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T-Mobile quietly offering iPhone to its top customers

T-Mobile is offering the iPhone 3G to its high-end customers in the UK, despite O2's exclusivity contract with Apple.

By Jennifer Scott, 4 Aug 2009 at 11:42

T-Mobile is offering the iPhone to its high-end customers, undermining the exclusive deal O2 is supposed to have for the handset.

The company isn’t making it easy however, only giving the iPhone 3G to customers threatening to leave a £75 per month contract, according to The Register. To make it even more difficult to get your hands on one, T-Mobile is giving out just 150 handsets per week.

Speaking to IT PRO, T-Mobile refused to deny the deal, but would not confirm any of the details.

Last month, reports suggested T-Mobile was stocking up on SIM free handsets from around Europe, as there is no clause preventing other companies doing so in O2’s exclusive deal.

T-Mobile currently has a deal with Apple to sell the handsets in Germany.

Although rumours have been rife that O2 would lose its UK exclusivity deal, it still stands at present.

An O2 spokesperson told IT PRO: “We have a multi-year agreement with Apple to sell iPhone in the UK. This relationship continues.”

We also contacted Apple but it did not return our request for comment at the time of publication.

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2 comments

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Would welcome choice and competition

I don't think exclusive deals are good for the consumer or for the sector. Being able to choose which carrier to have any phone on would be ideal. My house is in an 02 blackspot - go outside great reception, inside the reception is very poor. If this was not the case I would have signed up to an iPhone contract years ago.

By Chewbunny on Friday Aug 7

A Level Playing Field

I don't understand why O2 can have exclusive control over the iPhone in this country (or anywhere for that matter) while MicroSoft are obliged to open their systems to alternative technologies. Doesn't this somewhat contradict the stand that Apple users normally take?

By brightonjohn on Tuesday Aug 11