Vodafone fight back!
Love or loathe Apple, the geeky side of many of us would just love to have a play with the company's latest gadget, the iPhone. Trouble is, getting an iPhone in the UK means buying into an expensive contract with O2, something that's unlikely to appeal to a majority of potential users.
In Germany, though, the situation is rather different. There, T-Mobile now allows customers to buy iPhones without contracts. Yep, no contracts at all. Furthermore, those in Germany who've already purchased iPhones can have their SIMs unlocked for free and then use the network of their choice.
Why the change? Well, Vodaphone took matters into its own hands and went to a German court to contest T-Mobile's exclusive deal with Apple for iPhone. If you're listening Orange, Vodaphone or any other UK operator, hint, hint, the courtroom awaits.
Though this may seem like great news, there's a catch. When purchased in Germany with a T-Mobile contract, the iPhone costs €399. That's pretty expensive but the cost of buying an iPhone without a contract is massively more - a whopping €999! Still, it is at least a step in the right direction, sort of.
