Filed under: iPhone
Orange UK getting iPhone 3G and 3GS "later this year"
In yet another "so logical it's gonna happen" rumors-come-true, O2 will no longer enjoy the exclusivity it has enjoyed for two years and Orange UK will begin offering the latest 2 versions of the iPhone "later this year," according to the BBC. O2 will continue selling the iPhone (along with the Palm Pre) and there isn't expected to be much price difference between the two. All of this is occurring while Orange makes plans to merge its network with T-Mobile, which would make it the UK's largest mobile service provider.Here's to competition -- now if we could get some of that sweet choice in the US of A. If you are an Orange customer or potential Orange customer wanting an iPhone, they have a page for you here.
Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
[via BBC and Engadget]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rob47 said 10:41AM on 9-28-2009
Orange are the most expensive provider in England... I don't expect the price to change very much.
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Joanna D said 12:20PM on 9-28-2009
Orange cover the whole of the UK, not just England.
Nicholas Smith said 12:25PM on 9-28-2009
Oh I don't know, I don't think they are. I'd personally say O2/Vodaphone come in slightly more pricey. Hell, for £35 a month I get unlimited texts and 700+ minutes, and that's an old contract. They throw internet in for free with that now.
I reckon there'll be some price bitch slapping, Orange won't undercut O2 on the handset, but they'll shove more minutes+texts on the contract price.
Rob47 said 1:06PM on 9-28-2009
No I used to be orange they don't subsidise their handsets as much I bet you'll have to pay for it on every contract.
marcouns said 10:48AM on 9-28-2009
i hope orange provide better customer service. my iphone 3 gs suddenly started dropping mail prog. hardware says apple. either 5 days no phone or next day if you pay £30. ok we'll wave that but still need credit(not debit)card just in case? can o2 help ? no!!!!!!!!
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Ben said 10:50AM on 9-28-2009
Yeah, a bit of competition! Like when TUAW offers competitions to the UK-
Oh.
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racco said 11:22AM on 9-28-2009
OH SNAP!
+1
Mitul said 11:45AM on 9-28-2009
What is the likelihood that Vodafone UK will also launch the iPhone in the UK this year?
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MikeWard1701 said 12:39PM on 9-29-2009
Close, but no cigar.
http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/29/vodaphone-enters-uk-iphone-war-sales-to-begin-in-2010/
Nick Edinburgh said 11:55AM on 9-28-2009
This can't happen soon enough! O2 recently ripped me off royally for my 'web & wifi' bolt-on to the payg contract I'm on. I didn't top up enough to cover this in time due to being on holiday, and when I got back I found my entire credit had vanished. They had automatically rolled me onto a licensed-robbery "default" charge of £4 (c. $6.50) per meg whenever my phone checked email etc. meaning my credit vapourised in hours. To put this in context, it's about TWENTY TIMES what a competing network ("3") charges for ad-hoc web access. They won't let me have payg without the threat of this happening again. It's not the cash I object to, but the unscrupulous customer abuse. This was the second time in a few months my credit simply vanished (it was about 20 quid the time before, which they never explained, and refused to give me a detailed statement.) So I'm off to unlock my phone. Never again will I use 02 for their devious business practices.
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Rassy said 1:13PM on 9-28-2009
While O2 may not be the cheapest supplier, their coverage is (in my experience) a bit more consistent that Orange.
Having said that, competition is a good thing and it may shake O2 out of its complacency. I don't put any of the problems other users may have had with O2 down to devious practice, just inefficiency.
As an ex-Orange customer, I can advise potential switchers that they aren't much better. Mind you, you can get reduced entry to the movies with Orange....
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Brian said 3:35PM on 9-28-2009
I would not go back to Orange even if they paid me to have an iPhone and gave out free blow jobs.
They are worst than cr*p.
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Samuel said 10:54PM on 9-28-2009
I must say the Americans drag in the mobile phone market, no MMS, an alien network choice (CDMA), no competition, SMS still not utilised properly... you'll be telling me your iPhones don't have biometric scanners like ours do here in the UK next!
Orange have really good advertising, the best I think, but I've never liked their square orange logo on the phones they sell - I wonder if they will be able to force Apple to do this?!!!
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MikeWard1701 said 12:43PM on 9-29-2009
Apple have been pretty firm with carriers on (not) branding the handsets, a stance I wish more manufacturers would take. The O2 iPhones aren't branded and AFAIK neither are AT&T.
sockatume said 5:41AM on 9-29-2009
Now Vodafone have announced that they're getting it early next year. So that's three networks carrying it in the UK, noble land of the mobile phone price war. It's going to get awesome, for people who want a cheap iPhone anyway.
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Lucie said 11:48AM on 10-21-2009
Orange will look to add more value to their plans but unlikely that the cost will come down a huge amount. Price war may begin though if Voda tries to undercut Orange and O2 in new year.
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