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Broadband & Mobile Featured Article
October 19, 2007
Apple Softens Under French Pressure
By Tim Gray TMCnet Web Editor
Apple (News - Alert) has decided that, at least when in France, it is sometimes better joining them if you can’t beat them.
The personal computer maker, portable media player producer, software developer and all around star of most it touches, has decided to listen to the French government and its boisterous citizenry and allow iPhone (News - Alert) users in that country to run the device on various cellular networks.
Under a deal, the European mobile carrier Orange will remain the exclusive source for the iPhone in the French market, but will now offer both a locked version for its French net for about $560 and an unlocked version for a higher, but undisclosed price.
Orange, which is owned by France Telecom (News - Alert), initially won the exclusive rights as the sole provider to offer the iPhone, giving it the same agreement Apple has used with other service carriers.
In the United States, AT&T (News - Alert) is the exclusive provider of the iPhone and in the United Kingdom it is O2. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company recently announced it selected-Mobile in Germany to carry the phone.
However, the deal with Orange quickly stalled and negotiations with the French telco ran aground because of public and government opposition to lock-ins deal.
French consumer laws specifically prohibit the dependent sale of a product and a service which means that Orange will have to sell the iPhone with and without subscription. Apple is not happy with that and, since it has refused to let Orange flog a subsidized iPhone as part of a package, there is little reason for anyone to sign up for an Orange deal.
Tim Gray is a Web Editor for TMCnet, covering news in the IP
communications, call center and customer relationship management industries. To see more of his articles, please visit Tim Gray’s columnist page.
The personal computer maker, portable media player producer, software developer and all around star of most it touches, has decided to listen to the French government and its boisterous citizenry and allow iPhone (News - Alert) users in that country to run the device on various cellular networks.
Under a deal, the European mobile carrier Orange will remain the exclusive source for the iPhone in the French market, but will now offer both a locked version for its French net for about $560 and an unlocked version for a higher, but undisclosed price.
Orange, which is owned by France Telecom (News - Alert), initially won the exclusive rights as the sole provider to offer the iPhone, giving it the same agreement Apple has used with other service carriers.
In the United States, AT&T (News - Alert) is the exclusive provider of the iPhone and in the United Kingdom it is O2. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company recently announced it selected-Mobile in Germany to carry the phone.
However, the deal with Orange quickly stalled and negotiations with the French telco ran aground because of public and government opposition to lock-ins deal.
French consumer laws specifically prohibit the dependent sale of a product and a service which means that Orange will have to sell the iPhone with and without subscription. Apple is not happy with that and, since it has refused to let Orange flog a subsidized iPhone as part of a package, there is little reason for anyone to sign up for an Orange deal.
Tim Gray is a Web Editor for TMCnet, covering news in the IP
communications, call center and customer relationship management industries. To see more of his articles, please visit Tim Gray’s columnist page.
