05/26/2008, 10:40pm, EDT
Monday, May 26thOrange offering deal on 3G iPhone trade-up?
Orange is giving its French iPhone customers incentives to trade up to the new model, according to news from multiple readers of PCInpact. The carrier is described as calling its customers giving them an offer that would encourage them to trade up to the iPhone. One offer would see users trade in their 2G models for the next-generation version as well as paying 50 Euros; a second would let them keep the older model but buy the new one with a "generous" subsidy from the carrier, according to reports.
The provider hasn't responded to requests to confirm the campaign. It's also unknown whether the move is permanent or a temporary promotion encouraging early adopters to buy again.
If corroborate, the report would suggest that at least one existing iPhone carrier is opening itself to a subsidized model that rewards Apple by discounting the phone itself rather than splitting monthly service revenues between the American phone maker and its partners. T-Mobile Germany has already begun contract-based discounts on iPhones but only as part of a limited discount meant to clear stock by late June, when most observers foresee a 3G-capable iPhone model available in many current and new markets.
Whether this will be the default choice for carriers from now on is also unclear, though the change is all but necessary to bring the iPhone to countries like China, where nationalist policies both formal and otherwise discourage direct revenue sharing with outside countries.
Filed under: iPhone
Other story tags: T-Mobile, Orange, China Mobile
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why?
Why in the world would they offer a new iphone for just 50 euros? They've already locked in a customer. There's just no benefit to the company for it.
Oh, and so they're already offering upgrades when there's not even a product yet? Real smooth, guys.
normally
In cases like this usually they allow you to upgrade to a new phone in exchange for your contract beng extended by the length of time since you last bought the old phone - this way people are locked in for longer but they also get to have the new phone without having to wait for the contract to expire.
Seems early for that...
That's what I thought originally (that Orange was letting customers upgrade their iPhones in exchange for "re-starting the clock" on their service contracts), but France has only had the iPhone for about six months.
I don't know how long their contracts are, but it seems a little early to be wooing the customers with such a sweet deal, especially since Orange will probably be able to sell every 3G iPhone they can get their hands on to new customers (or current customers without iPhones). I have no idea why they'd want to set aside thousands of phones for bargain-priced upgrades for existing iPhone owners.
This kind of offer wouldn't have surprised me in another 6-12 months, but it seems almost too good to be true right now.