US network AT&T's CEO has admitted the iPhone won't remain as an exclusive forever, lending truth to rumours O2's deal in the UK might change soon.
Speaking at Fortune's Brainstorm: Tech conference in the US, Randall Stephenson said "There will be a day when you are not exclusive with the iPhone," according to Cnet.
While he wouldn't be drawn on the subject, the CEO did say the relationship was working well, although he wouldn't confirm he was totally satisfied with all the aspects of it.
"On balance, I think it works really, really well--maybe as well as any strategic partnership we have," Stephenson said.
Expensive iPhone
He also confirmed that the network would have liked to get the new iPhone 3GS at a slightly cheaper price, but only in a competitive business sense and not because the new phone is losing the network money.
The situation in the US mirrors that in the UK at the moment, where O2 has launched the iPhone 3GS to great success but has still come under criticism for some of its services and network coverage.
There are strong rumours it will lose its exclusive deal to stock the iPhone 3G in the coming months, although none of these have been substantiated.
Via CNET
Your comments (3) Click to add a new comment
lovlid
July 24th 2009
3. "I would be very happy to see them lose exclusivity because it would mean more competition and so hopefully a better deal for me!"
Not with Apple's price fixing policy it wont.
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jmace86
July 24th 2009
2. I personally have no problem with O2. I was an O2 customer before I bought an iPhone and I plan to stay one. That said, I would be very happy to see them lose exclusivity because it would mean more competition and so hopefully a better deal for me!
It would also mean that several of my friends on other networks, who want an iPhone but do not want to leave their current network, would be able to join me in owning an iPhone.
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rob_b
July 24th 2009
1. I thought the fact Orange & T-Mobile were getting the 3G but not the 3GS was 'fact' now#/
I've seen no official release from either operator however I've not really looked & I hear T-mobile staff are confirming it over the phone.
How this is affected by O2 sniffing around the purchase of T-Mobile is another interesting twist.
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