Credit Suisse: Vodafone likely to carry (3G?) iPhone in Europe
By Thomas Ricker 
posted June 27th 2007 6:01AM
posted June 27th 2007 6:01AM
According to a Credit Suisse research note, Vodafone is the frontrunner to carry sole rights to the iPhone in Europe due to their coverage in most European markets. Fine, we've heard this before. The difference this time, however, is an accompanying "confirmation" of a mostly done-deal by way of anonymous Vodafone sources to Europe's Bright Magazine. The story is also being carried by Europe's mainstram media including reputable Dutch news site, nu.nl. Of course, if Apple's going to sell 6 million European iPhones in the next 3 years as expected by Credit Suisse, then you can bet that little slab will be sporting a 3G radio for data-happy Europe. Apple already promised Europe an iPhone in Q4 and, funny enough, 5 million units of the 2nd generation iPhone are rumored to begin shipping from Taiwan in September. Surely, Stevie boy won't release a 3G iPhone in Europe without spreading the love Stateside will he? But let's not get too far ahead ourselves, mkay, it's all just speculation heaped upon rumor at this point. [Via MacDailyNews, thanks Beef S. and William M.]
Read -- Bright (Dutch)
Read -- Credit Suisse
Read -- Nu.nl (Dutch)
@JeromeOD: Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. The iPhone is most certainly not a P990i competitor. Why? Because the P990i sells like a sunbed in August. Apple's pitching the iPhone to be a high-volume product, not a niche model. It's covering too many bases and not doing any of them well enough.
Asians have 3G for the last 10 year. Heard about DoCoMo? I reject to pay 600$ in 2007 for a non 3G phone.
ohhh I wanted o2 to carry it, they're the best network IMO
From my understanding, the reason why 3G was not included in the iPhone for the US market is because compared to Japan and Europe, it is not as common and widespread here. There are less customers using 3G here in the US than in Europe and Japan. And, from a business standpoint, if there are less customers using an advanced wireless network, why provide access to it now? US is severely behind in terms of network technology than in Europe and Japan. I have friends with 10 mbps and even Japan has 100 mbps network lines available from their ISP. Japan is about to hit 4G wireless for their cellphones. Why is it that the US, as powerful and advanced as we are, cannot improve the infrastructure of our phone and data lines, as well as wireless network?
There may be 3G providers such as Sprint's EVDO network, but in reality, how many customers are using 3G from Sprint compared to the numerous customers in Europe and Japan? How many cellphone carriers other than Sprint offer widespread 3G coverage compared to those in Europe and Japan? I've also read that not all 2G customers buy 3G cellular service. They cite high costs for service plans, high input fees, and less coverage. Therefore, that is only thing that came to my mind why 3G wasn't included. And, hopefully that by 2008 and beyond, there will be more 3G users, providers, and coverage that will warrant a valid enough reason to include 3G wireless support in the iPhone.
I'm an American in the UK and Sprint's plans are WAAAAAY cheaper than the crap you get here. $70/month for 350 minutes and 100 txts and that's it? For that much on Sprint you'd have like 450 anytime, unlimited weekends and after 7pm weekday minutes, unlimited texts AND 3g EVDO, which is faster than UK 3GG as far as I can tell.
Ha ha ha ha! You're killing me!!! iPhone on Vodafone? Have a read of this (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05/31/vodafone_data_pricing/) and then look me in the face and tell me Vodafone are getting the iPhone, all without laughing.
From a Finnish perspective, I don't think iPhone would be a very big hit here, if someone sold it like AT&T is selling it. People don't like to first to pay 500/600 and then big monthly fees. Rather buy the phone right away and then choose your carrier or then pay the carrier monthly with no starting fees. No sim card is a no no. People want to buy a phone and choose the carrier separately. There are no carrier branded phones and no carrier exclusive models here.
But if Apple brings a unlocked 3G model, then maybe, although Finns do love their Nokias, even if they aren't always so perfect.
DO you guys know that the only place in the world that you get charged for an incoming call is the USA!!!
Vodafone? Why can't they give a couple of options over here?
what about sweden!
telenor bought the swedish market from vodafone!
will it be 3 (www.tre.se or http://www.three.dk/) for the scandinavian market, would make sense, since they have the biggest 3G net.
will the 2G iphone have Turbo-3G, otherwise i personally would have no reason to uppgrade from my SEM K610i. I dont think im alone here either.
The iPhone is hot, but if it dont have Turbo3G then it won't get far, we in europe need the 3.6Mbit/s, 384Kbit/s 3G is slowly being phased out and dosen't cut it any more.
*sigh*
If only Vodaphone would carry the (3G) iPhone in Australia :(
Dear GOD I hate the thought of Telstra's "Stick To Your Knitting" price gorging tactics on MY iPhone...
2009 can't come soon enough xD
i've just signed up with vodaphone, so i think a 2nd gen iPhone would make a fairly nigty christmas 2008 present... we'll see.