UK's O2 to impose 3G data limits for iPhone 4 users
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted June 10th 2010 9:59AM
posted June 10th 2010 9:59AM
It seems like the entire United Kingdom (at least those who aren't out partying it up with Patsy Kensit at the Met Bar) has emailed us in the last two minutes to clue us in on the fact that O2 has posted its new iPhone 4 pricing. It looks like your beloved "unlimited 3G" plans of are a thing of the past -- instead, you'll be paying for up to 1GB of data of month. As you approach the limit, a text message will notify you and let you purchase an 500MB for £5 or 1GB for £10. How very AT&T of them, eh? But don't worry, kids! Texting is still unlimited.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in... and we mean everyone.]
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in... and we mean everyone.]
so is the phone free on all these tarrifs?
I hate it when people say that o2 rant doing anything about there coverage. Spending 100 million last year and a million a day this year on the network is not nothing.
So now we just need an app to use text messages as a form of data transmission and convert it into bits of http:.....
I've just checked last months bill and I used 480mb. I consider myself a fairly heavy user. What is your data usage like?
Well good bye O2 and good bye iPhone 4 if they think they will get away with this. We aren't america we won't stand to be screwed.
And people are complaining about 3
So who thinks the new cap is something to do with the phone operators not wanting users to swap in and out the Micro Sims with their 3G ipads, I know I will :-)
This announcement prompted me to take a look at my usage stats. Since September 2009, I've used a total of 1.8GB. So I won't be one of those affected by this new cap. But in looking at my stats, I've also realised that I don't use up my minutes or texts either, so looks like I'll will be downgrading from £45 to £30 per month. (if I decide to stay with o2)
iPhone 4 will be available on o2, Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile and 3. As my contract with o2 ran out in January, I'll have my pick of packages. Funny thing is, until this new policy was announced, I was just planning to automatically upgrade to iPhone 4 with o2. o2 Just turned a guaranteed contract renewal into a likely defection.
Ok so vodafone has a 1 gig allowance of data on there iPhone tariffs. Orange has a 750mb allowance. Up until now o2 have been the only company that doesn't limit the amount of data we use each month. This has been a major selling point for o2 and yes it is disappointing to see that this is changing but they are just bringing themselves online with the other companies. None of the uk networks can provide a completely unlimited plan without causing significant problems to there non data customers. As I have said previously they are spending a million a day upgrading there network which is a vast amount of cash. Maybe it's not enough to provide unlimited but at least they are doing something.
For two and a half years o2 has been the only ones to provide truly unlimited data. I agree that imposing data limits in this data heavy day and age is rather retroactive but the same thing happens with home broad band.
We can say oh they should be spending more or that they should put more pillions up but every time the mobile companies try to put up a new pillions someone complains and it doesn't go through.
@Kaskel2000 Can't they? I mean, you have your iPhone users spread over more than one carrier do you not? All of ours are crammed into AT&T -- and while AT&T is notoriously bad as a result in say San Fransico, New York, and other areas with very high population density or very high tech-enthusiast density, it's still quite reasonable in most areas.
With the load spread over multiple carriers o2 *can't* keep offering unlimited? Was their network having problems already?
I'm willing to bet money that they *can*, they just saw an opportunity to squeeze even more money out of you.
Sure, in theory, if every customer actually used data non-stop, that would be a problem, but just because they sell "unlimited data" doesn't mean anyone actaully takes them up on that. The idea is you use it when you need it, and not when you don't, and then don't have to *worry* about it.
I have just written to O2 stating that if any other network offers unlimited internet I would pay to terminate my contract and go with them. Iphones and contracts are so expensive as it is. Maybe a boycott will make them change their minds.
On June 24th, will there by any company selling iphone4 without contract and without limitation to some provider? ...so that any foreigner could buy it and use it in his country?
This has already been imposed for pay as you go users...middle of april, I get "You are near 500MB limit" "WTF?" and all other carriers have followed and removed their "unlimited" data plans:(.
Well, it states unlimited* with the star note being the stating of limits?
The world will likely never see a pricing model on cellular data networks like you get with say, Comcast. Wireless executives and analysts say its not going to be possible...ever.
this baffles me. Unless they know the other operaters are going to do the same. o2 is far and away the worst network I have ever been on. This is the poison icing on a shit cake
Wow and I thought AT&T was bad. These guys will only let you buy the higher data amount with a higher voice minute amount? It's bad enough everyone's forcing us to buy voice minutes in the first place, but this is ridiculous.
http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=10099707&postcount=201
Seems that it just slows down. it's not a Kill switch.
I am happy with that... so long as I can get my mail.
Don't understand why they don't just do a 5p per mb like orange on the iPad (£40 limit)
1gig is so laughably low that I am not sure where to start.
These companies are so intent on screwing customers anyway possible
Is the 500MB calculated using the 'sent' or 'received' figures?
@CaptainCanary Recieved, because that's what you download.
Its not just the data (i don't use much either). Its also that you now have to pay 20p for an mms and you have to pay for visual voice mail.
The Pay & Go tariff it's what's really mad. "Buy our unsubsodized phones then pay us every month forever! Or for as long as you actually want to use the phone, anyway."
Steve jobs was right. The iphone is like the jetsons. Bar the fact we will only will only to be able to make a handful of video calls before we all hit our monthly data cap. >_< ... THE FUTURE!
I remember when 3G came out in the uk a i had a sanyo 3g video chat cam. Even then i remember it was horrendously expensive to even try it. So there was no point using it. IT'S DEJA VU AGAIN!
I was planning on waltzing into my local O2 store on the 24th and slapping down a few bucks for the new handset. ( much to the wides displeasure!).
Instead, as someone who regulary uses 5-7GB of my "unlimited" allowance, I would just like to say
GOOD RIDDANCE O2 - 1GB - what a joke!!
This is really disappointing.
All you people saying "do you actually know how much 500MB is, its loads" and "I only use 5k a month" etc etc - very good, I wish I used as few of the features of my phone as you.
What p!sses me off the most is that they claim to be 'simplifying' their charges for us poor stupid consumers. At a time when smartphones are integrating more and more with online services this announcement is a real backwards step.
I'm going to buy the handset outright and if they touch my current simplicity deal with true unlimited data I'm going to seriously kick off.
I'm not letting these greedy suits patronise me any more.
Pathetic from O2 and rather a diversionary tactic to appease those who have been complaining about poor internet speeds.
Especially true when GiffGaff have 100 mins, unlimited text and unlimited data for £10 per month. Oh, and did I forget to mention that GiffGaff are owned by O2 and run on their network?
They tell us that 3% of users are using 30% bandwidth. Well why not improve the network by 30%? End of problem and everyone is happy. But no, it's easier to screw people for more money.
It's disconcerting and while it seems that my main option now is getting a micro-sim (or making mine into one) and simply buying a new iPhone 4 outright, I just did the analysis and apparently, and surprisingly I've only used 2.7GB in NINE MONTHS.... 300 MB a month, so it's maybe not so bad, however in getting an iPhone 4 I know for a fact I'll be using some sort of music streaming program fairly often since there's multi-tasking so my 300MB a month could jump quite considerably in some months, but in all honesty I could get the £30 a month plan, pay the extra £5 for an additional 500MB when I really need it, and not be any worse off than I am now, so it's maybe not the end of the world....
It's just sad to know that O2 are removing the unlimited aspect and that this is obviously the only option carriers seem to want to take rather than take a dent in the meantime and reap the rewards a decade from now when everyone will have a 'smart phone' and everyone will want data and without spending money on preparing their network they won't actually have viable customers to sell to.... At some point all the networks will need to invest billions upon billions, and frankly the government should massively help them do this, taxes needed or whatever, we will all benefit from this in all sorts of lifestyle ways as well as in more important and money making areas, and we cannot afford to lag even further behind east-asian countries and even our neighbours in Europe, something we seem to keep doing in all areas of life here in the UK.
@KopparbergDave
i agree with the your point. On your note I checked my o2 account and i use on average 30mb a month so i shouldnt have a problem but o2 are just maximising profits comfortable in the notion that they have a guaranteed customer throughput!
This is ridiculous prices! £60 a month for 1GB!? i pay £35 atm and get unlimited... theres no way i can wait until October to get the extra GB i would need :/ i was really looking forward to getting the new iPhone with O2... if vodafone or someone still has unlimited... im about to get one with them
@PicselHD I'm with you on that.
If Orange or Vodafone has a better deal, I'm moving away from O2. However, I get the feeling that all networks are going to be moving in the same direction... applying download caps, increasing the monthly fee, etc, which I guess may be down to Apple cutting down the provider's cut.
As is usual with a company of O2's stature. They can guarantee themselves a heavy influx of customers so at this stage its all about maximising profits. Unfortunately most large businesses develop this technique. Very soon it wont be so easy to get to talk to someone at the end of the phone either...
I hope everyone who is upset is going to make their complaint known to O2... I just emailed them
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Hi
I'm a loyal O2 customer and I use my smartphone a lot for data on the move. I went over to Orange for a few months recently (for a handset) and their archaic data plans are what made me buy myself out of my contract and get back to O2 asap.
I work in the web industry and I know how to quantify data usage. I also know that, irrespective of the 'average' usage that is documented on your website, these new tariffs are bad news for me and and A LOT of other people. At a time when smartphones are becoming more and more orientated around 'cloud' services and consuming data over the network, all O2 are doing is putting a tax on people using the features that their phones offer.
Although it's unrealistic, I'd like to see the sample used to get these average data usage stats - because I'm sure when people get their 2010 smartphones and start downloading apps/games OTA, using features like Visual Voicemail, using music streaming services like Spotify and video streaming services like Youtube - they too will know exactly how far 500MB gets them.
Anyway, I hope I've made my concerns clear and I hope many others have too.
My specific question, to which I'd appreciate an accurate answer, is:
If I stay on my current Simplicity deal (which is month-to-month), will my package change or will I be subject to the new tariffs after a period of time?
Thanks
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Power to the power users!
Are you gonna review the carriers of iPhone around the world? Some countries have major overpricing...