Dutch iPhone carrier challenging Apple's exclusive European contracts

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 39
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ecphorizer View Post


    In other news, Deutsche Telekom has reportedly decided that Apple's exclusive contract with AT&T in the US is illegal and will begin offering the iPhone thorugh its T-Mobile subsidiary.



    Excellent, Smithers!
  • Reply 22 of 39
    jfanningjfanning Posts: 3,398member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Stourque View Post


    Just wondering if these European carriers charge roaming fees outside their home country? Can't have it both ways.



    Yes they can, the EU allows them to operate this way.
  • Reply 23 of 39
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    I'm not talking about the screen sizes.



    I'm talking about our past discussions. You've been extremely adamant and critical of the iPhone and iOS. I'm genuinely curious as to what has changed that has inspired you to use both the iPhone and the iPad.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sapporobabyrtrns View Post


    Ding, ding, ding..... We have a winner..... I also have an 11 inch MBA that I swap places with the iPad on occasions.



  • Reply 24 of 39
    gctwnlgctwnl Posts: 278member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JamesMan View Post


    This is, of course, the same KPN that called the iPhone useless just a few years ago and yet even then in the same breath saying "please, let us sell it"...



    Exactly. Given that, even if you are right, how smart is it to offend Apple just as you have started distributing the iPhone after having grinded your teeth for three years while T-Mobile was the exclusive carrier in The Netherlands? This is really good for relation-building with Apple.



    KPN has the best network (together with Vodafone) but they do not register high on the smart-meter with respect to iPhone so far.
  • Reply 25 of 39
    Well, KPN never enjoyed exclusivity with the iPhone in the Netherlands; it was T-Mobile. However, since exclusivity ended, KPN and Vodafone are also offering iPhones.

    What I noticed is all of a sudden everyone in my vicinity is sporting an iPhone right now; wouldn't be surprised it it were to become the no. 1 handset in Holland.
  • Reply 26 of 39
    jfanningjfanning Posts: 3,398member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by docyoast View Post


    Well, KPN never enjoyed exclusivity with the iPhone in the Netherlands; it was T-Mobile. However, since exclusivity ended, KPN and Vodafone are also offering iPhones.

    What I noticed is all of a sudden everyone in my vicinity is sporting an iPhone right now; wouldn't be surprised it it were to become the no. 1 handset in Holland.



    If it become the no.1 handset in Holland, what would be the no.1 handset in the rest of the Netherlands?
  • Reply 27 of 39
    Let it be known that Mobistar's contract with Apple in Belgium only involves selling the iPhone.

    It is unlocked and can be used anywhere.



    They are NOT an exclusive provider, although they offer a (a wee bit expensive) plan taylored to the iPhone.



    You don't have to change carriers and in fact what I do with my prepaid Base (Belgian subsidiary of KPN) SIM is to add a data plan 500MB/1mo whenever I expect to be out-of-WiFi-range.



    True, the main point of the article is not invalidated by the above remark (it is about Belgian iPhone SALES), but some of the comments are.
  • Reply 28 of 39
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by andriesse View Post


    That is incorrect. T-Mobile used to be the exclusive provider in the Netherlands. Now all major operators sell the iPhone.



    Cheers

    Nick



    Three to be exact: T-Mobile started in 2008, and then in 2010 Apple added KPN and Vodafone as their carriers.
  • Reply 29 of 39
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Stourque View Post


    Just wondering if these European carriers charge roaming fees outside their home country? Can't have it both ways.



    Yes they do. And can, since they register their business in that country, with local VAT registration etcetera. Proceedings go the the holding, in this case KPN in Holland.
  • Reply 30 of 39
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JamesMan View Post


    This is, of course, the same KPN that called the iPhone useless just a few years ago and yet even then in the same breath saying "please, let us sell it"...



    Yep, that was the response from KPN's ceo Ad Scheepbouwer after using the iPhone for a day. It is possible that he was very impressed but couldn't get a deal with Apple back then. The only way to talk yourself out of that situation is probably to make derogatory remarks...
  • Reply 31 of 39
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bobrik View Post


    Great point. Sure they do charge as an international call calls between 2 EU countries. But when it comes to selling iPhones, they want the EU to be one market.



    Exactly! And that makes KPN in this case acting like Microploft. Interpreting the law to your advantage.
  • Reply 32 of 39
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sapporobabyrtrns View Post


    Of course they do. Live in Finland with a Finnish sim and travel to Sweden, you pay roaming charges. This is pretty easy to understand. However if the iPhone or any phone for that matter is unlocked all you do is pop out your home country sim and pop in a local sim from the country you are in. I do this all the time with both my iPhone4 and iPad.



    Me too. Funny thing is when you buy the iPhone, supposedly locked by carrier, I simply pop in a sim card from a different provider and the phone turns out to be unlocked. Go figure...



    It's still a shame there is no way to buy a single sim card for internet use throughout Europe and pay local fees for the country you are in. Swapping these sim cards (micro's) in and out becomes a bit of a hassle. One way to avoid that is to simply don't bother and pay roaming fees. T-Mobile charges ? 2.00 per MByte. KPN ? 2.95 per Mbyte. Vodafone is more complicated, pdf in Dutch if you like:

    http://www.vodafone.nl/Vodafone/wg30...b_sept2010.pdf
  • Reply 33 of 39
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TenoBell View Post


    I'm not talking about the screen sizes.



    I'm talking about our past discussions. You've been extremely adamant and critical of the iPhone and iOS. I'm genuinely curious as to what has changed that has inspired you to use both the iPhone and the iPad.



    You didn't say that...



    I am still critical of iOS but I see it filling more and more of my needs. Dear God in Heaven I wish we could have widgets like the HTC Desire or something like Lock Screen Info which you can get if you JB your phone. More and more I am seeing your average Finns moving in favor of iOS for its ease of use and the way it simply blends into their lives. This is the part that Nokia is missing. Nokia can still beat iOS in several things but the over battle goes to iOS because of the ecosystem that goes along with it.
  • Reply 34 of 39
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lordeagle View Post


    Almost 3 years after introducing the iPhone onto their network, Mobistar is STILL NOT providing the Visual Voicemail feature.



    As can be read on their FAQ (http://iphone3g.mobistar.be/en/faq.cfm#):





    I thought this was a simple feature that Apple provided to their partner carrier???



    For this shame alone, Apple should cut its ties with Mobistar!



    A true shame! To me, Visual Voicemail is _THE_ best invention in the phone business. I switched from T-Mobile which has VV to KPN because of their faster 3G internet speed (7.2 vs 2.0 Mbit) but lost VV as a result. KPN voicemail: "press 1 for..., press 2 for..." That is so 1988 I turned of voicemail altogether. Which people actually like...
  • Reply 35 of 39
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gctwnl View Post


    Exactly. Given that, even if you are right, how smart is it to offend Apple just as you have started distributing the iPhone after having grinded your teeth for three years while T-Mobile was the exclusive carrier in The Netherlands? This is really good for relation-building with Apple.



    KPN has the best network (together with Vodafone) but they do not register high on the smart-meter with respect to iPhone so far.



    Very true. KPN is very similar to Microploft. Both do not innovate and are Competition Copiers. KPN shares are a laugh, stuck around ? 11 for years.
  • Reply 36 of 39
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jfanning View Post


    If it become the no.1 handset in Holland, what would be the no.1 handset in the rest of the Netherlands?



    It's the same country, just a different name
  • Reply 37 of 39
    jfanningjfanning Posts: 3,398member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by PhilBoogie View Post


    It's the same country, just a different name



    Technically no, and since you claim your are from The Netherlands you would know this, do people from Zeeland or Friesland like to generalised and said they are from Holland? It would like referring to all of the USA as "New York", or all of the UK as England.
  • Reply 38 of 39
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    I only asked why do you have an iPhone and iPad. The rest is just assumption.



    What is happening is what several of us have been telling you for a long time. That Apple has been building the foundation of iOS and adding features as they become fully developed.



    Its the same with widgets. Widgets are a good idea. But the widget system in Android is mediocre at best. I'm not sure how much use I would make of them if I owned an Android phone. I'd wager that if/when Apple implements widgets in iOS it'll be a far better system.



    Nokia has absolutely no coherent plan for dealing with iOS or Android. Currently they are skating by on selling the largest number of cheap phones.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sapporobabyrtrns View Post


    You didn't say that...



    I am still critical of iOS but I see it filling more and more of my needs. Dear God in Heaven I wish we could have widgets like the HTC Desire or something like Lock Screen Info which you can get if you JB your phone. More and more I am seeing your average Finns moving in favor of iOS for its ease of use and the way it simply blends into their lives. This is the part that Nokia is missing. Nokia can still beat iOS in several things but the over battle goes to iOS because of the ecosystem that goes along with it.



  • Reply 39 of 39
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jfanning View Post


    Technically no, and since you claim your are from The Netherlands you would know this, do people from Zeeland or Friesland like to generalised and said they are from Holland? It would like referring to all of the USA as "New York", or all of the UK as England.



    Well, you got me there! True, the Netherlands is divided into provinces, among which are the North & South Holland. So yes, you are right that people from Zeeland and Friesland are not from Holland (but from The Netherlands).



    Back to your original question: "If it become the no.1 handset in Holland, what would be the no.1 handset in the rest of the Netherlands?" I'd say there actually could be a difference in the #1 handset throughout The Netherlands since these two 'North & South Holland provinces' do include 3 of the 4 biggest cities (Amsterdam, Rotterdam & The Hague, excluding Utrecht). However, the country is only 2,000 square miles so chances of having a different #1 smartphone in the 'rest of the country' seems unlikely to me. But where would one find these geographical numbers?



    Still, very perceptive of you!
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