3G iPhone, 3G O2 ?
I'm avidly awaiting the 3G iPhone... but has O2 (the UK iPhone supplier) got a 3G network?
If not (as I suspect) will we see a different network supplying the iPhone 2 ?
Australians may not only be among the first folk to get their mitts on the upcoming 3G iPhone, but they may also be offered the handset without ties to networks. So claims a poster on Down Under website MacTalk. The site's correspondent alleges the info comes via local resellers who were briefed on the launch by Apple this …
My work phone which is on O2 gets great signal (of course it's a 2 or 2.5G phone, so no surprise), so I called the customer service to find out what their coverage was like; they said it was good, but they don't own their own network, so they couldn't guarantee the signal level of a consumer phone would be as good as my company phone -- I thought they had their own networks, is this person wrong or are they just a big MVNO?
Yes of course they have, o2 are the ones that are facing a fine for not rolling out 3G to 80% (or 90?) of the UK like they were supposed to under their licence.
@Steve Todd
3G *is* 384k, above 384k is HPDSA (forgot the exact letters, 3.5G as some call it).
o2 are actually in a bit of a weird moment right now, search on reg for news articles over the last few days regarding them limiting their 3G to 128k for the majority of users.
Not only do O2 have a 3G network, they also have an HSDPA network which was recently extended, as I noticed my reception outside of London went from being 3G to HSDPA.
The limit that Steve Todd refers to is actually 128kbps which is one that O2 have placed on all their customers, which can, apparently, be removed upon request. Note that 384kbps is actually the maximum speed of 3G, and 1.2Mbps is the maximum speed of HSDPA.
More details on the limits here:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/09/o2_speed_limits/
I'm one of the few hundred thousand who bought a 3G usb modem and 1Gig/£10/month data plan from Three last year (works great with EEEpc and Macbook, video skype is actually useful now 8-) and if a 3G iPhone came out and could be made to work with the Three SIM card then I'd probably invest in one.
BUT any new iPhone does need to come with an option to be unlocked and not get tied to a particular carrier in the UK. So please Apple let it be unlocked 8-)
O2 have just admitted that they're throttling 3G data connections down to 128Kb/s unless you're on some kind of enormous tariff.
Will be interesting to see if they keep this policy if they start offering the 3G iPhone in June. Many people think they're doing this purely to make the iPhone's EDGE connections look comparatively fast.
It is called Oz Corporate Law with the section about anti competitive business trade practice that gives them no choice in this matter !
But since Apple delight in fleecing all the lambs that come to it's door , it will over priced at the prices they normally charge Down Under for their usual line up !
If this is true, the handset WILL be locked but to four additional networks. You will need to use an 505-01, 505-02, 505-03 or 505-06 SIM card - or one that is supported already on the iPhone today. An unlocked phone will let you use any SIM card.
Australia has one 14.4Mbit HSPA network and it is being upgraded to 28.8Mbit HSPA+ before the end of the year.
The other three Australian HSPA networks run at 3.6Mbit and at least two of them will run at 14.4Mbit before the end of the year.
They can't even do that. Under the OZ Federal Trade Practices Act, that section dealing with anti-competitiveness and anti-trust means that even if it voids warranty, the end use has a right to do almost whatever they want to it as long as it breaks no other laws. Even purchasing a "locked" handset, the service supplier must offer a way to unlock the phone. Take Vodafone, for example. If you have a handset for 6 months (even under contract) you can unlock it from their website for free and they will even take you through it step-by-step if you call them. Unlocking it any earlier will cost you AUD$50.
No need to get too excited about what happens in Australia. Apple are only interested in Oz, because they may be able to work out a way to sell Apple kit to sheep in the future - in the meantime, the market is so small, they are glad to do anything to part aussies from their "hard-earned".
14.4Mbit is all nice and fine, but the cost is something else, especially for any practical use of such speed. Web & email, fine (needs little anyway). Start doing video streaming and other intensive features that would make use of it and operators will start charging bucket loads, especially if it's made popular through the likes of iPhones.
What sucks at least about the UK is the sky high charges for mobile internet (I mean, come on £2 or £3 per Mb *Orange* !! Get real!). Worse is roaming rates. No capped or daily rates even for web/email, and charges as much as £8 per Mb!!! Insane.
8Mb home broadband may be slower, but it's a damn sight cheaper (as is even public WiFi).
What we really need is decent structured public WiFi services and reliable connections with cheap tariffs. 3G is the wrong way to go, at considering how much operators charge (much of which is thanks to the amount they had to pay for it in the first place).
Having 3G networks isn't the question. Coverage is more important, and 3G coverage is not so great in the UK.
Also important to consider whether operators will let you on their 3G network, particularly on contract.
i.e. on Orange UK you can't get on 3G on contract without buying a branded 3G phone from them (and using a SIM from a 2G phone doesn't work). PAYG is no problem though. Bizarre. It's apparently down to the SIM type (SIMs and USIMs), but it's not a technical issue as SIMs will let you on other 3G networks (including roaming on Orange France!), but Orange UK won't let a contract 'SIM' on 3G, only a contract USIM which you can only get with a 3G Orange branded phone. Go figure! (well, maybe not so hard to figure as it forces people to buy branded 3G phones from Orange).
So, a word of warning if you expect to buy a 3G iPhone from somewhere, import it and hope to use it on 3G in the UK. Okay, maybe O2 are different from Orange. I don't know. Don't expect it to work on Orange though.