iPhone, yes, but which network?

Posted by nigel on Wed, 30/09/2009 - 20:25 in Blogs 1876 2 comments | report

I had already decided to switch to an iPhone 3GS when my current contract expires next month. Not only does it pack an impressive set of features that will enable me to handle email and diary tasks on the road, it will also save me from having to carry an iPod and satnav. But now there's a snag!

O2's exclusive contract with Apple has expired, so there will soon be three networks offering the iPhone. Orange is expected to start selling it in November and Vodaphone in 2010. At the moment, O2 isn't promising any price cuts to encourage customers to stay with it, and it has noticeably started to promote the new Palm Pre phone, for which it has UK exclusivity, so maybe it thinks the iPhone peak is over.

If nothing else, the competition should see pressure on contract tariffs, so maybe I can save some money if I wait a couple of months. Alternatively, I could keep my options open and buy a SIM-free iPhone - except have you seen the prices? I saw one offered by one of the gadget webstores the other day at £899 without a contract!! Cheaper to sign up for an expensive 12 month contract and pay for it on the drip.

So for the moment I'm keeping my eyes open for a bargain, but I suspect that Apple will be keeping a tight control on the supply of iPhones to prevent prices slipping significantly.

Comments

I had been wondering the same thing

cverrier | Thu, 01/10/2009 - 12:06 | Permalink

The contract on my O2 iPhone runs out in the new year - just in time to switch to Vodafone, I hope! they have way better data-coverage than O2.

I had, however, been contemplating if maybe a Blackberry might not work better for me. The iPhone is a joy to use, but it has been pointed out that its real strengths are still as a consumer device - while its weakest bits are the 'productivity' applications like mail and calendar, which can be laborious to use - with no shortcuts for the experienced 'power user'.

Blackberrys have been getting better and better recently, higher build quality, better screens, and so on, and the Palm Pre is coming soon as well. Even Microsoft might just get their act together with Windows Mobile 7 next year.

Apple's honeymoon may soon be over, and they'll need to do better than this years' launch of a slightly faster iPhone with added compass.

Definately Vodafone

gg | Wed, 25/11/2009 - 09:02 | Permalink

I have used Windows Mobile phones for the last 5 years or so as I thought I couldn't do without the physical qwerty keyboard and I don't like the Blackberry system.

My Vodafone contract doesn't end until January but I thought I'd trial an iPhone and so bought a PAYG 3GS on O2 in August. Within hours my keyboard concerns had disappeared and could not believe the world of difference in the experience from WinMobile.

It was unlocked (for free) in seconds so I am now using my Vodafone SIM and the data coverage and speed is the best, much better than O2 and Orange in my experience.

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For nearly two decades, accountants have given a wide berth to the Apple Macintosh, favouring the more mainstream PC. Encouraged by some of his clients, Nigel Harris decided to buck the trend. This is the story of his new computing life.

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