21 August 2007 23:36 GMT / By Stuart Miles
The FT is citing that T-Mobile, Orange and O2 have signed exclusive agreements with Apple.The newspaper, which has quoted sources close to the deal, reported that:
"The contract, which was signed by three European mobile operators in recent days, requires that the operators hand over to Apple 10 per cent of the revenues made from calls and data transfers by customers over iPhones."
"The contract was signed by T-Mobile of Germany, Orange of France and O2 in the UK, people familiar with the situation told FT Deutschland, the Financial Times’s sister paper."
The rumour however differs from recent reports that the exclusive contract would be going to Vodafone.
According to the FT, the operators will officially announce the partnership at IFA next week, however only T-Mobile is at the show, with O2, Orange and Apple currently not listed.
If the rumours are true, it will be the first time a manufacturer has successfully managed to gain a direct share of revenues a mobile phone operator makes from a handset.
Although the terms of the AT&T and Apple deal in the States have never been revealed, it's thought Apple could make as much as $200 per iPhone contract.
The Piper Jaffray analyst, Gene Munster, suggested that AT&T gives Apple $11 per month for every new subsciber and $3 per month for existing customers switching to an iPhone contract.
The move is likely to send shockwaves through the industry we similar deals being demanded by Sony Ericsson and Nokia.
The rumour is the latest in a long line of stories from both operators and shops alike as to who will be the operator of choice across Europe. Phones, Mobile phones, Apple, O2, Orange, T-Mobile, IFA2007
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