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

[davidhawkins123]

looks like i will be moving away from 02, i want to know what orange plans are.

the only thing keeping me with 02 was the unlimited data, cus there 3g is ****

 

[fat phil]

Cheerio O2!

I've been looking for an excuse to get 3's MIFI (5GB for £15, monthly contract), and here it is - and it'll work with my Wi-Fi iPad too

O2 are losing the plot...

 

[LondonCentral]

I just recently switched back to 3 and this seems to have improved a great deal recently, both from what people have been saying and my own experiences.

Though to be fair, the only way was up: last time I used them (~3yrs ago? just before the first iPhone) the call centre certainly couldn't have gotten any worse. But they must've realised as it's been a widely noted improvement.

I'll probably only pick contract as a last resort or if it's actually a good deal. Recently I've found that I don't use the phone for voice/text nearly enough to make it value for money, and 24 months at the current pace of development is far too long. I'd prefer to upgrade each new iPhone, rather than every other.
And they probably do still squirm if you try to leave - best advice there is to just send a recorded letter as phoning them will get you nowhere.

Very pleased that it's coming to 3 - up North it's pretty much the only provider that has 3G. Followed by Orange, T-Mobile, Vodavone, O2 in approximately that order of 3G density. I shan't miss O2.

I'm actually gutted I managed to cancel my Three contract last month. I've been with them for three years and tried leaving twice but they managed to give me an amazing deal. I've never had any problems with their network and they have the biggest 3G network here in the UK. For the last year I was paying £5/month on a £30/month contract - that's right...I was given a £25 loyalty discount per month for being a preferred customer.

Anyway...tried joining Three again under the same terms and apparently the offer I was given was something only certain call center managers could approve and now I'm out of the loop as a preferred customer there wasn't a chance I could get it back.

There's no way I'm going back on a contract that'll probably cost me £35+/month so I'm going to buy the iPhone outright and go the pay as you go route. It's by far the best option, hope I can buy iPhone insurance too.

 

[paulandfrodo]

I've been with O2 since the first day of 1G iPhone. Their is NO difference between me sending data on this and my O2 simplicity plan for £20/Month. Sorry, I won't be upgrading on this... I can wait until someone comes out with a better offer...

Not impressed.

 

[LondonCentral]

Cheerio O2!

I've been looking for an excuse to get 3's MIFI (5GB for £15, monthly contract), and here it is - and it'll work with my Wi-Fi iPad too

O2 are losing the plot...

That's also something I should look into, hope Three come out with an outstanding deal

We have 5 different networks and scores of tariff variations including pay as you go, AT&T looks rather silly by comparison.

 

[trendkiller]

For me it seems as if I'm either going to pay the same amount each month for less or have to upgrade and pay an extra £5 to get some tariff similar. I'm not hugely annoyed about the data as, according to my phone in 18months I've received 1.8gbs, which is way lower than 500mbs.

If O2 are limiting data etc then they should slightly reduce their new tariffs. They want us to pay the same/more and get less, for a customer point of view it doesnt make sense, So I'll go else where.

It's not value for money to stay on O2, compared to what Orange are offering. I can get the same tariff and same contract for the same price rather than sticking with O2 and paying more to get less.

That IF Orange don't cock up their plans like O2.

 

[ironfrost]

cya o2.... pleasure doing business morons

It was the same when the iPhone 3G was released in Australia... I was a Vodafone customer for 8 years and then they offered the same deal as o2 are doing now.

So i switched to Optus and was happy with their data plans allowance... (keep in mind Telstra was only offering $10 per 5MB allowance).

Now that I am based in the UK and receiving unlimited 3G, Wifi and text with my current iPhone 3G, I will buy the iPhone 4 but jumping to another network.

They are trying to cash in on the fact it is a popular phone and they can rip everyone off because there were the first ones to stock the first iPhone.

Now that there are other carriers, sorry to say o2 (bunch of losers) other networks will be offering better deals that you are going to lose loyal customers.

o2 are another Telstra... bloody retards!!!

I'm going to be switching.... nice knowing you...

And don't forget... if you call from your phone to the customer service team at 02... and your a o2 customer (not just inquiring) you are charged on your mobile.... and yet... you are a customer paying their salaries because you are using their service.. WTF!!!!

People are going to be moving to other networks so WAKE UP!!!!

BYE BYE!!!!

 

[born4sky]

wow UK providers charge a fortune for data plan, and I though Verizon is expensive...

 

[Unsafe]

I wonder if they'll still try and charge more for tethering. I could kind of understand it when the data plan was unlimited because you could really hammer it while tethering but now its capped so if we go over it we're paying so why not let us tether for no extra cost?

 

[smythey]

I've been with O2 pay monthly for 5 years now, but the £35/m iPhone tariff is no long value for money. I know how extortionate O2 bills people for going over data allowances.

I'll be switching to Vodephone on release day I think.

So long as you're 9 months into your contract, you can downgrade a step a month if you want to. I got my 3GS from o2 last June, and have recently downgraded from the £35>£30>£25 plan. 100 minutes might be too little for some people though I guess.

 

[OllyW]

Ah, always a catch eh

So how much per month if I have the phone with it? I.e. £99 for the iPhone + how much a month?

£30 per month on a 24 month contract or £35 per month for 18 months.

 

[gnasher729]

I use around 400meg a month and that's *before* we get background audio streaming apps with iOS 4.0

At £5 for 500 MB additional data, and 4 MB per song average at 128 kbit/sec, every song listened to over the phone costs you £0.04 (4 pence). The same song, synced from your music collection, costs you £0.00 (0 pence). The same song, played on an FM radio, costs you £0.00 (0 pence). Your choice.

I don't think I'll be staying with O2 now that they have massively effectively increased the price like this.

I can't say I'm unhappy though. They are a truly third rate network...

Either you are below 500 MB, or maybe 1 GB, then it doesn't make a difference to you. Or you use a lot more (like listening to internet radio at 60 MB per hour, 480 MB on a working day, 10 GB a month), then chances are that O2 isn't unhappy either if you leave.

I use between 1 and 1.3 gb every month.
I don't tether and most of the usage comes from WunderRadio while on the road.

So with the new tariff, you will either pay £5-£10 extra per month, or you will switch to playing music from the iPod app for free.

 

[hexx]

good question

I'm currently with O2 on a contract that ends next month.
This has little impact on me, as I am expecting to move to Orange anyway.
Their coverage is so much better in the UK!

Is anybody actually planning on staying with O2? Speak up!

that's really good question, my contract expired on the 26th of May and would be happy to go somewhere else since the main advantage of iPhone or one of the main reasons somebody would get one is browsing. But O2's 3G coverage is crap, no coverage at home, nothing on the station (overground) so yeah, i browse only at home (wifi) - what's the point i can browse on my macbook - or at work - again i've got my macbook with me.

does anybody know how is it with 3G on other UK networks - London - West (mainly)

 

[jbee]

Bye Bye o2

As if their crummy reception wasn't bad enough this data capping is a kick in the teeth. Are o2 crazy? They don't care about customer retention and I would rather pay off the remaining 6 months I owe them and switch to Vodafone or Orange. The frustrating thing is that the networks are now hindering the hardware development - data should be unlimited with fair use capping only file sharing over the network.

o2 you have just lost another customer.

 

[headfuzz]

From what I've read, it looks as if as we are already on o2, we will continue to recieve Unlimited Data (with the Excessive Policy). This new plan is only for new customers ... am i right?

Linky

Only thing is, to keep my 600mins I need to get a 24month contract. Now thats just bulls**t!

No;

O2 today announced plans for data pricing for new and upgrading mobile customers which gives customers a more transparent pricing model tied to usage.

 

[JamesHabit]

do we know how much they going to cost yet?

 

[jzuena]

Silly Europeans... We AMERICANS had our data plans castrated WEEKS AGO... Welcome to the party...

The new plans only went into effect four days ago!

One other thing they missed out: MMS used to take 4 out of your text allowance. They now cost 20p each. That means my bill and the fiancée's bills will now go up by about £5 a month just because we like to send each other photos of our pets when we're away.

Send via e-mail as others have suggested and then send a regular txt to remind her to check her mail.

 

[Smutchings]

Clearing it Up

Vodafone and Orange have had a data cap on their iPhone plans since day one. O2 was the first carrier so offered unlimited as an extra deal sweetener. When the new networks joined they decided to cap the data to reduce the strain on their network.

O2 have started to become a victim of their own success, with the network (despite investments of £1m a day) starting to struggle under the amount of data passing through it. For example, last month (May 2010) the amount of 3G data going through O2s network surpassed the amount of voice data, for the first time in O2's history.

This new capping of Data is a response to this, allowing O2 to recover and develop the technologies it needs to cope (my own opinion). Although I think they have gone around it the wrong way, assuming that people who use less minutes use less data. This can often be the other way round, as people want to pay less per month and just use the data.

In regards to tethering, tethering with O2 is handled completely differently. It is a separate bolt-on, and has a fair use policy of 500mb a day (on pay as you use).

Yes people will be annoyed with the decrease in data. But at this time it is a necessary evil. As technologies advance, the need for data capping will reduce. Mix this with the increase of public wi-fi availability (such as the plan for London, by 2012) will reduce the strain placed on the phone networks.

I will be staying with O2 (partly cos I get a really good deal, partly because they have really good customer services), and consider myself a Fan. I hear horror stories and annoyances every day from people on other networks, and this has never put much confidence in me to change network.

 

[krayziekray]

No;

Yep re-read that and realised I mis-read it...

 

[vmistery]

Not that bad for me

I am not too bothered about the data cap. My contract ends December so I will probably sell my 3gs and buy myself out of the contract and get the 4. I will however wait and see if the other providers give any amazing offers first. Anyone else doing the same?

 

[GollumBoy]

Current prices for going over usage: £2.04/MB

NO prices for handsets yet announced.

I'll be going for 750MB for mine, I have called O2, the max I use a month is 390MB, and average of 330MB.

Three network is quite good in South Yorkshire, as I travel to Barnsley every day from Chesterfield for work on the train - I have a Three PAYG mobile broadband.
Signal is top notch, with it cutting out a couple of times (excluding tunnels) and average signal strength of 75%.
Speeds are very good.

Not sure of the data side of Three, or other places in the UK. However, I think I will be sticking with O2, as I can always upgrade my USB dongle to Mifi with Three for WIFI for the iPhone if needs be as I do not use more than 1GB a month on my laptop with travelling.

 

[fat phil]

Anyone know what this means: (from below the price chart on O2's website)

"Unlimited data on all smartphone tariffs is a promotion until 1 October 2010. Excessive usage policy and terms apply, see o2.co.uk. "

Is that referring to existing contracts on the unlimited tariff?

 

[BruceEBonus]

Hmm so what I've done is changed my regular simplicity tariff to an iPhone specific on, 12 month contract, £15 per month, unlimited texts, data and wifi and 300 mins. That goes through overnight then next week I'll request a microSIM and buy a pay and go iPhone from my local Apple store on launch date. I wouldn't buy from an o2 store/Phones 4 u/Carphone Warehouse if my life depended on it!

Can you tell me why an Apple Store is a better bet to buy a SIM Free iPhone?
When I went there they always activate one even if you already have an activated SIM and are wanting the phone only
I got my current 3GS from O2 high street shop 'cos they just handed it over.. no messing..
However I am open to thoughts
Also ... will my existing 3GS drop massivel on eBAy once the new one is released or still be worth about 350 quid for the 32G 3GS?

Cheers !!!

 

[fritx]

This is ****. 02's data rate is capped at 128kb/s as well.
Utter fail.

 

[Apple-NoEscape]

I'm on o2 right now.
I pay £80 for unlimited texts, unlimited Internet an 90 hours of calltime.
Is this saying I will no longer be able to have that?