Italians may end up paying more for the 3G iPhone, but that’s because they won’t be locked into any phone-subsidizing contract. That, according to reports in today’s Repubblica. It looks like Apple and TIM, the largest wireless provider in Italy, reached a deal last week that gives the provider an exclusive on the 3G iPhone, sorta. While TIM will be the exclusive carrier of the iPhone as far as regular subscriptions go—that is, if you want the phone along with the normal two-year contract or whatever—Italians will also have to option of buying the phone unlocked and contract-free. That way, they’ll be able to go with a pay-as-you-go service, which is apparently quite popular over there.
TIM had no official response to the reports, only saying that they’ll have something “later on.”
Unlike other reports, this one doesn’t say whether or not the 3G iPhone will look any different from the current model.
via AppleInsider
Comments
I will add that pay-as-you-go is popular pretty much everywhere outside of North America and a good part of the UK. Many places are actually mainly a pay as you go community with very few using actual plans. Just look at South America where buying things at certain places gives you additional minutes. It would be like riding a certain omnibus line and getting 15 free minutes for entel customers. It is really a great model and if it werent for the crippled offerings in North America, payg would be a good option
what is the prize in itely
Leave Comment
Commenting Options
Create an avatar that will appear whenever you leave a comment on a Gravatar-enabled blog.