OK, having checked out the 3G network coverage around where I live and where I work I've changed my mind and I'm going to stay with Orange.

I think £70 over the space of 2 years is probably worth it for 3G coverage that I can actually use.

I'm still going to push for a discount though.

Not much more.
That's really poor reporting there.

Mark

TR does adopt something of a scattergun approach to reporting

I have been reading that some pre-orders have been cancelled so it might be worth people actually checking that they are still going to get one.

http://www.macrumors.com/2010/06/19/whi ... -canceled/

O2's pricing is still the wrong way round?!

I don't understand it.

Is that intentional?

With the longer contract they are giving you the same amount of calls and the cost of the hand set is being recovered from a higher monthly fee. Though the fact for £5 a month extra (£90) you actually get a cheaper handset. The TCO for 18 months for the 32Gb is £839 whereas for 24 months it is £923. I would opt for the 18 month contract. Even if you have to add another PAYG option on the end to balance the two for time.

Surely that is rule 101 in the marketing handbook though.

"If you buy more it costs less per unit".

i.e. buy 6 eggs for £1.20 or 12 for £2.

It works the same way for everything.

So why have they reversed this?

Maybe they are trying to give people an option to upgrade next year and get that upgrade fee again?

They don't want people to take the cheapest contract out.

But the cheapest contract is the 18 month one, which (although it costs £5 a month more) comes with a cheaper handset and shorter term.

By paying more for the phone and going for 24 months you might pay slightly less per month but in total it costs more.

It depends on their operating margins. They might be aware that they can get people to sign up to another contract or roll over to a new iPhone so it might be worth it. They could get another £120 from the roll over fee which makes up for it plus they tie the customer in for another contract in 12 months time.

Woo!

Just been allowed to arrive at work an hour late on Thursday morning! (Going to work through lunch though).

Just enough time to pick up my iPhone 4!!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Great news there for you Oli. (8+)
I'm in work at 7 so you'll get yours before I get mine. I may be able to nip out around 11am to go and collect mine.

Mark

So have you decided on what you are getting and the contract?

Yes, despite Vodafone being slightly cheaper I'm sticking with Orange for the superior 3G coverage where I work.

I'll be going for the black, 32GB phone on a £30 a month contract (less than what I was on previously but more than enough texts/mins to cover my usage) paying £269 for the phone (unless I can get a deal out of them).