After several years and 3 major hardware iterations, O2 have finally lost their iPhone exclusivity in the UK. Over the last few days, Orange have started selling the iPhone on their network too. Many saw this as a chance to start some competition in the marketplace, which is always a good thing. Did we get it? Well, no, not really.
The problem is that Orange have basically got the same deals as O2. The pricing is pretty much identical (if we’re not quibbling over pennies either way) and the structuring is too.
They could’ve competed on any number of fronts: pricing, different number of texts/minutes, different data plans, different tethering, cheaper handsets etc. Instead they seem to be doing exactly the same thing as O2. How does this really help your average consumer? It doesn’t. They’ve added very little to the marketplace, and O2 have too much of a headstart for a me-too answer.
On the plus side, they do have a better 3G network but on the minus side they also have explicit data restrictions. 750Mb per month might seem like a lot, and I’m sure it’s adequate for most people, but I’m fairly sure you could tear that down quite easily under the right circumstances (Spotify and iTunes video looking like likely culprits).
They could’ve done so much better, but instead we get a fairly middling effort. A waste and a disappointment. Let’s see if Vodafone, the next to get the iPhone, will do any better.