Orange have announced plans to sell the iPhone 3G and 3GS to customers in the UK later this year.The deal marks the end of an exclusive agreement between Apple and UK provider O2 for the iPhone device which has been restricted to the O2 network since the original launch in 2007. In the announcement Orange said customers will be able to purchase the iPhone 3G and 3Gs "later this year" but did not reveal an exact date.
It's expected that the iPhone will be available to Orange customers at Christmas time. Orange unveiled a site where customers can register their interest in the devices.
The announcement by Orange confirms rumours that surfaced in August regarding O2 losing the iPhone exclusive contract.
More information on pricing, tariffs and availability dates will be released in due course.
However, it might at least make o2 competitive. There is no reason why the 3gs should cost a ton more than the standard 3g did at launch.
brand loyalty is for chumps
sorry, i meant in general.. too many people moan about being a 'loyal customer' when things don't go their way... good work on getting a cheaper contract though..
That said, this doesn't look like it is one. But I'm worried about the "next" generation iphone next year being shopped around to the highest bidder.
At least in the UK, you can't buy it unlocked.
Apple would never allow Orange to rebrand the iPhone.
Well said. I will never buy an Orange phone again after putting up with all that orange branding & butchered icons crap on their se580i - unlocked models for me, ever since.
Yeah, I agree. But that's why the iPhone costs upfront as well as the contract. To stop the providers putting their stamp on it.
Hopefully this will lead to a better iPhone deal for all in the UK - maybe even operator unlocked iPhones.
Hopefully this will lead to a better iPhone deal for all in the UK - maybe even operator unlocked iPhones.
/me hugs vodafone iPhone
Don't forget that Vodafone and o2 announced a network sharing deal several months back. My sources tell me that most of us will begin to see the effects of this from January onwards next year.
This is great for my and my o2 iPhone. I get practically zero signal at work, however there's a Vodafone mast on the roof. Once o2 hooks into the mast I'll get full signal too
I left o2 a few months ago, unless anything changed since then “unlimited” internet has a fair use policy of 250mb for all phones except the iPhone. Great for iPhone users but if you have any other phone there not really that great for data.
Would love to have a direct iPhone contract with Orange.
Would love to have a direct iPhone contract with Orange.
yeah me too. iPhone 2G - was bought when they discounted £100 off the price of it just before the new ones came out. ^-^
So would be nice to get a 3Gs now.
I don't see huge price drops coming...
I don't rate Orange at all - reception is poor and their broadband service is abysmal, and the script readers at their Indian call centres just make things worse!
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