Orange boss - iPhone launch boosted UK mobile sales

O2 wasn't the only company to benefit from the 'unprecedented demand' that met the release of the iPhone 3G - some competitors saw benefit too, as interest in mobile phones shot up.

Orange chief executive, Tom Alexander, described the weekend of the iPhone launch as "the best trading weekend of the year so far," thanks to the iPhone on O2.

"People were excited by the product, came out to shop and found other great deals on the high street. Everyone has benefited from the iPhone."

It may be the chief exec is simply playing nice - recent weeks have seen a rumour and its subsequent retraction claim Apple plans to allow Orange to share the O2 limelight in offering the iPhone in the UK.

Denying this, O2 has simply pointed out that it has a multi-year exclusive deal for the device in the UK, the first year of which has not yet elapsed.

Orange does carry the iPhone in France, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland and other markets.