The Register stirred up a host of interest
Monday when it reported that T-Mobile is negotiating with Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) to carry iPhone 3G in the UK. That would break O2’s exclusivity on the handset, bringing it inline with some other countries, where iPhone is carried by more than one network…
But The Reg didn’t carry any actual comment from anyone at T-Mobile, nor from Orange, which it said is also trying to get the handset – so is it true? Officially, T-Mobile UK tell us the report is “merely speculation”, on which it can’t comment.
That doesn’t mean T-Mobile isn’t asking Apple for iPhone carriage, but the arrangement as reported by The Reg would be strange indeed – while O2 would retain its exclusive on the 3GS, carriage of the older, lesser handset would be given to the other networks…
That would split the unity of Apple’s retail plan, cause potential consumer confusion and would give the new carriers a status as being satisfied with the dregs of old iPhone stock. On the other hand, it would help clear what is thought to be a backlog in 3G stock.