Disappointment as Orange iPhone tariffs fail to beat O2

Posted by Chris Smith on Mon 2 Nov 2009

Orange and Apple continue the iPhone status quo.

Hopes that the Apple iPhone's release on Orange would ignite greater competition and see tariffs drop have been dashed by news that the network has kept contract prices pretty much identical to O2's offering.

iPhone fans yet to adopt the handset had, perhaps naively, hoped that opening up the device to more networks would see the unfriendly tariffs tumble in price, making it more accessible to new customers.

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However, perhaps largely influenced by Apple, Orange has failed to make the iPhone 3GS a more attractive proposition. The 24-month option will cost the same (£34.26) as O2, with the same allowances of 600 texts and 500 minutes. Orange cannot offer as much internet data either, with 750mb allowed per month, compared to O2's unlimited offering.

The handsets themselves are mere pennies cheaper on Orange, with the network now relying on its more efficient 3G infrastructure as the only means of attracting new iPhone adopters to their contracts.

The device will be on sale on November 10th, but users may have to wait for Vodafone to get its act together and launch the iPhone for any real competition between the networks to actually benefit the consumer.

Link: Orange (via ZDNet)

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