O2 Wins iPhone UK Contract July 6, 2007

"The power of fashion, eh?"

I wouldn't call that the power of fashion, I'd call it the power of a product which people actually want.

Most of the UK's phone operators are offering very similar services and prices anyway.

double bad the fact that o2 don't offer an unmetered web browsing tariff

hopefully they will do something with unlimited browsing, they will have to do something about the visual voicemail stuff anyway

Damn i was really hoping t-mobile would get it. Should be interesting how much contracts are, as much as i would like one i doubt i will get one, with o2 price plans the way they are.

i cant believe it would go to o2 - they have one of the worst services/rep in the uk (apart from 3 maybe) also the covereage is not great too = a right mess, i would happily do without an iphone if o2 are sole distributer in the uk, t-mobile or vodafone, orange as an outsider, anyone but 3 or o2 for the love of god!!!

I've been with o2 for years and have found them to have the best coverage, service and price plan going. I did read elsewhere that o2 are having to overhaul their service to accomodate the iPhone.

Not that any of that matters because let's be honest though, the people who really want one will pick one up sim-free anyway.

I hope that doesn't mean iPhone will be tied to a contract in the UK (which is a likely outcome given the revenue O2 will have to share with Apple; doubtless they'll want to make as much money back as they can by binding people to a fixed-rate, per-month tariff, just like AT&T and our trans-Atlantic consumer counterparts).

will you be able to buy these handset only, or will you be tied to a contract?

i am currently an o2 PAYG and macbook user, so if you can get handset only it will be double winner for me.

anyone know?

My contact at o2 is still denying it, but he conceed we and expect an annoucment on Moday 16th at Regents Streets Apple store...

If it goes to O2 it would be good. Hope they keep with the saame theme of not locking their fones that are on contract!

o2 is crap.

you have to buy the phone and then activate it as a CONTRACT, you won't be able to buy them SIM free.
However, I agree I think Vodafone would have been the best choice.

I love the ill informed morons opinions on this site of O2's coverage, services and reputation. They clearly have no idea what they are talking about as they came 1st in customer satisfaction survey. That doesn't happen if you don't look after their customers. Also don't be suprised if there is a massive overhaul in O2's web browsing prices it has been a long time coming, they are still running on the prices from about 3 years ago!!

O2 is the best choice. Sure they are a little costly but man - I always find I have reception amongst friends who have the likes of T-mobile, Vodafone and 3. At the end of the day its just like a car, if its reliable and does the job the who gives a crap. A bit like the donkies who fork out big £££ for BMW's which wind up on the back of recovery vehicles, well you get the point.

I was on O2 years ago and I liked them, they didn't mess about with installing all their own software on the phone or fiddling at all, they just gave you the phone the way God intended and some cheap rates (at the expense of customer service). For someone who knows what they're doing it was ideal.

And also, I read that Vodafone didn't get it because they didn't want it. Apple was being pushy and making all these demands when Vodafone is already and doesn't need to kiss ass to get the iPhone when it doesn't really look good for it's European launch anyway. Vodafone's offers more phone than any of the other's and if Apple go around demanding a huge price tag and long contract for a phone that's already out of date they'll get a sore landing.

Well listen Vodafone are facing a massive financial problems at the time being (do not you read the papers)
By the end of the day, It does not matter which provider will it be.
What matters is, this long awaited phone should ba affordable on a reasonable price plan. otherwise, who would give a s*** to pay blood and tears for the joy of Mr Jobs at Apples headquarter

vodafone answer the phone, first ring, every single time i have rung them. 5 years down the line and all i hear is complaints from my friends who are on other networks.... apple macs are perfect little computers-never gone wrong in the 10 years i have had them... neverlocked up... never got a virus. the iphone, if it follows suit will be brilliant, but not on o2. my girl is on o2, never has a signal, a GPRS signal and never get a 3g signal and we have the same phones!

hey brits just to let you know here in the usa I love
my I phone and you will to totaly love it to i thank the heavens above that steve is who he is way to go apple #1 thanks
again steve keep up the great work it's hard the times we live in to be proud to be american steve makes proud i love my iphone i mean mi phone i renamed it

thanks BD scizwiz@mac.com

ps when u get the mi phone get bluetooth ear bud
love it

Sod O2. Im in the UK and Ive had my iPhone for weeks now. Paid £320 from New York. Only a matter of days now until I can unlock it from AT & T and continue using it on my Dolphin 35 for £20 a month. until then I will just continue using it as an ipod, camera, pda etc....

Its going to cost that much when it eventually comes out anyway..

I just paid thru the nose for one, got it tonigh on ebay and now trying to find out what to do next It's 'unlocked'. , I[m beyond excited, agree with every word amazind said 27 July Many thanks enjoy you miphone, I love Steve Jobs, makes up for George Bush, all best Jenny, Brit.

As far as networks are concerned i've been on all 5 & can honestly say that O2 are the best of the bunch, by a long shot! The muppet(s) claiming otherwise simply don't know what they're on about! 3 & T-Mobile aren't even worth a mention but my girlfriend is on Vodafone & I more often than not have better reception coverage. Okay, the iphone! Hmm! Seen the YouTube footage & it looks awesome...however, it's quite clear from the various reviews on flickr.com that there are going to have to be a number of improvements before I get one! The first being 3G compatibility! Be patient, people! :o)

avoid 3 at all costs, I'm tied into an 18 month contract and I hate it!

The network coverage is good so long as you live in large cities as I do, but recently my phone broke, it was still under warranty but 3 didn't seem to want to know. God knows what they'd do with an Iphone!

One more thing, I was lucky enough to be in Florida for the release of the Iphone, I was going to buy a few to bring back to the UK and sell on ebay, however I have some bad news for some of you that seem to think the Iphone is or could be sim free.

The I phone does not take conventional sim cards, it is a completely sealed unit, you can't even take out the battery. If you open it up without the right tools, its broken!!!

You register to the network of choice (seemly O2) through the phones software, which is why O2 are busy updating there’s to accept Apple's admin system.

So unless Apple release the admin software to other networks to enable the call feature functionality which is unlikely as the have signed an EXCLUSIVE deal with O2 for now, then there is NO WAY at all that you could use the Iphone on any other UK network no matter how hard you try, sorry folks, life is full of disappointments!

Im 15 and i wont be able to pay the monthly bill, is it not pay as you go at all?

Just buy one, then get it unlocked, my iphone works great on 3G here in the U.K..

Good luck,
Cheers
Trev