Hutchison / 3 snags iPhone for Hong Kong and Macau

Looks like Hutchison (aka 3) snagged the iPhone for distribution in Hong Kong and Macau, which will be coming "later this year." Like the rest, this was another one liner un-announcement with no real info, but you probably wouldn't want to anger Steve before WWDC. Besides, in Hong Kong 3 doesn't sell anything but 3G phones -- so put that in your iPipe and smoke it.

[Thanks, Chris and Joe]

[Joe @ May 31st 2008 12:54AM]

3 Hong Kong offical announcement
http://www.three.com.hk/website/template?pageid=23110&lang=eng&prid=news20080529

[wasopq @ May 31st 2008 12:56AM]

3 also sells 2G phone...

[Charles @ May 31st 2008 1:05AM]

Yes but the 2G network is called "3 (Dualband) / 3 (2G)"
Services provided by 3 are typically based on 3G

[luvul @ May 31st 2008 4:17AM]

yes, there's 2.5G service (branded as 3-DUALBAND) and CDMA service (branded as 3-CDMA), but the 3G service is branded as 3-3G typically. We couldn't say services from "3" is 3G, but also 2G and CDMA.

[r3loaded @ May 31st 2008 6:39AM]

It's exclusively 3G phones in the UK though

[victorminC @ May 31st 2008 1:11AM]

Actually Hutchison does have a dualband GSM service - 3-DUALBAND, but I do doubt if they're going to sell the 2G iPhone since they have almost abandoned their 2G network already...

[nDee @ May 31st 2008 2:02AM]

You must be joking, many 3 users still run dualband service,
It's cheap for 3G but it's almost free for 2G

[Zach @ May 31st 2008 12:52PM]

yeah.. the technology may be old, but still it's cheaper (and more battery efficient) to buy a phone based off the 2g network, so i could see plenty of people doing that.

[Steffen Jobbs @ May 31st 2008 1:31AM]

And the hits just keep on comin'. A few countries shy of world domination.

[Jamar @ May 31st 2008 8:22PM]

Hong Kong and Macau aren't really countries...

[Sean @ May 31st 2008 1:41AM]

is it that hard for Apple to release the iPhone everywhere simultaneously like other phones?

[andres @ May 31st 2008 1:43AM]

yes

[Ryan Block @ May 31st 2008 2:11AM]

I don't know if I've ever heard of a worldwide simultaneous launch of any cellphone, period. And not that I necessarily think they'll be able to pull it off, but Apple has yet to announce the new phone, let alone launch dates for any of these new markets.

[Seth A @ May 31st 2008 4:58AM]

I think they plan to announce it worldwide on June 9th... hence all these "Negotiation" Announcements. It appears that the carriers are getting ansy and cant wait to brag. So Carriers announce when the line is signed, however, I fully expect Apple to announce a worldwide roll-out on the same day. Remember, Apple has officially announced nothing, even the phone has not officially been announced. What we see on June 9th is bound to be the closest to a simultaneous worldwide cell phone launch we have ever seen.

[Sean @ May 31st 2008 6:50AM]

Ryan you know what I mean. It's been almost a year now, and how many countries has iPhone been officially selling? I don't see anything particularly complicated for Apple to sell a phone outside the US.

[Jonathan Wilson @ May 31st 2008 7:08AM]

A big part of the delays in rolling out to more countries has been finding carriers willing to offer the iPhone on Apple's terms and only on Apple's terms (like the deal where Apple gets a cut of the revenue from the contract, not just the phone). Also, they need to find a carrier willing (and able) to support the extra stuff the iPhone has like Visual Voicemail.

Plus, as others have said, in many countries, a GSM/EDGE only phone (with no 3G) wont sell that well.

[Jamar @ May 31st 2008 8:43PM]

That's why the iPhone will only sell in HK and Macau and not the mainland- unlike 3, China Mobile/Unicom don't want to sell a phone on someone else's terms.

[Joe Commisso @ May 31st 2008 1:43AM]

Nice.

Now speed up time two weeks so I can get a new phone, I sold my old iPhone and using a piece until the 3G comes out.

So hurry June 9th, and hopefully it will be in stores soon after that.

[joshualamgroup @ May 31st 2008 1:47AM]

Fuck 3!
Your don't deserve it!
You're the worst mobile provider there is in Hong Kong!
Your customer service is terrible, your prices are expensive as hell.
PCCW, CSL, Smartone-Vodafone are all better than 3!

(Sorry to do

[f16 @ May 31st 2008 2:53AM]

don't really agree with that at all, 3 is providing the most flexible 3G data plan in HK, even their voice plan is also low in price. If you have tried PXXW, CXL & Sxxtone-V, then u will konw.

[Thomas Chung @ May 31st 2008 4:38AM]

Haha funny that Hutchison is owned by the dad (Lee Ka Shing) and PCCW is owned by the son (Richard Lee), so either way, the same money will go back to their family.

[mactopia @ May 31st 2008 4:58AM]

I agree. I've used Smartone-Vodafone for all my life since my dad was the first in my family to have a cell phone and he joined Smartone long before 3 came out. Since then, my entire family uses Smartone-Vodafone, all opened under my dad's name, in total 5.

Smartone-Vodafone has excellent signal strength, unlike 3. 3 only receives well when you're not really moving on the streets, but Smartone-Vodafone receives excellently no matter where you are.

This is true since I've suffered from the fact that most of my friends at school use the student plan from 3 so that they could SMS with each other for free. But since October 2007 3 in HK cancelled that "same-provider, free SMS" feature and charges new subscribers, and many of my friends who wanted to swtich to 3 just because of that were disappointed.

Anyway 3-Dualband is still 3. What's the problem with that? 3-Dualband is not another company or something . . . . therefore Mr. Editor, I'm sorry to say that you're wrong in your last sentence up there.

[Richard Lai @ May 31st 2008 8:04AM]

I agree with joshualamgroup and mactopia: 3 is notorious for their crap service and signal, whereas Smartone-Vodafone has been voted the best provider in Hong Kong (check out the forums).

Of course, you get what you pay for, but do you really want to have your important calls dropped?

[Sagefool @ May 31st 2008 4:04AM]

iPhone -- oooooo.

[Barton @ May 31st 2008 6:21AM]

I agree with F16 above and I think that 3 has good signal coverage everywhere (even when you're moving)

Lets hope that 3 announces an iPhone-specific plan that has unlimited data. My contract expires in August, so fingers crossed!

[John @ May 31st 2008 9:45AM]

...the first iPhone post of the day as an excuse to keep talking about it...

[Matt @ May 31st 2008 12:02PM]

... the first fucktard of the day using this as an excuse to complain about the iPhone...

[John @ May 31st 2008 1:30PM]

im not complaining about the iphone as a device.. im pointing out the unnatural orgies over it manifested in non-news about it being posted every single day.

[zephead @ May 31st 2008 2:05PM]

Non-iPhone non-news is posted here every single day. Just look at that RhythmFish thing. It still doesn't obligate you to be an ass and comment every non-news story declaring it as such.

[applefan @ May 31st 2008 8:32PM]

I am really tired of people complaining about iPhone news. There's a big Apple event coming up so of course there is gonna be news about it. Some poeple out there actually care, believe it or not, and if you really don't want to read about it then SCROLL PAST THE STORY. Don't waste your time commenting on a story you hate. That just doesn't make sense.

[Chase @ May 31st 2008 12:57PM]

Hong Kong 3?

Is this a gang or a second sequel?

[MaXxed @ May 31st 2008 10:34PM]

This is really a waste of time.

Everyone in HK who wants an iphone, HAS an iphone already. They sell on the street, unlocked, EVERYWHERE, and will be much cheaper than whatever 3 charges (as a result of the apple contract).

So WTF cares?

[ichheissesuperfantastisch @ May 31st 2008 10:42PM]

i guess the advantage is that now they can get it at a subsidized price, rather than paying the premium involved in buying an unlocked version.

[MaXxed @ Jun 1st 2008 12:29AM]

The premium is down to $30-40. HK is just not a 'contract' GSM city.

They have number portability too, so you can switch providers anytime without losing your number.

Most people dont know this about HK: Most people buy phones, keep them for 4-5 months, SELL them on the streets and then upgrade. There are vendors everywhere that will take your old phone and trade it for 60-70% of its value. Those old phones end up in China for resale 'as new'.

Its a huge city for phone churn..