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Hawkeye_a · 02:12 AM

The telecommunications market is really weird here in Australia. Telstra is like the AT&T before the anti-trust breakup. They are like the sole provider of bandwidth apparently (which is probably why broadband penetration in Australia is quite pathetic).

They recently came out against Apple's iPhone, and pretty much said they were not interested, they have leverage since they are for all purposes....a monopoly here.

Seeing as how Apple will be entering EU and Aus soon, i suggest they go with a carrier that serves more regions, hence less negioations with smaller providers.... and thats why i suggest vodafone.

Comments ? Suggestions ?

PurpleGiant · Feb 27, 2007, 12:25 AM

Vodafone or Three.

Person Man · Feb 27, 2007, 12:36 AM

Originally Posted by PurpleGiant

Vodafone or Three.

I vote Vodafone.

Off topic, but here's one of my favorite Greek Vodaphone commercials that was on TV in March 2005 the last time I was there:

(The scene shows a family of four in a living room. The father is reading the newspaper, the mother is folding laundry, the teenage son is talking on his cell phone, and the teenage daughter is watching TV. Cut to close up of father).

FATHER: (reading paper) Hmm... it says here that Vodafone has a new family offer for cell phone service. Up to four people, with one bill, (cut to family looking at him), plenty of minutes of talk time (girl looks at brother talking on cell phone), and all for only one low payment! (He puts paper down with a satisfied look on his face).

(from across the room, off screen we hear a voice): What a shame!

(cut to mother-in-law, sitting in a rocking chair and crocheting a sweater)

MOTHER-IN-LAW: Shame that we're FIVE people, not four! (evil smile)

(cut to father looking up at the wall, where a shotgun is hanging. He quickly rises to reach for the shotgun).

WIFE: No, George! (Jumps up and reaches over to stop him).

(cut to outside of a Vodafone shop. Announcer talks about the specifics of the program).

(At the end, we cut back to the man, looking very sad, holding the newspaper at the side in his hand).

FATHER: But it says it's for four people. Just four!

Doofy · Feb 27, 2007, 01:09 AM

O2.

(Aqua link!)

butterfly0fdoom · Feb 27, 2007, 01:39 AM

Vodaphone may be more likely. IIRC, they had subsidiaries in some Asian countries, as well, so that makes Asia easier for them, as well.

TETENAL · Feb 27, 2007, 02:52 AM

vodafone sucks. They can't do without crippling the phone software, reprogram at least 5 buttons to go to their online portal, and print giant red labels on the phones. That's not what the iPhone should be like.

The ideal partner in Europe would be Telefonica imo.

Paco500 · Feb 27, 2007, 06:15 AM

My vote would be Vadofone, for completely selfish reasons. If it's Vodafone, my company will pay for the plan.

Which is nice.

Goldfinger · Feb 27, 2007, 07:25 AM

The ideal partner would be no partner. They'll have to anyway if they plan on selling it in my country. Locked phones linked to specific carriers suck. period.

Nexus5 · Feb 27, 2007, 08:02 AM

In EU it will be T-Mobile. Its the only mobile carrier supporting EDGE.

nexus5.

Hawkeye_a · 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by Goldfinger

The ideal partner would be no partner. They'll have to anyway if they plan on selling it in my country. Locked phones linked to specific carriers suck. period.

I agree. i hate SIM locks or whatever...... but seeing as how unique the iPhone is, inorder to use it's features completely, Apple would have to partner on the software/service side..... now if only there were carriers who'd be willing to do that without wanting to make iPhone exclusive to their service.

From a business(mild) standpoint, i think vodafone would be the simplest way to get the product to many EU and Asian countries, as well as AUS. thats my opinion anyway....and ill admit, i know next to nothing about the cell phone industry (in fact i try and avoid any contact with it)

- - e r i k - - · Feb 27, 2007, 09:13 PM

No partner would be the best, with Apple offering visual voicemail solutions to everyone who wants to implement them. Carriers can then go: iPhone-compatible™ or iPhone enhanced™ in their marketing.

butterfly0fdoom · Feb 27, 2007, 11:50 PM

Originally Posted by TETENAL

vodafone sucks. They can't do without crippling the phone software, reprogram at least 5 buttons to go to their online portal, and print giant red labels on the phones. That's not what the iPhone should be like.

The ideal partner in Europe would be Telefonica imo.

You're forgetting the iPhone only HAS 5 buttons, and none of them can be programmed for their online portal.

pyrite · Feb 28, 2007, 12:55 AM

optus - my optus business plan rocks, it'd be great to migrate it to iphone

- - e r i k - - · Feb 28, 2007, 01:29 AM

Originally Posted by TETENAL

The ideal partner in Europe would be Telefonica imo.

Telefonica only has operations in these European countries:
· Austria
· Belgium
· Czech Republic
· Denmark
· France
· Germany
· Netherlands
· Ireland
· Italy
· Poland
· Portugal
· Spain
· Sweden
· Switzerland
· United Kingdom

Troll · Feb 28, 2007, 06:01 AM

Originally Posted by Nexus5

In EU it will be T-Mobile. Its the only mobile carrier supporting EDGE.

nexus5.

No, most of the networks support EDGE. All of the networks in France support EDGE although SFR is a bit timid about it. I personally think the iPhone will be 3G before it's launched here. If they launch an expensive 2.5G phone when most networks are offering 3.5G services, they won't get the 10% market share they're looking for. SFR's current advertising campaign in France is already talking about 3G like it's yesterday's technology and advertising 3.5G with a vengeance.

I think it's between Vodafone and Orange personally although I don't really like either network.

voodoo · Feb 28, 2007, 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - -

Telefonica only has operations in these European countries:
· Austria
· Belgium
· Czech Republic
· Denmark
· France
· Germany
· Netherlands
· Ireland
· Italy
· Poland
· Portugal
· Spain
· Sweden
· Switzerland
· United Kingdom

Rumor has it Steve and Cesar have been on amiable terms the last few months. Also Telefónica does not have any mobile phone operations in Italy. Only in the Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Slovakia, Spain and the United Kingdom, as Telefónica or O2.

There is no one good operator for the iPhone in Europe. Vodafphone has good coverage.. but they don't have the best market share in many countries. In Europe, Apple should not lock itself with any one operator. It would be.. unwise.

That is, unless Apple makes a deal with operators based on country, not company. I suppose that could solve it, since Apple wants the operator with the largest marketshare over any other.

I think this will be Vodafone, Orange and Telefónica. Either one of them or some kind of combination between the three.

V

Diggory Laycock · Feb 28, 2007, 07:04 AM

As others here have said - No partner.

I hate 'exclusive' deals that handset makers strike with networks - the phone and the network are separate choices - they shouldn't be jammed together.

Goldfinger · Feb 28, 2007, 07:25 AM

The thing is, they can't partner with only one carrier. Every country has its own carriers. Only a few networks are available in more than one country. They'll have to do it on a country per country basis. Except for Belgium, where it's illegal to lock the phone and tie it to one carrier anyway.

The European market just doesn't really work the way Apple would like it to work.

Originally Posted by Nexus5

In EU it will be T-Mobile. Its the only mobile carrier supporting EDGE.

nexus5.

AFAIK I know most carriers support EDGE. I think that the ones that don't support it are a small minority. And T-mobile is unavailable in most european countries anyway

. I only know T-Mobile Germany, maybe there are other t-mobiles...

Nivag · Feb 28, 2007, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by Diggory Laycock

As others here have said - No partner.

I hate 'exclusive' deals that handset makers strike with networks - the phone and the network are separate choices - they shouldn't be jammed together.

that gets my vote!!

matty-uk · Feb 28, 2007, 08:21 AM

Personally I'd hope it was not restricted to any network and they networks are prohibited from sticking their crap on the phone and branding it. I'm with T-Mobile so hope they support it.

TETENAL · Feb 28, 2007, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - -

Telefonica only has operations in these European countries

The only European carrier larger than Telefonica is Vodafone, and Vodafone really sucks for the reasons mentioned.

philm · Feb 28, 2007, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - -

Telefonica only has operations in these European countries:
· Austria
· Belgium
· Czech Republic
· Denmark
· France
· Germany
· Netherlands
· Ireland
· Italy
· Poland
· Portugal
· Spain
· Sweden
· Switzerland
· United Kingdom

Do we have Telefonica in the UK? Do they operate under some other brand or something?

Nivag · Feb 28, 2007, 11:19 AM

Telefonica own O2

EC waves through O2 buy-out | The Register

voodoo · Feb 28, 2007, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by Nivag

Telefonica own O2

EC waves through O2 buy-out | The Register

Exactly. Telefónica is one of the big three European mobile providers.

V

Troll · Feb 28, 2007, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by voodoo

Exactly. Telefónica is one of the big three European mobile providers.

V

Apple will probably go with either Telefonica or Vodafone because these are the only two European networks that suck almost as much as Cingular.

analogika · Feb 28, 2007, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by Nexus5

In EU it will be T-Mobile. Its the only mobile carrier supporting EDGE.

nexus5.

EDGE is irrelevant.

Apple are not stupid enough to offer the phone here before they've added 3G support.

I certainly hope Telefonica/O2 will be offering it - I'd hate to give up my customer status and switch providers.

And I'd rather not have an iPhone than have to use Vodafone, or - even worse - T-Mobile. Hate. With a passion.

voodoo · Feb 28, 2007, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by Troll

Apple will probably go with either Telefonica or Vodafone because these are the only two European networks that suck almost as much as Cingular.

Ha ha ha

V

JoshuaZ · Feb 28, 2007, 09:03 PM

Vodafone seems like a prime choice. I`m expecting the iPhone will be set up with Softbank (who just bought out Vodafone this past year) in Japan. Mostly because they have the only 3G network in Japan.

Japan being so `high tech` and all lacks a decent high speed phone network. Or cheap high speed internet network. Or decent sewer. Education system. Environmental Agency. Health Care. Arg.... must resist urge to super complain...