We had just written about the end of O2 exclusivity in the UK with Orange entering into a partnership with Apple to sell iPhones in the country from sometime later this year. Soon after comes the announcement from Vodafone that their agreement with Apple is also through and the Newbury, UK based company shall be bringing iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS to their UK and Ireland customers from early 2010.
People in the UK are suddenly spoilt for choices. A lot many of our readers had commented in our previous post regarding the Orange-Apple partnership expressing happiness at the new options available. Orange has a better coverage than O2 according to some of the comments and that alone could have been the selling proposition for Orange to woo iPhone customers. However, with Vodafone's arrival, it is tight competition for Orange from the word go.
The announcement for Vodafone itself could not have been better timed. Orange had received close to 65,000 reservations for the handset within two days since the announcement was made. A delayed announcement could have scuttled Vodafone's iPhone launch coming as it is after the Christmas season and so missing out on the most important shopping season of the year.
Nevertheless, it is interesting times for the UK market. Vodafone is already in partnership with Apple to sell iPhones in over eleven countries and is claimed to be the most profitable wireless provider in the world. With their entry in the UK iPhone market, iPhone customers in UK can expect to see some exciting competition as these different carriers fight it out to gain market share.
If you're in the UK, let us know in the comments if you plan to stick with O2 or switch to Orange or Vodafone when they start selling the iPhone.
[via Vodafone Press Release]
I said it on the orange post and I'll say it here! You want iPhone 3g at it's best, it needs to be on the 3 network!
Vodafone equates to 2 paper cups and a length of string. Each time I've used their network, you both talk and your voices cancel each other out.
Bash me for saying the above but I really don't rate Vodafone higher than a low lying bog mist.
Fingers got it right by saying 3!
But would 3's network cope with a massive influx of data transfer??
I'll stick with O2 for now ( might just go see what 3 can offer on a p&g data tariff, after all, they provide the fastest 3G mobile dongles)
vodafone? Nah, I'd rather not thanks
iPhone on O2..ok
iPhone on Orange..we'll see
iPhone on 3..be real nice
iPhone on Voda..hahahahaha
your use of country names is poor- the two countries which Vodafone will sell phones in is the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom.
England is only a section of the UK.
Thanks Bob for pointing it out, post has been updated.
I believe that Orange (if the rumor about teaming up with T-Mobile is true) is going to be a better deal than sticking with O2 or switching to Vodafone. But I still like my unlimited data plan with O2. I am sticking with them until I find a better deal once I put my hands on a new handset (fingers crossed for a 4G iPhone next summer, yayy!).
It give us here in the uk a chance to play one off against the other and see what deals we can get but the unlimited data is the key
fantastic, i'm on vodafone and have waited for an iphone since quite long. my prayers have been answered
I guess the only one remaining is t-mobile and h3g. t-mobile is with the enemies (google), so the only major network not selling iphone is h3g.
i guess the only major network not selling iphone is h3g and t-mobile. since t-mobile is with the enemies (google) i guess the only 1 left is h3g.