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End of iPhone exclusive contracts!
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: here
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Apple will be selling the iPhone to anybody and to anybody on any network.
No more exclusivity.
In Italy.
But more countries will follow.
Italy is iPhone avantgarde.
Where's the US? Limping behind?
Because I don't want no effing AT&T (double negation intended - for AT&T you just need two)
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Australia
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link?
or are you making this all up.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2007
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The OP seems to have issues with AT&T.
Regardless of what happens in Italy, AT&T will be the exclusive carrier for the iPhone for years to come. Mostly because Apple signed an exclusive contract with them. Besides, choices in the US are limited to AT&T or T-Mobile because of the GSM technology.
You options are to either get an iphone with AT&T, or unlock it and go with T-Mobile.
(
Last edited by MacosNerd; May 6, 2008 at 11:19 AM.
Reason: Sounded unusually harsh)
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Mar 2003
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Mac Elite
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Cambridge UK
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I'm pretty sure Apple can't terminate its 5 year exclusive deals in the US, UK, France and Germany just because it has changed its mind about the optimum business model.
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Calgary
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It would be interesting if Americans who want iPhones end up locked to AT&T for the next 4 years while late-comers to getting they iPhone have more choice. Unfortunately, it's moot in Canada, since we currently have only one GSM provider and are probably at least 2 years away from another showing up (which the current provider is suspected of wanting to buy up)
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Colorado
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Can't you buy an unlocked iPhone in Germany from T-Mobile? Not really news then.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: here
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Originally Posted by Wiskedjak 
It would be interesting if Americans who want iPhones end up locked to AT&T for the next 4 years while late-comers to getting they iPhone have more choice. Unfortunately, it's moot in Canada, since we currently have only one GSM provider and are probably at least 2 years away from another showing up (which the current provider is suspected of wanting to buy up)
Like those who bought their iPhones, and weeks later there was the big price drop...
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: in front of my Mac
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Originally Posted by Krypton
I'm pretty sure Apple can't terminate its 5 year exclusive deals in the US, UK, France and Germany just because it has changed its mind about the optimum business model.
They can't. But they can negotiate.
Apple: We want other carriers to sell it too.
Carrier: Not gonna happen.
Apple: How about we stop taking a cut of your monthly revenue?
Carrier: But...
Apple: Instead you could subsidize the iPhone as much as you want. You'll sell a whole lot more.
Carrier: Hmm...
Apple: And just because we've been such great business pals we'll throw in exclusive sales for you for the first three months.
Carrier: Done.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Caught in a web of deceit.
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I know it has been in the press that AT&T has the iPhone for 5 years, but what about the UK, France, and Germany?
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Senior User
Join Date: Nov 2006
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You realize a non-exclusive iPhone would be offered for two carriers in the US, right? If you hate AT&T's network, you'll hate T-mobile's more.
Originally Posted by Veltliner
Like those who bought their iPhones, and weeks later there was the big price drop...
Cell phones get price cuts all the time. Apple fanboys are just too whiny. No one saw RAZR early adopters complaining about the RAZR price cuts.
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MacBook Core 2 Duo 2.16 (Black)
iPod classic 160GB
iPhone 8GB
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Senior User
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Hollywood, Ca
Status:
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Originally Posted by Eug
I know it has been in the press that AT&T has the iPhone for 5 years, but what about the UK, France, and Germany?
I have also seen reports about a 5 year exclusive agreement with AT&T, but not one of the reports has been based on official info from AT&T or Apple. We really don't know if it's a 5 year arrangement. It might only be 2 years. Or 1 year. Or the contract might have a clause that allows it to be broken if sales don't hit a certain number within the first 12 months.
We will all know soon though...
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My Computer: MacBook Pro 2GHz, Mac OS X 10.4.5
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Ozone Park NY USA
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This has a lot to do with the European Union and individual coutry laws in Europe. Belgium for example has a law the prohibits any carrier to have exclusive right to any particular phone in the world from what I hear. Now folks remember AT&T has exclusive right to the iPhone and in the contract Im sure that there are thousands of points that cover all aspect's of Apple agreement. But anything can be negotiated in case Apple finds itself inclined to unlock the phone based on examples of foreign countrys and customer feedback. Who says Apple cant come out with the Apple mini iPhone ? and all of a sudden its not the original iPhone that has the agreements signed. Of course At&t has taken measure's to avoid this and its probably well detailed in their agreement, but anything can happen. Any contract can be negotiated to be terminated and if you dont beleive me just think what At&t would do if Apple decided to stop production all together ( hipathetically ). What we might see is Apple ask AT&T to be more competitive with the iPhone Plans, ie more minutes etc.
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: The Rockies
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Originally Posted by butterfly0fdoom
You realize a non-exclusive iPhone would be offered for two carriers in the US, right? If you hate AT&T's network, you'll hate T-mobile's more.
Originally Posted by MacosNerd
Besides, choices in the US are limited to AT&T or T-Mobile because of the GSM technology.
You options are to either get an iphone with AT&T, or unlock it and go with T-Mobile.
The above two statements may be true for the vast majority of Americans, but they're not true for all of us. I live in a state (Montana) that has an independently-owned GSM network - it's neither AT&T nor T-Mobile. A non-exclusive iPhone would be perfect for us.
It would be pretty sad if the million or so people in Montana, and I believe several million more living in similar situations in the US, couldn't get the iPhone at all, while people in much of the rest of the world have several carriers to choose from.
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Senior User
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Sorry, BRussell, I was speaking in general terms; I don't really know how things are in individual states.
At any rate, by the time the 4G iPhone is released, everyone that doesn't use Sprint or an MVNO attached to Sprint (or any independent regional carriers not switching to LTE) should be able to get an iPhone (by then, the exclusive contract with AT&T should be over).
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MacBook Core 2 Duo 2.16 (Black)
iPod classic 160GB
iPhone 8GB
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