iPhone carriers for Europe/Asia-Pacific

[btaussie]

Subsidies key to Vodafone's iPhone
Correspondents in Amsterdam | June 28, 2007

VODAFONE is in talks with Apple to launch the iPhone in Europe, and talks partly hinge on volume guarantees and subsidies, a Dutch magazine has reported.

Apple demanded a guaranteed sales volume for the iPhone, which the British mobile operator did not want to give, Dutch magazine Bright said on its website late on Tuesday.

The magazine said Vodafone was pushing for more scope to subsidise the phone and did not want Apple to have control of the sale price. Vodafone declined comment on the report.

Vodafone has long been tipped by analysts as an obvious partner for Apple to bring the iPhone to Europe. Deutsche Telekom Bright said France Telecom's Orange had also been in the running to bring the iPhone to Europe, but that Apple had a preference for Vodafone.

SOURCE: http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,21981776-15306,00.html

-btaussie.

 

[nlivo]

that means vodafone would also be the people they use here in australia.....but telstra is the only company that has 3G.....does that mean vodafone has to set up a whole new 3G network....what happens???

 

[btaussie]

All telecommunication networks use Telstra for Mobile coverage (roaming) including the likes of Optus, Three, Soul & Vodaphone. The Telstra Next G Network (the fastest in the world) would be the obvious choice but would only benefit if the iPhone was updated from its present form. It's entirely possible Telstra could be the network of choice for Australia, it would certainly help their struggling share price but than Apple would directly have to go through government regulations and this could produce a breakdown in communications. It's a crazy mixed up world. Unfortunately the telcos at the moment are more concerned with the government plans to implement their national broadband program.

 

[SirCrumpet]

that means vodafone would also be the people they use here in australia.....but telstra is the only company that has 3G.....does that mean vodafone has to set up a whole new 3G network....what happens???

Sorry mate, but you're not quite correct there. Vodafone has had a 3G network for longer than Telstra has, its just that Telstra currently has the only one that is autralia wide (That's what you get for being a govt. owned telco - rip off prices and unfair advantages ). Hutchinson's "3" network was the first.

Admittedly Vodafone currently only has 3G in the Capital Cities, which rules me out, but by the time the iPhone reaches our shores ('08?, '09?) i'm sure that won't be a problem.