebody could inform their president that he holds an office of esteem and is not a hicksville mayor writing for Sunday tabloids and he should remember what the word "statesman" actually means..........hypocritical fecker...sure as long as nobody queries the regulation that his Govt is actually in charge of.

And before anybody castigates me as anti american you couldn't be further from the truth but President attempting to destroy a company with implied anti British rhetoric for cheap political advantage demeans his office.

Yes the enviromental catastrophe is truly dreadful in a beautiful part of the world which I know well but come on.....he is cheap.

Can I add Piper Alpha in the North Sea to Bhopal..... and that in the UK was not followed by cheap anti american rants even after 127 oil worker deaths ?

 

[rscott4563]

Couldn't agree more and perhaps somebody could inform their president that he holds an office of esteem and is not a hicksville mayor writing for Sunday tabloids and he should remember what the word "statesman" actually means..........hypocritical fecker...sure as long as nobody queries the regulation that his Govt is actually in charge of.

And before anybody castigates me as anti american you couldn't be further from the truth but President attempting to destroy a company with implied anti British rhetoric for cheap political advantage demeans his office.

Yes the enviromental catastrophe is truly dreadful in a beautiful part of the world which I know well but come on.....he is cheap.

Can I add Piper Alpha in the North Sea to Bhopal..... and that in the UK was not followed by cheap anti american rants even after 127 oil worker deaths ?

Good points but wrong thread me thinks!

Anyway back to the iPhone4 tariffs....

Can anyone confirm the following which I've been told:

O2 are obviously changing their tariffs to get rid of unlimited data and they will also be removing unlimited data from the simplicity tariffs after the 24th of June. But apparently if you sign up to the 12 month Simplicity for iPhone tariff now or before the 23rd June then you will be able to keep the unlimited data/wifi, texts and higher rate of minutes for at least the duration of the 12 month period even if you then put it in your nice new shiny PAYG iPhone 4. Is this correct and is there anything in the terms&conditions which might allow O2 to rescind these allowances within the 12 month period?

 

[rscott4563]

If not and assuming the iPhone4 on PAYG isn't over £500-600 then this would probably be the best way to go?

 

[Cloudane]

Seems to me that O2 is primarily a business network. That's where they always appear to specialise and advertise. Taking on the original iPhone was an interesting step back into a position of power in the consumer market (at the time) but I think in the long run consumers will tend to get the crappy end of the stick on O2 so that it remains responsive and reliable for their business clients.

In the Keynote, Steve Jobs said that FaceTime is WiFi only at the moment, but in discussions with the carriers to bring it to 3G next year.

What worries me is how much FaceTime can you use on 500MB per month as well as using all the other apps that use 3G?

Contrary to what Apple seems to claim in their ads, video calling is nothing new. Hutchison's "3" has had it for 7 years (over the 3G network, too). It's always been there but has never really taken off BTW - it'll be interesting to see if Apple can work their magic and make it attractive to the mainstream.

Anyway, on 3 it's metered and billed like a more expensive voice call. People won't like not getting it for "free" (the illusion of free) but I expect it'll be the same on the other networks / with the iPhone. On the plus side, by doing it this way it won't eat into your data allowance.

 

[akidd]

Seems to me that O2 is primarily a business network. That's where they always appear to specialise and advertise. Taking on the original iPhone was an interesting step back into a position of power in the consumer market (at the time) but I think in the long run consumers will tend to get the crappy end of the stick on O2 so that it remains responsive and reliable for their business clients.

Not from what I've seen over the past two weeks. Our business contract (Orange) is coming up for renew, and compared with what was on offer a few weeks ago (on all networks) today's offers show all the same cuts on tariffs as everyone has explained for us as consumers. Eg was untitled UK landlines - now fixed amount (still 50 hours); 250 texts now is unlimited, data was unlimited, now 500MB, MMS I think is still c25p (a sample of all the main three networks).
There was a net c£160 rebate on every BB9700 (after the first free one) but that has gone (o2). Trying to get people to sign up pre iPhone4 I know, but it was the equivilant of 4.5 months 100% free. (All obviously not including VAT.)
All the providers are using iPhone4 as a justification to sort out tariffs they did not have the guts to end before on all smaortphones. If they had stuck to T&C ie and restricted those very, very few people who have fully utilised their contracts and downloaded data 24/7, they would not have the feeble excuse they will all be using by Tuesday.
All the UK networks (and this must be true in the US) have not found any good way of managing the data– as they have admitted: (see www.mobilenewscwp.co.uk) - but why not?
I 100% agree with all the others who have asked why the providers have not invested fully in the networks (or made them work properly) when phones that allow us to theoretically do all of the promised things are now here. I know they spent £bns for the UK auction (video calls anyone) and some have spent loads on building upon 2G, poss G networks, but why now are we as consumers and businesses being forced to pay for networsk all over again?

 

[donbenjy]

O2 and Vodafone have always done it. Previously O2 provided an alternative APN and Username to bypass the proxy server - this server lowers the resolution of images and also has the effect of slowing down data traffic. The proxy can also cause problems with sites that require no page cache such as BBC HTML5 iPlayer - it doesn't work. The iPad being the first O2 client to use the new micro SIM revealed that O2 had not provisioned the 'bypass' APN so the 3G web looks horribly compressed. Chances are the new iPhone will be subjected to the same restrictions having the same micro SIM.

APN mobile.o2.co.uk
Username bypass
Password password

Ok, so 3GS users can use the APN to get full data access? How come the microsim can't connect to the same APN? Is there not a setting somewhere? I don't know that much about mobile networks (but I do about regular networks, so please continue to explain if you can)

edit: ok, so it appears that the APNs are provisioned in your sim, meaning that the microsim can only access the ibrowse.o2.co.uk APN, which goes through the proxy. What are O2 playing at?! How is this allowed, especially with the iPad...I guess they can get away with it because many uninformed people will assume that 3G data is somehow different to wifi data.

Screw O2.

 

[bassanoclapper]

Because you use more than 500MB of data month on your iPhone, suuuuuuure.

That's easy, I'm doing just under that now and multi-tasking is sure to increase my usage

 

[oban14]

In America, for 25 dollars a month, you can get unlimited text, email, data and web as well as 300 anytime minutes.

For 40, you can get 1200 minutes.

For 60, unlimited minutes.

http://www.virginmobileusa.com/cell-phone-plans/beyond-talk-plans.html

Yes, they only have four phones right now. But my AT&T contract is up in one month and I am switching the first day I can. I hope they have an Android by then but if not I'll just get the Kyocera Loft.

I am completely over AT&T's service and the monthly cost. I get a discount and am still paying around 70 a month for 450 minutes, unlimited data and another 7.99 for texts. The service sucks in San Francisco. I'm also fed up by all the other companies out there - everyone nickels and dimes with text messages, data plans, minutes, etc. Virgin Mobile is the only company to really offer a true alternative... and the service can't be worse than what AT&T is providing.

The iPhone itself is decent, but I'd rather pay 25 dollars a month. I barely use 200 minutes a month.

 

[samab]

The Governments are partly to blame - at least in the UK. They charged so much for the 3G network licences that to recoup the money back we've been charged ridiculous prices ever since.

The iphone's international launch has definitively proven that argument to be incorrect.

UK had the highest 3G auction prices --- but Brits enjoy the lowest iphone prices in the industrialized world.

Some of the most insane iphone plans in the world --- the imfamous ones being from Norway, Denmark and Sweden (before furious consumers forced their price cuts) came from countries that basically gave away their 3G licenses for free. Same thing with France --- their 3G license was like 400 million euro.

 

[RickyB]

What is a simplicity plan?

An O2 simplicity plan is one which doesn't come with a free or subsidised phone and so is cheaper. There is a 30 day simplicity and also a 12 month one which is cheaper still, although you are locked in for 12 months.

 

[RickyB]

Haha hilarious that Brits are getting pwned now. I remember in all ATT bashing threads a lot of them were saying how great their UK carriers are. $25 for 200+ minutes, unlimited data plan. (somewhere in that ballpark. I just remember it was 1000x better value for money when they described it)

Yeah the iPhone is free when you pay above a certain amount - I got an iPhone 3GS free last year on a £45 per month contract. The iPhone 3G was also available free at the same time for less than this. Americans have to pay for their phones.

 

[Journojulz]

The us still have to sign a 2-year contract - total costs are about £1,200.

Which is not much more than what a £45 tarrif would cost.

Pay and go phones are about £450.
And a tenner a month top up gives free text and web with o2

after 2 years with a 3g I have spent about £700 and have about £150 credit.

 

[~~Hello~~]

Im on the simplicity tariff. I'm going to get the iphone 4 on payg. These data changes won't affect me.

I don't use much anyway. Last month I used about 47mb!!

 

[woodo]

?

O2 say only about 3% of customers will be affected by a 500MB/month cap, but judging by the posts on here, about 25% of people are getting through that in a matter of days!

Are people SURE they're interpreting their usage correctly?

I think you're forgetting the type of people using this forum. Yes, maybe a quarter on here might well be using massive amounts of data but this only represents a tiny proportion of the entire iPhone population. most iPhone users aren't techhies like us!

 

[koobcamuk]

Air Video + Pandora w/background streaming.
You don't need to store movies or music locally.
Need I say more?

It'd be much cheaper to now!

 

[MacFanUK]

So has anyone heard anything about the UK tariffs from the other networks? I've always used o2 but there's no way I would be sticking with them with such naff data plans.

 

[Journojulz]

I imagine competition will be fierce but tight.

Anyone pitching to attract the minority of heavy use customers is going to be clogging up their stretched bandwidth for little financial gain.

Unlimited 3g net is unrealistic.

I would be happy with a 1gb capped plan, with an overcharge of £1/100mb after that.

At the moment PAYG O2 is 250mb cap with a frankly obscene £3/mb overcharge, but at least you only have to top up £10 a month.

 

[MecPro]

Seems as if no one has the answer, but does anyone know 02's fair usage policy a?

I am currently on their unlimited package which I think I'll keep and just buy the phone on PAYG...

 

[Journojulz]

"At the moment PAYG O2 is 500mb with a frankly obscene £3/mb overcharge"

 

[mandarin24]

I signed up for a £35/18month contract with an unlimited data bolt-on, with o2 six months ago, no where did it say or was i told that, even in their fine print, that being able to add this bolt-in is a promotional offer until Oct. Now it seems they are saying this and if i hadn't have spotted this under their new tariffs list, i would never have known. can they do this?! and can i use it as an exuse to 'get-out'?

 

[Journojulz]

I signed up for a £35/18month contract with an unlimited data bolt-on, with o2 six months ago, no where did it say or was i told that, even in their fine print, that being able to add this bolt-in is a promotional offer until Oct.

Is that your anniversary date?

When i went PAYG, the i got the data bolt on free for 12 months.

=====

edit: just checked o2 site

"Optional monthly Bolt Ons - from October 2010
UK data + 500MB Launching October, 500MB additional data for £5
UK data + 1GB Launching October, 1GB additional data for £10
Unlimited data on all smartphone tariffs is a promotion until 1 October 2010. Excessive usage policy and terms apply. "

Looks like this is a new policy coming into force.

 

[mandarin24]

Is that your anniversary date?

When i went PAYG, the i got the data bolt on free for 12 months.

=====

edit: just checked o2 site

"Optional monthly Bolt Ons - from October 2010
UK data + 500MB Launching October, 500MB additional data for £5
UK data + 1GB Launching October, 1GB additional data for £10
Unlimited data on all smartphone tariffs is a promotion until 1 October 2010. Excessive usage policy and terms apply. "

Looks like this is a new policy coming into force.

i just started a new contract (upgraded from a simplicity plan) in January. There was no such thing as smartphone/normal price plans, just standard, iphone and business. I just got a normal plan with an additional bolt-on!
If i signed for something for 18 months, how can they just change it, or plan to change it without telling me?! how bloody annoying.

 

[rscott4563]

i just started a new contract (upgraded from a simplicity plan) in January. There was no such thing as smartphone/normal price plans, just standard, iphone and business. I just got a normal plan with an additional bolt-on!
If i signed for something for 18 months, how can they just change it, or plan to change it without telling me?! how bloody annoying.

I don't think they can unless it stated in the original terms & agreements of the bolt-on contract? It depends, does your bolt-on have to stay on your tariff for the whole 18 months or can you cancel it at any time? If you can cancel it at any time then no doubt so can O2.

I've emailed O2 asking for clarification on the whole iPhone Simplicity tariff data allowance issue. I've asked specifically whether if I sign up to the 12 month iPhone Simplicity tariff now (which includes unlimited data) and then transfer this to my PAYG iPhone 4 whether I will keep my unlimited data for as long as I keep the contract going. Hopefully an answer will be given sometime today...

 

[mandarin24]

not sure if it has to stay - it didn't cost extra, as i went with a £35 plan, which was the minimum price for a plan with a free bolt-on, so no one would need to cancel it, but maybe change it to something else i guess.

please let us know what they say when you hear back!

 

[rscott4563]

I got confirmation today from O2 via email that any customer on a iPhone Simplicity 12 month contract prior to the 24th June will be able to have their sim transfered to a micro sim which they can use in a PAYG iPhone 4. The tariff and terms & conditions of their existing Simplicity contract will remain the same with the unlimited data & wifi for the remainder of the contract.

So now that I have it in writing from O2 I'm getting myself a Simplicity Sim sent out on the 22nd ready for my iPhone 4 which I'll be buying direct from Apple. Seems like the best option for anyone who is bothered by the restricted data tariffs coming out and wants the freedom to be able to upgrade next year without additional costs.