Orange to Sell iPhone in UK; will US Exclusivity End Next?

Orange to Sell iPhone in UK: Will US Exclusivity End Next?

By: Ian Paul, PC World
September 28, 2009

France Telecom's mobile carrier, Orange announced on Monday that it is bringing Apple's iPhone to the U.K. by the end of the year. Orange will be the second mobile company in Britain to offer the iPhone, and takes one more country off the list of single iPhone provider nations.

Does the end of U.K. exclusivity mean the days of iPhone exclusivity in the United States are numbered? Let's take a look:

iPhone Goes Orange in Britain

Early Monday, Orange U.K. announced it will begin selling the iPhone 3G and 3GS in Britain later this year. Orange offered no firm date when sales start, nor announce any pricing details. However, the company typically prices the iPhone from $436 with an 18-month contract to free with a two-year contract, according to The Wall Street Journal .

Just like AT&T, O2 has had its share of customer complaints, and after months of speculation the British are finally getting a second iPhone carrier.

AT&T-Apple Partnership Keeps Going

Despite predictions to the contrary, the exclusive AT&T iPhone deal in the U.S. shows no signs of ending. But if pressures continue to mount, Apple may consider relenting to customer demands. It's no secret that some iPhone customers have been very vocal about their dissatisfaction with AT&T's service, and the media has put AT&T's services under a microscope ever since the iPhone was introduced.

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