iPhone on Orange UK - when?

[Guest munky^^]

Hi All,

I've been searching online, but can't find details of Orange's plans for iPhone 3G - do they have any?

I don't really want to change - have been with Orange forever, but with O2's launch of the iPhone 3G today I'm considering it - any persuading factors?

Cheers,

m

Edited July 7, 2008 by munky^^

[Guest WearTheFoxHat]

The 02 release of the iPhone is on the 11th July. At present Apple and 02 are locked into an exclusive contract. Therefore the only legal way to get a 3G iPhone is on 02.

Of course it will be available on PAYG later in the year, and I'm sure some enterprising young hacker may well unlock the iPhone so you can run it on other networks too.

But I've also heard that Apple have changed the rules, and that you MUST activate the iPhone in the store, unlike previously where you could take it home to activate.

[Guest tsutton]

But I've also heard that Apple have changed the rules, and that you MUST activate the iPhone in the store, unlike previously where you could take it home to activate.

That's confirmed. It's going to piss off a lot of people as they estimated it will take up to 10 minutes for the phone to be activated in store. So there will be a long queue!

[Guest WearTheFoxHat]

I suppose it's a method to stop people obtaining the phone and unlocking it. I'm sure it will either:

a) Make people desperate to have it switch to 02

or :D Those of us that have been bitten by 02, will just resist getting the handset.

IMHO, Apple are to a certain extent shooting themselves in the foot with this one.

[Guest Boinng]

Therefore the only legal way to get a 3G iPhone is on 02.

It's a minor point, but just to clarify, there's nothing "illegal" about unlocking a phone from a network or buying an unlocked 3G Iphone from someone other than O2. It may be more difficult to get hold of unlocked phones if they can't be bought without taking out a contract in the first place, but then there will be PAYG versions available in due course, and those are bound to get unlocked and sold on at a profit.

O2/Apple can of course deny warranty support to a "tampered" iphone, but that's the only legal recourse they have against the trade in unlocked handsets.

Edited July 7, 2008 by Boinng

[Guest Mysterious Stranger]

O2/Apple can of course deny warranty support to a "tampered" iphone, but that's the only legal recourse they have against the trade in unlocked handsets.

Even then, I only think they can exclude certain aspects from the warranty. eg if it won't boot they might blame the unlocking but if the speaker stops working and it's not an unlocked software issue they are still obliged to repair under warranty, although most people will believe whatever a repair centre / store / apple tells them :-(

I think the case law was set by the car industry pre non-franchised servicing regarding non genuine parts - the manufacturers could not exclude the entire car from the warranty just the area affected by the servicing / parts.

YMMV.

M.S

[Guest WearTheFoxHat]

Sorry, misuse of the word legal ... I should have used "The only Apple approved way of getting the iPhone"

[Guest Confucious]

Didn't I read somewhere that Apple checked phones an wouldn't let hacked phones download the latest FW?

As for the Warranty - phone companies are remarkably good at 'bending' the law (eg - had the phone longer than 6 months? nothing to do with us, Sir, you have to deal with the phone manufacturer now) so i don't think they will let little things like the law stand in the way of refusing you warranty cover....

Cynical? Who? Me?

:D

[Guest Mysterious Stranger]

Didn't I read somewhere that Apple checked phones an wouldn't let hacked phones download the latest FW?

As for the Warranty - phone companies are remarkably good at 'bending' the law (eg - had the phone longer than 6 months? nothing to do with us, Sir, you have to deal with the phone manufacturer now) so i don't think they will let little things like the law stand in the way of refusing you warranty cover....

Cynical? Who? Me?

:D

I'd read that the new firmware actually maliciously broke hacked phones on purpose. A lot worse than merely blocking you from loading it!

I heartily laugh at companies that try to reduce my statutory rights, especially Apple. 'Refurbished you say? Only 3 months warranty is it so you won't repair it? We'll see....' ;-)

A strongly worded letter to head office works wonders. Apple once tried to get out of repairing my dual USB iBook under a recall as I'd already had a new mobo and it failed again with the same issue 4 months later.

M.S

[Guest Confucious]

I agree with you - but we can stand up for ourselves. The fact that they try and get out of their statutory obligations annoys me as it means they are taking advantage of the weak and defenseless who won't / can't stand up for themselves.

[Rant]It's like B Gas threatened my partner with legal action over an unpaid bill on her old flat even though they had agreed on the phone that she didn't owe it! She was going to pay up as it was only £40 just to get them off her back.

A quick email to our MP nd he wrote to them - it was amaising how quickly they sorted it then! But why should it come to that and how many OAPs and others have they conned like this? It makes me sick [/Rant]