We're just about a week away from the
Orange iPhone launch, and if you folks across the pond were wondering what the deal was going to cost you, you now have your answer thanks to a dizzying but thoroughly helpful series of tables that lay out the costs of the phones, plans, and the various accoutrement to be included. Those willing to sign up for 24 months can get an 8GB iPhone 3G for free for a minimum of £29.36 ($48) per month, but step up to the £122.34 ($200) monthly plan with unlimited everything and you'll get a 32GB 3GS gratis. Meanwhile, on a pay as you go plan that same 8GB 3G will cost you £343 ($561), while the 32GB 3GS is a rather more painful £539 ($881 -- haven't you figured out the conversion rate yet?). You know what that means: contract ahoy.
posted Nov 2nd 2009 8:29AM
Should have 12months deal like Orange in France.
Sadly none of the big four do 12 month contracts any more, and 24 month contracts seem to be slipping in as standard.
The length of contract is the gripe here? Compare these numbers to how AT&T gouges us in the US.... it almost makes that whole Revolutionary War thing not worth it.
This is such a deal!
I was hoping for 12-months as well but it seems that this is one of those things that changed during the past 6-years that I've been away from the UK.
@Orinjz
That's not true: Orange will give you a 12 month contract: http://shop.orange.co.uk/mobile-phones/plans/planList.jsp?func=12&tenure=12&_requestid=394398 - they just "encourage" you to sign up for a longer one by making the 12 month deals pretty dire.
It's only O2 that have no 12-month handset tariffs any more.
All the rest of the 'proper' networks )ie not MVNOs) offer 12 month tariffs on at least some handsets but, as already mentioned, they're pretty dire.
@Malcolm
I didn't actually know that; when I was looking for a new mobile network a year ago, the guy in the Vodafone shop told me that they don't do them and I got told the same (for all networks) in CPW. I really ought to know better than to trust someone who bathes in Lynx and uses chip fat to style their hair.
And funnily enough, I went to O2 from Orange because I couldn't stand the damn animal plans.
@orinjz: it depends a lot on the phone you're looking for.
On a lot of higher-end handsets, the networks do remove the 12-month options.
But, if you were just asking a general question, then both of them lied.
@lain
O2's fair usage policy is actually, UNLIMITED, don't know where you saw this 200MB limit.
I tethered my iPhone and downloaded Windows 7 RTM. I didn't hear anything from O2.
If it were unlimited, then it wouldn't be a fair use policy, it would genuinely be unlimited.
It is still 200MB, they just don't tell you.
But the point is it's an FUP, not a limit, the two are very different things.
Anyway, tethering's an entirely separate matter, they have different bundles.
Is is unllimited!
http://www.cultofmac.com/orange-fails-to-impress-with-750mb-data-limit/20210
And what do you think the 'network protection controls' entail?
Limiting you to the afore-mentioned 200MB.
The way O2 choose to market their 'unlimited' web bundle may have changed but they still retain the right to limit you if 'use them [the web or wi-fi bolt-ons] in such a way that adversely impacts the service to other O2 customers', which will include very heavy usage.
Once again, if the web-bundle was truly unlimited, they would not have those caveats in place.
Also, if O2's web-bundle is truly unlimited, why do they keep telling their retail partners that it's a 200MB/month FUP?
Further to what I've already said, I understand that when you read the terms the way O2 have written them on their website that it leads you to believe it's an unlimited FUP but, honestly, if you dig around you find a lot of conflicting information from reliable sources.
Also, technically, if we look at things from a very pessimistic view-point, O2 have written the terms in such a way that allows them to cut people off at any time, no matter how low their usage, if they deem it unacceptable - you don't get any guaranteed amount like you do with other networks.
But that's an aside, not what I was here to talk about at all.
Basically, what I wanted to say was if you don't want to believe me, that's fine. In fact, that's brilliant (with no hint of sarcasm). It's your God-given, legally-protected right to think what you want.
If you'd read what I have, you might not hold the same opinion. Then again, you might.
Either way though, I was merely sharing the information I have seen with my own two eyes to help other people and, in the nicest possible sense, I have no urge to get into an extended debate with yourself as it'll achieve nothing.
Peace and goodnight.
Also a 750MB cap on the tariff. FAIL.
Yep, "unlimited" doesn't equal 750MB/month! When is the UK's Advertising Standards Authority going to crack down on dodgy adverts like this...
But it's all good if I put an asterisk next to what I say!
Cancer curing product!*
*Does not cure cancer.
Yeah, that's ridiculous. Plus misleading advertising.
I thought the UK had better prices on phone plans... Are these regular plans or some special made ones for the iPhone?
Forget the ASA. Ofcom are responsible but they refuse to do anything about this.
They are iPhone specific, and as it happens, exactly the same as the O2 ones before.
Standard UK network 'unlimited' data bundle allowances, in descending order:
T-Mobile and 3: 1GB/month
Orange: will be 750MB/month
Vodafone: 500MB/month
O2: 200MB/month
You have to remember, these are Fair Use Policies, not limits.
You will not be charged the moment you exceed the threshold, just if you repeatedly exceed it by an unreasonable margin (ie take the piss and try and host a web server or whatever).
Why don't all the plans say "unlimited*" minutes and texts, then put the actual number of minutes and texts as a *footnote.
"these are Fair Use Policies, not limits"
They are, de facto, limits. You can call them the Holy Internet Commandments if you want... they still limit your internet usage.
And you really don't need to host a server to exceed 750MB. Try Youtube, for example. Or something similar which works on an iPhone...
@ibelike: read what I said again.
They are NOT limits - have you ever heard of an O2 iPhone user being charged for data usage? No.
But I bet plenty of them exceed 200MB/month.
And I never said you had to host a web server to exceed 750MB, I used it as a sarcastic example of the sort of people who will be charged/slowed-down/cut-off by networks for exceeding the FUPs by an UNREASONABLE amount.
Yea, there is a reason why state side we have 5gb limits. I get around 1.5gb a month just from casual youtube/tv/pandora on my Pre. I don't see how 750 would work for normal users (I figure normal users use half of what I use and that is cutting it close).
Iain:
>Standard UK network 'unlimited' data bundle allowances"
you haven't seen Virgin Mobile's "unlimited internet".. 3GB a month for contracts, 1Gb a month on pay-as-you-go:
http://www.virginmobile.com/vm/genericContent.do?contentId=our.service.footer.sm068
their "unlimited mobile for a day" is just 25MB, costing £0.30.
I can't find out Three's fair use, it's referred to in many places, when I click on the tariffs detail button I get a pop up window and a failed to load plugin message.
Paul, the 3GB is for mobile broadband - ie using a dongle, which is completely different.
It's 1GB on all phone plans.
That makes a certain amount of sense as Virgin are an MVNO backing off of T-Mobile, so it figures that the FUP is the same.
@Iain: I don't know O2 users or anything, but after reading this:
"Usage above this amount will constitute abuse and Orange may monitor usage, apply Network protection controls which may result in reduced speed of transmission and/or withdraw the Offer from your account if the fair usage policy is abused."
I wouldn't be comfortable using more than 750MB.
The terms are simply too limiting. Also reading further:
"Not to be used for other activities (e.g. using your handset as a modem, non-Orange internet based streaming services, voice or video over the internet, instant messaging, peer to peer file sharing, non-Orange internet based video). Should such use be detected notice may be given and Network protection controls applied to all services which Orange does not believe constitutes mobile browsing. This may result in reduced speed of transmission, suspension of data browsing services and/or suspension of your account."
Seems very bad to me.
What happened to the good old "you do what you want with your included MBs/GBs of data, but you'll get charged extra if you exceed it"?
Ok, that one is worded a little more vehemently than most other FUPs but, still, the point is that the networks set these thresholds to cover themselves legally in case of serious mis-use (it's the same with unlimited texts etc).
Just because they have the right to take action when you exceed the 750MB, that doesn't mean they will.
On other tariffs recently Orange have been offering the ability to 'upgrade' the web bundle. They come with a 500MB LIMIT (not FUP, not advertised as 'unlimited') per month but you can upgrade it to 5GB for an extra £5/month.
It's possible they may offer this with the iPhone but I doubt it - more likely, like O2, they'll just let most people use what they want and take out the handful of individuals who are abusing it.
@lain
Where di you get this 200MB limit for O2.
O2's fir useage policy is UNLIMITED. Nowhere in their terms and conditions does it state any MB limit. It just says tht you shouldnt tether it etc
I can use my own WiFi connection for free?! and it's unlimited?!
WOWZERS
I imagine the free WiFi is referring to hotspot access ( O2 users get free OpenZone access ).
* Fair Usage policy of 750MB / month applies.
It means you can use orange's public wifi hotspots for free.
I thought something very similar, however, looking at the T&C's, i think it is referring to use of BTOpenzone Wifi spots (hence the 750mb fair use policy too).
Still, too expensive for my liking though.
what utter sh1t. If orange dont give me a loyalty discount i'll go to o2 just to spite them.
Orange gave me a loyalty discount on a new phone despite only being on a sim contract for about 3 months. All good besides I don't really like Orange seeing as whenever I try and check my usage it's normally not working and it only updates about once a day, what's up with that?
In the UK, T-Mobile are almost always cheaper than O2, Vodafone and Orange. So, how long until iPhone on T-Mobile...
T-Mobile and Orange are merging next year so they will get it eventually.
Well, if it gets ok-ed by the Competitions/Monopolies Commission that is.
Plus, for the first 18-24 months after the merger starts, the two brands will continue to operate independently.
They'll focus primarily on behind-the-scenes stuff, like merging the two computer systems etc.
So the 32gb is £539 and the N900 is £499, yet the N900 is free on £35pm/ 18m and the 3GS costs a whopping £175 on £35pm/ 24m contract.
Hmm, someone's getting ripped off somewhere.
disappointing really, was hoping orange would be able to offer better prices.
as its totally even, its just who has the better service/connection, and maybe customer service.
in that case i would go with orange.
For me O2 is clear winner, Orange reception at home is dreadful, have to stand in garden to get devcent signal
Don't forget Orange Wednesdays!
I'll stick to my priority O2 Academy tickets, I hardly ever go to the cinema.
Orange announced a while ago that they weren't prepared to enter into a price war with O2.
* Fair Usage policy of 750MB / month applies...WTF???
How the hell is this unlimited?
Given that the plan does not enable tethering, I wonder what you would need to do to hit 750MB per month. Still, this beats the heck out of the plans here in Belgium where my basic plan gives me a "whopping" 200MB. Woohoo! Seriously, 750MB is a great deal in comparison.
Wait until you see Vodafone's 'unlimited' offer - it's currently capped at 500MB.
Anyway, I trust this puts any thoughts of a price war to bed.
Sadly to report, these tarrifs are neigh on identical to O2's pricing
Hands up all those people who are shocked by this news...
...anyone..?