UK iPhone 5 thread

[seellee]

My black and slate one has tiny, tiny marks around one of the bands also. You'd only notice if you were really looking. Everything else perfect.

I'm not putting a case on it either. I've always found cases tend to add scratches from particles that get trapped in there. The bumpers on the iPhone 4 scratched the outside of it. Cases also add thickness, what's the point unless you aren't insured or are very clumsy?

I'm in a very physical job, and my phone will have moved around a lot inside my pocket today and there isn't a scratch on it. I think as long as you are sensible where you put your phone down and make sure you don't put anything else in a pocket you will be fine. The people with scratches I've seen have deliberately ran a coin etc down the back. Obviously that's going to cause issues.

Some have been unfortunate with scuffing but I'd say that's down to quality control rather than say that the back will scratch very easily.

 

[kaibex]

I know no network has LTE yet. However its not just EE that will have LTE as Three have acquired an entire band (much like EE did) and will be offering LTE connectivity from that soon, obviously not in the next few weeks, but the rollout wont take too long. Given the very poor plans on offer from T-Mobile/Orange, you'll be hitting their limits pretty fast on LTE!

Even the Apple Store reps were recommending the Three plans. You'd be crazy to willingly pick one from O2 or Vodafone, thats for sure!



Basically to begin with only T-Mobile/Orange (under the name 'EverythingEverywhere') will offer LTE, with three to follow. No other network will have access to LTE, thus its a poor offering from them.

EE have agreed to sell some of its existing spectrum to Three, which they will not have access to until September 2013.

No offence intended to anyone who works in a retail store, but the fact that Three were the recommended network in the Apple store you visited is in no way an endorsement by Apple as the 'best network' or did I miss that announcement from Tim Cook during the keynote , it is simply a personal opinion.

O2 and Vodafone will both bid for LTE in Ofcoms auction expected Q1 2013, however they will be bidding to obtain spectrum which is not supported by the iPhone 5.

So in summary if you want 4G on iPhone 5 then Orange/T-Mobile is the only way to get it, by migrating to an available EE plan when they launch. By the time Three launch LTE connectivity no one will care as the 'next iPhone' will be round the corner if not already available.

 

[Sheza]

EE have agreed to sell some of its existing spectrum to Three, which they will not have access to until September 2013.

No offence intended to anyone who works in a retail store, but the fact that Three were the recommended network in the Apple store you visited is in no way an endorsement by Apple as the 'best network' or did I miss that announcement from Tim Cook during the keynote , it is simply a personal opinion.

O2 and Vodafone will both bid for LTE in Ofcoms auction expected Q1 2013, however they will be bidding to obtain spectrum which is not supported by the iPhone 5.

So in summary if you want 4G on iPhone 5 then Orange/T-Mobile is the only way to get it, by migrating to an available EE plan when they launch. By the time Three launch LTE connectivity no one will care as the 'next iPhone' will be round the corner of not already available.

Or if you're not loaded (me, for example) you wait 2 years to upgrade your phone hence it's be a solid 12 months of use! Could be less, but you get my point!

 

[shandyman]

If you have one sent by one of the networks, like pre-order from orange, and they have a dent or mark, will you be able to swap it out at an apple store?

 

[hobsgrg]

EE have agreed to sell some of its existing spectrum to Three, which they will not have access to until September 2013.

No offence intended to anyone who works in a retail store, but the fact that Three were the recommended network in the Apple store you visited is in no way an endorsement by Apple as the 'best network' or did I miss that announcement from Tim Cook during the keynote , it is simply a personal opinion.

O2 and Vodafone will both bid for LTE in Ofcoms auction expected Q1 2013, however they will be bidding to obtain spectrum which is not supported by the iPhone 5.

So in summary if you want 4G on iPhone 5 then Orange/T-Mobile is the only way to get it, by migrating to an available EE plan when they launch. By the time Three launch LTE connectivity no one will care as the 'next iPhone' will be round the corner if not already available.

If you live in one of the cities listed by EE as getting LTE this year then I'd agree. However outside of this there is no guarantee as to where you live would get LTE. So it might not be for a year or more anyway even with EE. Three offer speeds right now that exceed the speeds EE are claiming their LTE will offer in quite a few areas, plus they are the only ones giving you unlimited data and tethering plus they are the cheapest so Three is a great choice for a lot of people and why I went with them.

 

[kaibex]

Or if you're not loaded (me, for example) you wait 2 years to upgrade your phone hence it's be a solid 12 months of use! Could be less, but you get my point!

Yes definitely, but who is to say that Three will not make it compulsory to migrate to a new service plan and contract term in the same way as EE.

 

[Nishi100]

Still waiting for 3 to ship my iPhone. I feel like I'm missing out on all of the fun.

 

[Mr.C]

Only the sister arm "EE" will offer LTE, Orange and T-Mobile will only offer 3G technologies.

Everything Everywhere will operate the EE, Orange and T-Mobile brands. EE is not Orange and T-Mobile combined as everyone presumes, if you need anymore info give me a DM.

If that is the case why is everyone who is currently on Orange or T-Mobile seeing the letters EE on their phone now rather then previous respective network indicators. In any case at the end of the day they all fall under one parent company. They have already said that anyone currently on Orange or T- Mobile will be able to upgrade to EE LTE on a new contract.

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If you have one sent by one of the networks, like pre-order from orange, and they have a dent or mark, will you be able to swap it out at an apple store?

Yes as the warranty is still with Apple as its their product.

 

[rmwebs]

If you live in one of the cities listed by EE as getting LTE this year then I'd agree. However outside of this there is no guarantee as to where you live would get LTE. So it might not be for a year or more anyway even with EE. Three offer speeds right now that exceed the speeds EE are claiming their LTE will offer in quite a few areas, plus they are the only ones giving you unlimited data and tethering plus they are the cheapest so Three is a great choice for a lot of people and why I went with them.

^ This. Three's 3G has been solid. I get a good 14mbps in a 'ok but not perfect' signal area. I was able to try it today in town, which had a full signal. I got 20mbps on Three. Never been able to get anywhere near that anywhere else, and they have been proven numerous times to be the fastest. The fact that the plans they are offering are a LOT better (price wise) than every other network is enough IMO.

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Still waiting for 3 to ship my iPhone. I feel like I'm missing out on all of the fun.

Have you got an AppleStore around? You could probably call three and cancel the pre-order, then go and pick one up instore.

 

[skippymac]

anyone still in the processing items boat with me? I've got estimated delivery of 2-8 Oct and was wondering if anyone else here has that/has any estimate of when the delivery will be.
Seeing as the 1st Oct people got upgraded to the 24th? (correct me if I'm wrong) could we be looking at delivery sometime next week? I really hope so as my crappy android is on it's last legs every 2 days it stops sending texts, requiring a factory reset, deleting all my contacts apps and messages grrr....

 

[Ashwee]

If that is the case why is everyone who is currently on Orange or T-Mobile seeing the letters EE on their phone now rather then previous respective network indicators

Brand presence, you will still pay your bill to the relevant subsidiary, and also as a legality in the UK, Everything Everywhere have to maintain the separate brands to help deter a monopoly forming.
Orange and T-Mobile stores will be rebranded Everything Everywhere selling products from Orange, T-Mobile and EE

 

[Mr.C]

If you live in one of the cities listed by EE as getting LTE this year then I'd agree. However outside of this there is no guarantee as to where you live would get LTE. So it might not be for a year or more anyway even with EE. Three offer speeds right now that exceed the speeds EE are claiming their LTE will offer in quite a few areas, plus they are the only ones giving you unlimited data and tethering plus they are the cheapest so Three is a great choice for a lot of people and why I went with them.

That's not strictly true. First off T-Mobile offers unlimited data with no fair usage policy on several of their plans. Secondly EE's LTE network hasn't been tested in the real world so we can't say categorically whether Three's 3G network will come close to it or not. Someone here posted a link from the EE launch of a video where a journalist tested EE's 3G and LTE networks and the LTE network came out way ahead.

Obviously it's all relative and the actual performance on EE's LTE network compared to its 3G network and that of others including Three will vary between consumers depending on their location. In short there is no valid reason to dismiss EE's LTE network.

 

[theking79]

are all apple stores opening at 8am this week?

I am able to book a genius bar appointment at 8:20 am at the birmingham store, which normally opens at 9:30.

 

[Mr.C]

Brand presence, you will still pay your bill to the relevant subsidiary, and also as a legality in the UK, Everything Everywhere have to maintain the separate brands to help deter a monopoly forming.
Orange and T-Mobile stores will be rebranded Everything Everywhere selling products from Orange, T-Mobile and EE

Fair enough. That said though there is no reason for the three separate arms of the company to openly compete against each other as at the end of the day the revenue goes to the same parent company. In fact the fact that they share the same stores and infrastructure makes it easier for them to compete against the other networks. Legally they may be separate but in reality they will benefit each other and their parent company.

 

[rmwebs]

That's not strictly true. First off T-Mobile offers unlimited data with no fair usage policy on several of their plans. Secondly EE's LTE network hasn't been tested in the real world so we can't say categorically whether Three's 3G network will come close to it or not. Someone here posted a link from the EE launch of a video where a journalist tested EE's 3G and LTE networks and the LTE network came out way ahead.

Obviously it's all relative and the actual performance on EE's LTE network compared to its 3G network and that of others including Three will vary between consumers depending on their location. In short there is no valid reason to dismiss EE's LTE network.

One thing to note - you arent allowed to teather as part of that unlimited data on T-Mobile. From their 'Legal Stuff' on the iPhone plans:

Please note, internet on your phone excludes using your phone as a modem (tethering) and network traffic controls apply. Your peer to peer file sharing experience will also be slower during peak hours.

On three, the unlimited data (1TB cap - you'd struggle massively to ever get anywhere near that) includes tethering allowance, and is faster than T-Mobiles 3G network.

Here's the price difference though. Take a standard 16gb iphone:

T-Mobiles cheapest plan:
Upfront phone cost: £109
Monthly cost (24 months): £36
TOTAL: £973

Here's Threes:
Upfront phone cost: £79
Monthly cost (24 months): £34
TOTAL: £895

So not only is the Three option cheaper, but it also provides a faster network. LTE is really not a 'big' factor here, because as noted, not many places will have it any time soon anyway.

That being said, what's to say that once T-Mobile/Orange customers get EE's LTE that they wont change the 'unlimited' limits?

 

[neilmacd]

Got a genius appointment tomorrow to swap out my scuffed black and slate. Phoned up on Friday morning and was told to make an appointment. Took my chances after work on Saturday and went to the store. Manager had only had 1 replacement in stock since launch and that had been swapped out to someone for the same reason.

I didn't mention my appointment but he said to make one for Monday as they should have more in by then.

However, he also said "do it fast, book as early as you can". Think he might have been hinting at a torrent of customers asking for replacements!

Since I'm not keeping this phone, I've not given it the usual care I normally would with a new iPhone. Apart from the original scuffs/imperfections it hasn't got a mark on it since.

 

[avon75]

There seems to be a lot of discussion about network choice based on speeds and/or availability of LTE. Just out of interest, what are people planning to use LTE for ? The way I see it, anything above, say 5Mbps is a bit pointless (unless you're tethering). For example:
- iTunes and App Store content is limited to 50Mb over cellular, ruling out movies, TV and many apps (esp. games) and podcast downloads
- video streaming apps like iPlayer, Sky Go etc only offer SD streaming, not HD. Most e.g. ITV player or 4OD only let you stream over wifi.
- Music streaming only requires 1-2Mbps at the most

So apart from playing speedtest.net top trumps, what good is LTE right now ??

 

[hobsgrg]

That's not strictly true. First off T-Mobile offers unlimited data with no fair usage policy on several of their plans. Secondly EE's LTE network hasn't been tested in the real world so we can't say categorically whether Three's 3G network will come close to it or not. Someone here posted a link from the EE launch of a video where a journalist tested EE's 3G and LTE networks and the LTE network came out way ahead.

Obviously it's all relative and the actual performance on EE's LTE network compared to its 3G network and that of others including Three will vary between consumers depending on their location. In short there is no valid reason to dismiss EE's LTE network.

I said only three offer unlimited data and tethering which is true. Other networks offer one or the other but not both at the same time.

 

[rmwebs]

There seems to be a lot of discussion about network choice based on speeds and/or availability of LTE. Just out of interest, what are people planning to use LTE for ? The way I see it, anything above, say 5Mbps is a bit pointless (unless you're tethering). For example:
- iTunes and App Store content is limited to 50Mb over cellular, ruling out movies, TV and many apps (esp. games) and podcast downloads
- video streaming apps like iPlayer, Sky Go etc only offer SD streaming, not HD. Most e.g. ITV player or 4OD only let you stream over wifi.
- Music streaming only requires 1-2Mbps at the most

So apart from playing speedtest.net top trumps, what good is LTE right now ??

Very valid point. The only benefit would be teathering, but when T-Mobile/Orange dont allow (free) teathering it makes it pointless.

So even then, LTE is still pointless as you need to be on Three to take advantage of free teathering (Which is 3G style networking). IMO 10mpbs would be MORE than enough even if you are teathering. In fact 5mbps would suffice.

I was running mine on a stress test yesterday. I had it streaming spotify in highest quality, while teathered to a macbook air for web browsing. Worked perfectly fine on 3G and didnt need to be any faster.

One thing I did like was that the iPhone (or Three - not sure if its network or device) wasnt lowering the quality of pictures. On my crappy Android, even when it was teathered, all images were significantly lower quality on my T-Mobile contract.

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If you have one sent by one of the networks, like pre-order from orange, and they have a dent or mark, will you be able to swap it out at an apple store?

You should be able to, yes. Apple are usually pretty good with that, and you can bet that they have already had a lot of returns due to manufacturing defects.

Funnily enough, I was asked by the Apple Rep if I wanted to open it to check it wasnt damaged...not sure if they have been told to do this or not tho!

 

[Daveoc64]

One thing I did like was that the iPhone (or Three - not sure if its network or device) wasnt lowering the quality of pictures. On my crappy Android, even when it was teathered, all images were significantly lower quality on my T-Mobile contract

That'll be the network.

T-Mobile and O2 route all web traffic through a proxy and compress images to save the load on their network.

 

[avon75]

That'll be the network.

T-Mobile and O2 route all web traffic through a proxy and compress images to save the load on their network.

So do Orange. My "Read me first" welcome booklet includes instructions on how to disable it. Though I haven't noticed any degraded pictures (yet).

 

[rmwebs]

That'll be the network.

T-Mobile and O2 route all web traffic through a proxy and compress images to save the load on their network.

That'll explain it then!

I also found an interesting read just now. Looks like three's non-LTE network is better than expected and actually can take upto 42mbps!

Here's the article - it was from earlier in the year before the HSPA+ (aka '4G' in the USA) rollout started: http://blog.three.co.uk/2012/02/29/leading-edge-3g-service/

Not been able to get those kinds of speeds myself yet, but pretty impressive if they can get that sort of speed on the network.

 

[Dias]

T-Mobile do offer Unlimited on the Full Monty plan as well as all the iPhone 5 plans. It is truly unlimited too, they don't even have a fair use policy. They did used to cap the speed at 3.8Mb but as of 3 days ago when they changed the Carrier profile to EE, this has been lifted.

Can you please link the unlimited plan on the official website? I keep looking but the maximum I see is 1,5Gb.

 

[rmwebs]

So do Orange. My "Read me first" welcome booklet includes instructions on how to disable it. Though I haven't noticed any degraded pictures (yet).

TBH I never really noticed it until tethering. It just basically makes the images look like they were poorly compressed when saving, not a major issue really.

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Can you please link the unlimited plan on the official website? I keep looking but the maximum I see is 1,5Gb.

Probably this page here: http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/iphone/?ref=iphone5_hero

 

[iMatt.]

Novelty is beginning to wear off now Just back to having a normal phone.