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iPhone and Vodafone in Europe (according to Belgian newspaper)

L

lamadude

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 12, 2006
432
0
Brussels, BE
I just read this article in my morning newspaper

http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelid=DMF27062007_014

It's in dutch, but the main things they say is that apple and vodafone are "close to an agreement" and that nearly all the details on the contract for their cooperation have been filled out. It says that apple would have a preference for vodafone over the orange group. And it also explains how it might not be available in Belgium since subsidizing a phone is illegal here.
 
Some details from the article

- Apple wants a guaranteed amount of iPhone purchases from Vodafone. Vodafone doesn't want to give such a guarantee.

- Vodafone wants to be able to subsidize the phone and does not want Apple to influence the saleprice of the iPhone.

- Estimated salesprice is around 500 euro.

- Orange was also in the running as pan-European operator but Apple prefers Vodafone.
 
MrMighty said:
- Apple wants a guaranteed amount of iPhone purchases from Vodafone. Vodafone doesn't want to give such a guarantee.

- Vodafone wants to be able to subsidize the phone and does not want Apple to influence the saleprice of the iPhone.

- Estimated salesprice is around 500 euro.

- Orange was also in the running as pan-European operator but Apple prefers Vodafone.
Click to expand...

Interesting, I think id prefer orange to get it, but anything will do.

Vodafone should make a guarantee there obviously going to sell loads
 
As long as it's NOT Orange, then I don't mind.. I hope Three get it :) They have been fantastic since I switched to them after being with Orange for over 10 years!

Vodafone do have the biggest customer base over europe, so it kind of makes sense, but what i really hope is that which ever operator gets it, doesn't basterdise the phone!!! that's REALLY annoying!
 
I don't want to wait 5 months, I am sick and tired of technology always arriving late to Europe. If they can pull their fingers out and get an iPhone in a shop near me before I can get a unlocked US one then fine, otherwise screw them. I am not waiting.
 
dalvin200 said:
As long as it's NOT Orange, then I don't mind.. I hope Three get it :) They have been fantastic since I switched to them after being with Orange for over 10 years!

Vodafone do have the biggest customer base over europe, so it kind of makes sense, but what i really hope is that which ever operator gets it, doesn't basterdise the phone!!! that's REALLY annoying!
Click to expand...

Orange that bad ?

im on 02 pay as you go at the moment.

Vodafone just seem expensive to me.
 
lamadude said:
I just read this article in my morning newspaper

http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelid=DMF27062007_014

It's in dutch, but the main things they say is that apple and vodafone are "close to an agreement" and that nearly all the details on the contract for their cooperation have been filled out. It says that apple would have a preference for vodafone over the orange group. And it also explains how it might not be available in Belgium since subsidizing a phone is illegal here.
Click to expand...

Ey zede gij ook van België , me too (i need to speak english in this forum), I come From Antwerp, I can read the newspaper :p
 
I have an O2 contract at the moment that is past the 12 months so I can upgrade at any time. I would prefer to stay on O2 but im prepared to move to pretty much any of the networks that acquire the rights to the iPhone. The phone and its syncing ability with OSX (and all round sexiness) is worth far more to me than the customer service of each of the phone companies (coverage is pretty much 100% where I live so lack of signal isnt an issue)

I just hope they can agree to a good data plan. Something along the lines of AT&Ts would be phenominal. I could then just leave my Mail open and a Safari window with Google Talk/Meebo.

Oh, and I cant be doing with a 2 year contract. Maximum of 18 months please. Ideally 12.
 
lamadude said:
I just read this article in my morning newspaper

http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelid=DMF27062007_014

It's in dutch, but the main things they say is that apple and vodafone are "close to an agreement" and that nearly all the details on the contract for their cooperation have been filled out. It says that apple would have a preference for vodafone over the orange group. And it also explains how it might not be available in Belgium since subsidizing a phone is illegal here.
Click to expand...

How will the people in Belgium get one then? :confused:
 
Well actually if I understand the laws here correctly "koppelverkoop" (= "connected sales" literally translated) is forbidden. This means that you cannot sell 2 products together, UNLESS you also offer the option to buy them separately, or unless the 2 products are inseparable (for example shoes and shoelaces)

For mobile phones this means you cannot sell a phone together with a contract, unless you can buy the phone without a contract as well, so that it could be used on any carrier.
 
MrMighty said:
- Apple wants a guaranteed amount of iPhone purchases from Vodafone. Vodafone doesn't want to give such a guarantee.

- Vodafone wants to be able to subsidize the phone and does not want Apple to influence the saleprice of the iPhone.

- Estimated salesprice is around 500 euro.

- Orange was also in the running as pan-European operator but Apple prefers Vodafone.
Click to expand...

Why would apple ask for a guaranteed amount of purchases from vodaphone? Is this a normal thing to do for cell phone makers? It gives the impression that apple doesn't completely believe in the succes of the iPhone...
 
Compile 'em all said:
How will the people in Belgium get one then? :confused:
Click to expand...

Sim-locks are illegal in Belgium, as is "koppelverkoop" (Dutch)

I'm not sure how to translate "koppelverkoop" in english but it basically means that it is not allowed to offer product A for sale with the condition that you also have to purchase product B to obtain product A.

In this situation it means that a phone cannot be tied to one carrier. So either Apple will offer the iPhone unlocked and partner with a carrier to offer the visual voicemail and maybe a cheap dataplan (so you can theoretically buy the unlocked phone and use it on any network, without the features that need any changes on the network) or Apple just won't offer the iPhone in Belgium.

If they do offer the phone unlocked I can see a big market for grey imports from Belgium to the USA, although this might be the reason why apple might choose not to sell the iPhone here.
 
sometimes it's really stupid that we don't have "koppelverkoop" translated : "connected sales" because for example in the Netherlands they sell gsm's with handycam's for like half the price of both of them.
 
lofight said:
Maybe we in Belgium will get the privilege of buying a iPhone without a contract, yes!!!
Click to expand...

But if this happens, Apple can't tie the iPhone to a single carrier in the rest of Europe because anyone from other EU countries would be able to import it and pop in his SIM card.
 
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