Despite some wariness when the product first came out in the US, I’ve been extremely happy with my iPhone since buying it. The recent 1.1.3 update brought along a few extra features that were missing (most notably multi-recipient texts), but the device has slotted in to my life extremely well. I can’t wait until the SDK is released and we start to get some community developed applications to take the device further ahead.
I was also happy to be saving a few pounds each month compared to my previous Orange contract (which didn’t include any text or data time). Whilst I had to buy the iPhone, I looked at it more as getting a new iPod than purely buying a new phone. Some also critics argued that the iPhone tariff was expensive, but it was largely comparable for me. The lifetime cost of an iPhone is often cited as being £800 or more, but ignores that fact that most people considering such already have a contract phone, so would largely be paying out that amount of money over 18 months anyway.
But I digress. Today, the tariff just got a heck of a lot better. I found out via TUAW that O2 have announced they’re bringing the iPhone tariff in line with their other plans, so for me on the basic £35/month tariff, I’ll be getting 600 talk minutes, and 500 texts, as well as the ongoing free wireless access at The Cloud. That’s compared to 200 minutes and 200 texts which I had when I first got the iPhone, and the 200 talk minutes at Orange too. That’s makes it really quite an impressive and (to me) competitive tariff, and that it’s being given to existing iPhone customers is simply wonderful. I’ve been happy with O2 since moving. Coverage is very good, call quality is good. This news is just brilliant.
Perhaps it’ll also help Apple get the number of unlocked phones down, now that the tariff is even better value?
January 31st, 2008 at 11:51 am
It seems that the new tariffs have been well received, but it is puzzling that O2 haven’t introduced a new cheaper tariff to perhaps encourage people to buy an iPhone. I suppose the risk for O2 is that people (like me) who don’t feel they’d use the complete compliment of inclusive minutes would be tempted to move to a cheaper plan.
That said, a £25 tariff offering 200 minutes/texts a month would be very compelling and help drive sales, and I’d have thought offset the slight risk of people dropping to a lower plan (presuming we even can change!)