Pat Phelan: Bits, bytes and telecomsMobile, Roaming and Social Media

25 comments...What do you think?

1. Posted by Oisin Prendiville 22nd October, 2008 at 7:33 am

   I think this is misleading, Pat.. You’re comparing a price of a product including 18 months of service to one with absolutely none. Whether you need a new contract or not you still need to pay to use the phone and, in my case at least, the Italian phone would be a much more expensive option.

2. Posted by Pat Phelan 22nd October, 2008 at 7:37 am

   I disagree Oisin
   I must pay O2 for another, 14 months as I am a vodafone customer and have no intentions of moving my phone to O2.
   So they get 45 a month from me and zero calls, not one
   whats your alternative suggestion?
   I mean fro someone who wants a 3G iphone and wants it 100% guaranteed to work on their network over here?
   Service is only service if you use it

3. Posted by luca 22nd October, 2008 at 8:07 am

   I confirm. Both Tim and Vodafone are offering unlocked iPhones 3G (unlocked from Apple) at 499 euros (8GB) and 599 (16GB). You can easily get them from their websites or, if you are not italian, from ebay (from honest people!)

4. Posted by Oisin 22nd October, 2008 at 8:29 am

   > “Service is only service if you use it”

   Absolutely. And yes this will save you money if the alternative was paying O2 every month and never using it. I think it’s too high a premium to pay just to stay away from O2 though.

   To buy it in Italy and use it on a similar vodafone plan for the same timescale would cost say €580 + €810 of service (don’t know much about vodafone but assuming they have a simlar plan around €45).. approx €450 more than buying here, using on O2 and scrapping the vodafone plan.

   That’s what I would do anyhow. Is that extra worth it just to stay away from O2?

5. Posted by Pat Phelan 22nd October, 2008 at 8:37 am

   My point was
   “what happens if you dont want to move provider and want an iPhone”
   that was my position

6. Posted by PaulSweeney 22nd October, 2008 at 9:24 am

   Pat its a good example (perhaps) of the effect of gray markets, digital intermediaries, and the “echo chamber”. Some people will feel totally comfortable with what you are saying, all they need is for someone to present a table showing the comparison (hint hint). Oisin’s point around “service” might need a little fleshing out though, for clarity. If by service one means that you can ring up the carrier and ask them questions about the phone, why it is working, not working etc. then his concern might be valid. With “Global Roaming Costs Moving To Zero” the question of geographic segmentation of markets based on artificial barriers, means that we should be seeing innovative new applications explode globally through the “iPhone Network”, (i.e. global adoption of apps such as Fring, Truphone etc.), and a dramatic change in what carriers mean by “providing service”.

7. Posted by Steve 22nd October, 2008 at 12:27 pm

   Slight off-topic, but the iPhone 3G is also available for order as a pre-paid phone in Ireland for €480 (8GB Black): http://www.o2online.ie/wps/wcm/connect/O2/Home/Shop/Phones/iPhone+3G/Speak+easy

   Doesn’t solve the problem of having to swich networks, of course.

8. Posted by Oisin Prendiville 22nd October, 2008 at 1:26 pm

   Locked iPhone, 18 months unused service on O2, 18 months unused service on another carrier — 129 + 810 + 810 = €1749

   Locked iPhone 18 months used service on O2, no other carrier — 129 + 810 = €939

   Unlocked iPhone, 18 months service on another carrier — 599 + 810 = €1409

   Commenting on patphelan.net using your iPhone sitting on a park bench in the sunshine — Priceless

9. Posted by PaulSweeney 22nd October, 2008 at 1:41 pm

   Oisin ! in your first line there, why would I also have 18months unused service on anther carrier as well? wouldn’t I have a data plan that I would use on another phone? Are all data plans on all networks the same cost? (I really don’t know).

10. Posted by Joe Scanlon 22nd October, 2008 at 1:44 pm

    “what happens if you dont want to move provider and want an iPhone”

    Also – What happens when you DO want an iPhone and you DO want to move provider (FROM o2!)

    O2 rang me up this morning ON MY O2 MOBILE to say that they had an iPhone in stock for me. Then when I called in to pick it up they said that I wasn’t eligible for one.

    Shower of bloody eejits. If any other provider was supplying iPhone – I’d be gone like a shot.

11. Posted by Oisin Prendiville 22nd October, 2008 at 1:48 pm

    Hi Paul

    why would I also have 18months unused service on anther carrier as well?

    Oops no it shouldn’t say unused for the other carrier, sorry.

    I doubt all data plans are the same, and even voice plans are obviously going to differ in value for money too.

12. Posted by Pat Phelan 22nd October, 2008 at 1:48 pm

    @Steve
    again locked to O2, they are prepaid but must be used on O2

13. Posted by Gerard Hartnett 22nd October, 2008 at 8:25 pm

    The initial cost of the 16G 3G iPhone, is higher, €229 not €129 for the €45 per month plan. I just checked the O2 Ireland website.

14. Posted by Evert Bopp 26th October, 2008 at 9:52 am

    AFAIK you can also buy unlocked iphones through the Apple store in either Hong-Kong or Singapore…

15. Posted by Thomas Quinn 13th December, 2008 at 7:18 pm

    hey…im getting an iphone 3g this christmas on o2 on either pay monthly or PAYG.i am an existing vodafone pay monthly customer…i know that il habe to pay the rest of my vodafone bill to change to o2…i was just wondering that if i got a Pay monthly iphone 3g in o2 and then unlocked it to vodafone would i still get charged for my o2 bill?or would it be better if i got a PAYG iphone,unlocked it to vodafone,would i only have to pay for my vodafone pay monthly bill?

    reply to email preferebly

    Thanks

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