I've had a friend who works for Orange insistently telling me for months that they're getting the iPhone in September. Never believed him, but looks like an apology might be in order...

Finally better tariffs and networks

I think I speak for most (if not all) t-mobile customers when I say YES, I would love to at least have a choice, but sadly here in the US things will most probably remain the same since T-mob's 3G bands are not compatible with the iphone. Unless Apple includes T-mob's 3G bands in their units or until everybody moves on to LTE (or if T-mob switches bands, which is even less likely) I think AT&T will keep the exclusivity. I truly hope I'm wrong though...

Why would they leave vodafone out? Vodafone sell iphone in aus or NZ. It's very odd that only 3 out of the 4 main companies would have it.

"In a move that can only be described as "for the love of everything decent and holy, why not in the US?!?!""

Ah phoa.

In the Netherlands we would love to get rid of our crappy T-Mobile coverage. You'rer not the only ones who've got trouble.

In sweden there are three providers of the Iphone. Telia, telenor and 3. So this is not exactly news to us :)

Why didn't my last comment go through. New try

In Sweden there are three providers that carries the iphone. Telia, telenor and 3. This has been the case for a while.

Please Appple, break the monopoly of America Movil (A.K. Telcel) in Latin America. iPhone 3G cost around $900.00 Dlls in pre paid, and even that it is free with a data plan, the plan is at least $70.00 Dlls per month.
Some says that the new iPhone 3GS could cost $1800.00 Dlls in pre paid.

Please don't let Carlos Slim get richer at expenses of the poor people. "iPhone for everyone!"

It's a big IF at the moment...but I think it would be a good if for prospective iPhone owners in the UK like myself... maybe some competition would be good for the market.

T-Mobile US does not support the same frequencies that are needed for the iPhone to use 3G. 4G, LTE, is a universal standard and uses GSM tech. That would open up the phone to a multitude of carriers. I currently have a 1st gen iPhone running on T-Mobile with OS 3.0. Works well with the exception of Visual Voicemail.
T-Mobile US decided to use a non-standard way of doing 3g, that in some reports, mention it is a baby step towards the LTE network.

A side note, my Edge connection is so freaking fast in my area. I don't really understand it. I am outside of NYC in CT, and in one area I ran the iphone speed test and the report said I was .12 percent faster than edge! I had cleared the browser cache and it was a fresh install. Funny

Does this have something to do with o2 being greedy and having exclusive rights to the palm pre

is this something to do with o2 being greedy with their exclusive rights to the palm pre

http://shop.o2.co.uk/update/palmpre.html

That certainly would seem to explain the lack of a decent upgrade route when the 3GS came out, either there sticking us for all they can get before they lose exclusivity or there saving up the spare cash to entice people with better deals when the market opens up.

But why no Vodaphone they without doubt have the fastest and best coverage of the carriers for urban areas, I have a Voda usb stick and regularly get 1.5meg in areas where im on GPRS with the iPhone.

Come on Voda make your play aswell! ... or are you holding out for an exclusive deal on an LTE unit next year? ;-)

Finally I might actually think about buying an iPhone now. But no vodafone? (they always seem to be the cheapest

If you want to complain about Vodafone, look at the folks on Verizon. It is the nations largest network with the largest high speed coverage per sq mile of any provider. So what if AT&T has maybe the fastest by a slight edge (no pun intended) if you cannot get the service more than a few miles outside a major metro? Even Sprint has passed AT&T in high speed data coverage (over sq miles). I had Verizon for years and now I own two iPhones. (1st and GS) I've about had it with AT&T's mediocrity. A subpar phone is even starting to sound good as long as I get real service...

What about those phones that apple sold unlocked in the US through Buy.com? They worked on T-mobile's 3G didn't they? I don't think apple will see that big of a sales boost by selling iphones on t-mobile in the US. I do however see a lot of AT&T customers potentially jumping ship and going over to Tmobile. Now, if they released it on Verizon, they'd probably double their sales. I know I'd get one.

In Australia the iPhone is on every carrier and there are about 6 to choose from

Weren't those unlocked iPhones Apple sold through buy.com able to use Tmobile's 3G? I thought they could. I don't think Apple would see that big a boost in sales if they released the iPhone on Tmobile. I think you'd see more people jumping ship from AT&T to Tmobile than new sales. Now, if Apple were to release it on Verizon, they'd double their market AND their sales...

In Denmark we are lucky to have 3 iPhone carriers, and one of them, "3"(the carriers name), has (i think) the best 3G coverage i the world. "3" covers almost a 100% of the country with 7.2 Mbit/s, about 80% with 14.4 Mbit/s and in the big cities we have 21 Mbit/s. So no dropped calls and FAST internet EVERYWHERE, thanks for choosing "3" Apple!

(You should note though, that the speeds are theoretical)

And to the swedish guy: I thought you had 4 carriers, what about "Halebop".

So just to sum it all up: We have great coverage and many choices of carriers (competition=lower prices).
I feel sorry for you americans, and now I have one less reason to move to the us.

This is brilliant news! O2 are so non-Apple- and this really sends a strong message to O2 (and everybody else for that matter- worldwide), that us Macusers won't put up with this half-arsed attitude from many of these companies who seem to be in it simply for "the money".

I am sick of O2's feeble service, as probably are many, many others in the United Kingdom.

Rock on Steve Jobs! Bring on Orange! :D :D :D