France's Orange comments on iPhone sales goal, unlocking costs

[AppleInsider]

France Telecom mobile arm Orange said it expects to sell nearly 100,000 of Apple Inc.'s iPhones by the end of year and has also vowed to move the unlocked version of the touch-screen handset at costs well below its German counterpart, T-Mobile.

Didier Lombard, chief executive of Orange, made the comments Tuesday during an interview with Europe 1 radio. He said his firm's sales target "is a little under 100,000" units sold between Wednesday evening -- when the Apple handset will make its debut in France -- and December 31st.

With just over 30 days to reach the self-imposed milestone, Orange will need to move a bit more than 3,000 iPhones per day through a combination of sales from its online and direct retail stores.

During the interview Tuesday, Lombard also said Orange would offer an unlocked iPhone in France at a price "significantly lower" than the 999 euros ($1,485) proposed by Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile in Germany, but failed to elaborate further.

French law is clear in that it requires cellphone operators to make available phones that are unlocked, and thus Orange and Apple have stated that they will comply with the mandate by offering a version of the handset to French consumers that will not be tied to Orange's network.

Less clear, however, is German law regarding the same matter. Therefore, Apple and T-Mobile launched the iPhone in the region earlier this month without plans for an unlocked version. Local T-Mobile rival Vodafone immediately challenged the terms of the German iPhone deal, winning a temporary injunction last week that has since forced sales of unlocked iPhones. However, Apple and T-Mobile set a steep price of 999 euros on that option ahead of an appeal, more than twice the cost of the standard version.

Full service plan details for Orange's 399 euro iPhone offerings will be published on Wednesday morning, though Lombard on Tuesday offered some early hints at those rates. He said that a 24-month contract would start at 49 euros a month and include two hours of communications and 50 SMS text messages.

Customers who opt for the minimum 12-month contract, however, will pay about 4.50 euros more per month for the same service.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[solipsism]

US customers seem to be the only benefiting from reduced rates and additional services offered by the iPhone tied to a carrier.

It makes me wonder if Apple can be this clueless or if the release in Europe was to merely meet a self imposed deadline, secure carriers and sell some 1st gen iPhones to early adopters before offering a 3G model with enhanced software features--like MMS and multi-contact SMS--in 2008 alongside the Asian release.

[Sedicivalvole]

Good point solipsism.

Somehow I think you may be slightly correct, however in the Uk it is not a bad deal due to the unlimited data, though this has not made its way to Germany so I see not much of advantage their

They will clean up with a European friendly iPhone with the second one. However Apple's main market is the US and for the US this phone is more than suitable, just lacks slightly in some area's for Europe.

Also think you are correct that this is a "creaming" excersise, by making as much money from people who need/desire something that does this. As it is pretty much unique in its abilities makes sense to capitalise on that.

[Hattig]

"He said that a 24-month contract would start at 49 euros a month and include two hours of communications and 50 SMS text messages"

I trust this also includes unlimited data, and maybe free WiFi access with a nationwide wifi provider! Otherwise that's appalling, it's the worst offering I've seen on a mobile package. 120 minutes and FIFTY texts for £36 a month... I might not have any data but I'm paying £10 a month for 500 minutes and 100 texts (no phone, but hey the iPhone is full price isn't it!).

FIFTY texts. IN EUROPE. Oh dear. 100,000? 100 more like.

[rols]

Originally Posted by Hattig

"He said that a 24-month contract would start at 49 euros a month and include two hours of communications and 50 SMS text messages"

I trust this also includes unlimited data, and maybe free WiFi access with a nationwide wifi provider! Otherwise that's appalling, it's the worst offering I've seen on a mobile package. 120 minutes and FIFTY texts for £36 a month... I might not have any data but I'm paying £10 a month for 500 minutes and 100 texts (no phone, but hey the iPhone is full price isn't it!).

FIFTY texts. IN EUROPE. Oh dear. 100,000? 100 more like.

well if that's the kind of money they need to make after selling a full-price phone, they're going to have fun out here in Asia. I just signed up for 2 years at £8 a month equivalent, 100 outgoing, free incoming, 500 SMS in/out a month and the phone (sony E 810, not a totally terrible phone) was free. And I got a £40 rebate off a cable TV sports subscription I already had.

People here may well buy an iPhone even if it costs, but they're going to want to put it on their £8 a month plan.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by rols

well if that's the kind of money they need to make after selling a full-price phone, they're going to have fun out here in Asia. I just signed up for 2 years at £8 a month equivalent, 100 outgoing, free incoming, 500 SMS in/out a month and the phone (sony E 810, not a totally terrible phone) was free. And I got a £40 rebate off a cable TV sports subscription I already had.

People here may well buy an iPhone even if it costs, but they're going to want to put it on their £8 a month plan.

Your plan makes no mention of internet access. How much more is that?

[Rot'nApple]

Originally Posted by Sedicivalvole

Good point solipsism.

Somehow I think you may be slightly correct, however in the Uk it is not a bad deal due to the unlimited data, though this has not made its way to Germany so I see not much of advantage their

Two Hours Talk Time?!!

Tell me if anyone knows, does UK, Germany and/or France allow for FREE incoming calls? It seems all the various country's plans have very small talk time, so I'm just wondering.

[lfmorrison]

Originally Posted by Rot'nApple

Two Hours Talk Time?!!

Tell me if anyone knows, does UK, Germany and/or France allow for FREE incoming calls? It seems all the various country's plans have very small talk time, so I'm just wondering.

Last I checked (I don't live there), incoming calls are always free.

Outgoing calls (even from landlines, and even for "local" calls) have their tolls adjusted depending on the type of line being called, to cover any applicable airtime for both the sender and receiver.

[Mr. H]

You have to pay for incoming calls in the U.S.? That's certainly not normal in the U.K. (except when you go abroad - then you have to pay for incoming calls. This has caught many a U.K. consumer out as they just assume incoming calls are free, then get a sersiouly phone bill when they get home from their holiday abroad)

[city]

Originally Posted by Mr. H

You have to pay for incoming calls in the U.S.? That's certainly not normal in the U.K. (except when you go abroad - then you have to pay for incoming calls. This has caught many a U.K. consumer out as they just assume incoming calls are free, then get a sersiouly phone bill when they get home from their holiday abroad)

On cell phone we pay for incoming. On landlines we don't.

[studiomusic]

Originally Posted by Rot'nApple

Two Hours Talk Time?!!

Tell me if anyone knows, does UK, Germany and/or France allow for FREE incoming calls? It seems all the various country's plans have very small talk time, so I'm just wondering.

When I lived in France, incoming calls were not free. I think they have some services now that are free... I'll check with my family in law...
Prices seem about inline for France, they rape you everywhere they can.

[spezi]

Originally Posted by Rot'nApple

Two Hours Talk Time?!!

Tell me if anyone knows, does UK, Germany and/or France allow for FREE incoming calls? It seems all the various country's plans have very small talk time, so I'm just wondering.

I think there are very few countries where incoming calls are not free (like in the US). In Germany, one company was even once offering a contract where you would get a few cents per minute of incoming calls. Of course, they can only do that because you pay (much) more to call a cell phone compared to calling a landline.

[JakeBarnes]

Incoming calls to a cell phone are free in France and Germany. So you phone a friend "quick, call me back. I'm on my cell phone."

Do that enough, you don't have many friends left.

Two hours a month. This reminds me of the U.S. - seven years ago.

[jpferreira]

incoming calls are free here in Brazil... but we have to pay for [almost] everything else we wanna do with the phone...

throughout the planet you won't find other crappy/expensive cell services like here in Brazil..

[JeffDM]

In the US, I think incoming isn't charged if you chose a plan or provider that gives you that option. It's probably not AT&T. The plans seem to cover the fact that it's both ways though, with more time. I get free nights & weekends either direction, so even the cheapest plan is more than enough for me.

[lfmorrison]

Originally Posted by Mr. H

You have to pay for incoming calls in the U.S.? That's certainly not normal in the U.K. (except when you go abroad - then you have to pay for incoming calls. This has caught many a U.K. consumer out as they just assume incoming calls are free, then get a sersiouly phone bill when they get home from their holiday abroad)

In the US (North America-wide really), cell phones are landline phones are both equal peers at the local exchange level.

Incoming landline calls are always free for the incoming receiver no matter where the call is coming from (unless the caller called "collect").

Outgoing calls from a landline phone to any other phone number that is registered within the same local calling area (regardless of whether the recipient is a cell phone or a land line phone or a fax machine or anything else) are always free for the outgoing caller.

Outgoing calls from a landline to any phone number that is registered outside the caller's local calling area are typically charged at a long distance rate.

Incoming calls to a cell phone while the cell phone is in communication with a tower that is part of the phone owner's registered local calling area (no matter where the incoming call originated) are typically charged at a single local airtime rate.

Outgoing calls from a cell phone to any other phone number that is registered within the same local calling area as the phone owner's registered local exchange, while the cell phone is in communication with a tower that is part of the phone owner's registered local calling area, are typically charged at the same single local airtime rate.

Outgoing calls from a cell phone to any other phone number that is outside the caller's registered local calling area, while the cell phone is in communication with a tower that is part of the owner's registered local calling area, are typically charged at a long distance rate.

Both incoming and outgoing calls using a cell phone when the phone physically moves outside the owner's registered local calling area, may be charged at various rates depending on which network you're a member of, and sometimes depending on the specific service plan you're subscribed to.

[iGuess]

It all depends on your plan. Everyone I know is on "national" calling plans. Incoming calls are always charged - with exceptions. One exception is if you have "unlimited mobile to mobile" where calls between cellular users of the same network may call each other for free. AT&T recently expanded this offering with the "AT&T Unity Plans" which allows users within the AT&T network (land line & cellular) to call each other for free. I have never paid "long distance charges" for any outgoing call from my cell (just used up airtime minutes).

I pay $79 (plus tax) for 1350 anytime "rollover" minute, unlimited nights & weekends (calls made/received between 9:00PM and 6:00AM) and 200 text messages. Every month I use roughly 600 minutes because 40-60% of people who I talk to have AT&T. I probably average a total of 6000 minutes a month.

I haven't experienced the problems with dropped calls/network failures that others complain about and I've been with AT&T/Cingular for over five years.

[naas]

more info available in this thread
i know i'm only 10 post old here but why this thread is on the ipod/itunes/apple tv when an iphone section does exist ?

[naas]

Iphone without abonment will be at 649 euros but... you will have to add an extra 100 euros if you want to use it on an other network than orange