Still no iPhone provider in Europe

Not Vodaphone. I'm with O2 and I'd happily switch to Orange (or T-Mobile), but I cannot stand Vodaphone.

I concur about Vodaphone being horrible. I have it and can't change because it's a company phone. I keep getting booted off their 3G network, and when I can receive it, well, then I can't place a call or receive any... Then there is their love for "v" versions of phones, I guess V stands for violated. My SonyEricsson clearly has been. (see comment above about ringtone and such). I wish Apple'd go for Orange (which owns other network like TIM for instance). I never had such problems and all they do to their phone is preload some wallpaper which match their colors (not even a logo like Cing^H^HAT&T does) and customize the icon for the WAP connection. All the rest of the features are unlocked. And they're not exactly shy about innovation either (only difference is they don't charge you for each piece of "feature" like the infamous V does).

It might still work out for Swedish users. From a 2005 press release:

"Telenor and Vodafone have agreed the terms of a Partner Network Agreement in Sweden, allowing Telenor, Vodafone Sweden and Vodafone customers to benefit from Vodafone's global brand, products and services in Sweden."

Source: http://press.telenor.com/PR/200510/1018938_5.html

There is NO way the iPhone will be unlocked AND fully functional. The visual voicemail is NOT a device feature, but is also implemented in the OpCos' backend. Without an OpCo (and so locking the device to them) the visual voicemail won't be functional.
And there are probably other things as well, which have not been released to the public yet.
Of course it doesn't say the device will be hard-locked to a provider, but to use the full functionality, you may have limited options in OpCo choice.
Vodafone is the OpCo who's working on the high end market a lot, pushing 3G agressively. They're also not shy to use emerging technologies, so I can see them as a very viable candidate.

A locked iPhone is a crime!

Imagine that Apple's Safari would only work with one internet provider!! That's would be rediculous right?

Freedom of network! …and OK if some functions - like the voicemail feature - are limited (disabled) with some providers…

I want my iPhone…
and I want it fast :-)

Uh, I just switched from Vodafone to TIM... anyway one thing that I can't stand of Vodafone is their customisation of branded phones, differently from the other carriers that just add some 'branded' themes and ad-hoc configurations, Vodafone usually removes some of the phone features, typically the capability of using mp3 as ringtones (guess what, they sell ringtones...) and some of the connectivity (i.e. turn off the infrared interface).
I think that the 'smart move' of Apple will be selling the phone WITHOUT being bound to any service carrier.

Vodafone NL has confirmed to me twice that they will be have the iPhone in an unlocked state.

*cough* I know in ireland that vodafone is supposed to be taking it... I shall say no more

I, for one, like Vodafone, and - though I don't care which network gets it in European countries (the iPhone will be awesome no matter what network it's on) - I hope Vodafone gets the iPhone in New Zealand and Australia. (Though Vodafone is the only network in NZ that could carry the iPhone, so it would definitely have to be Vodafone over here.)

It will have to Vodaphone or O2, they are the only possible choices if they went with one provider. The fact that Vodafone is bigger may lean Apple towards them, but you can never tell with Apple. I read a story like this a while back where the CEO of Vodafone was hinting at things, and for the countries that Vodafone is not in they could lease it which was also in the article. In particular the article mentioned Sweden and a Telenor lease.

T-Moble are more about the UK, and don't exist in Ireland for example, same goes for Orange.