Would-be iPhone 5 EE 4G customers who want the iPhone 5 on day one will have to buy the new iPhone through Orange or T-Mobile first, EE, the parent company of all three brands, has told Pocket-lint.

Because the EE brand,offering the UK's first 4G network won't be live at the time of the iPhone 5 release, customers looking to buy the new iPhone 5 will have to first buy the phone with an Orange or T-Mobile contract before transferring it across to the new EE 4G network a in the coming weeks, EE says.

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It means that the first wave of customers won't be able to enjoy 4G speeds on 21 September or perhaps even during he first couple of weeks.

"We will be making it very easy for customers to transfer across,"  a spokesperson reassured us when we expressed our concern over the confusion such a move will make for consumers. 

Asked what deals would be available on the new network and whether you would be able to carry across your new iPhone 5 deal, EE said details would be announced closer to the launch. That suggests customers will be expected to pay a premium for the new 4G speeds, but EE could try to price it in similarly to the Orange and T-Mobile price plans to fend off competition from Vodafone and O2. 

iPhone 5 release date, all the details

O2 has already announced it will be offering the iPhone 5 from £26 a month if customers sign up for a 24-month contract

EE is the only network in the UK to be able to offer 4G surfing speeds.

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