O2 confirms contract needed for £99 iPhone 3G

Unlocking not an easy option for subsidised handset

O2 confirms contract needed for £99 iPhone 3G. Phones, Apple, O2, iPhone 0

10 June 2008 14:01 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

O2 has confirmed to Pocket-lint that UK consumers will not be able to pick up a £99 iPhone 3G without a contract.

The company explains: "Because we are now subsidising the device, people will have to take out a contract in store or online before they receive the device. They will still need to connect to iTunes to complete the activation process though".

This is a blow for anyone hoping to pick up a cheap device and unlock it to work on another network.

The Pay & Go option is obviously there for customers who do not want to commit themselves to an 18-month contract term, although pricing for this option for the UK is still to be decided, O2 has informed us.

In a good news/bad news scenario we've also learned that O2's policy for current iPhone customers who want to upgrade to the 3G model could be described as a good deal.

For existing contract customers, as long as they sign up for a further 18-month contract period, they can get an iPhone 3G for free if they pick one of the larger tariffs or for the subsidised special prices if they opt for a cheaper contract.

The 8GB model will cost £99 on a new £30 per month tariff and the existing £35 per month tariff. Consumers choosing either the £45 or £75 per month tariffs will get the 8GB iPhone 3G for free.

The 16GB iPhone 3G will cost £159 on the £30 and £35 tariffs, £59 on the £45 tariff and it will be free on the £75 tariff.

Pay & Go pricing will be announced in the coming weeks, and we will bring you this, and all other iPhone 3G news, as we have it.

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Comments

  • Good grief, I don't get through 30 quids worth of calls and texts in a month, let alone 75!

    Buying the damned thing outright and paying as I go would be my only caveat if I were to want an iPhone.     Posted by L.Rawlins, UK
  • same here payg same option for me have been with 02 for few years now on payg so hopefully a good discount on payg price which im sure will be more like £300 for 8gig. may stick with me ipod touch and me htc touch instead Posted by alan c, uk

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