O2 have decided that "tethering" your phone to your laptop and surfing the Internet requires a Bolt-on thus more money disappearing from your wallet. I've been doing tethering with all my phones (currently a BlackBerry) for years. Come on this is just not on.

Looks like the rip-off continues:

You don't need a monthly contract to get an iPhone 3G. There are three models to choose from:

iPhone 3G 8GB - £342.50
iPhone 3G S 16GB - £440.40
iPhone 3G S 32GB - £538.30

Previous model iphone for £342.50? They've gotta be kidding.
I thought it said on the keynote $99?

$99 for new AT&T customers.

Indeed, where's the OLED screen?

The biggest issue is that O2 won't let you upgrade, you have to pay off your whole remaining contract and sign a new one.

I'm not that happy with O2 and so I might see my 3G contract out and consider my options. I like the iPhone but I just think O2 are being too greedy.

O2 are being greedy. Apple should be looking to provide the iPhone to all UK operators.

Edited by deleted (Tue 09-Jun-09 19:09:47)

This is the SIM free price by the look of it. Unlocked iPhone.

I remember with the original iPhone you could upgrade to the 3G version in your contract and just sign up for another 18-months. This makes sense. Paying off the remainder of your contract to upgrade to the 3GS, doesn't.

In reply to a post by Kiggs:

I remember with the original iPhone you could upgrade to the 3G version in your contract and just sign up for another 18-months. This makes sense. Paying off the remainder of your contract to upgrade to the 3GS, doesn't.

That was because the first version was sold at a non-subsidised price. So the airtime contract didn't contribute to O2's cost recovery. The 3G version was subsidised by the 18 month airtime contract, so O2 would lose money if they let you cancel your contract prematurely without penalty.

I haven't yet been able to find out what they want to cancel my remaining contract time, as the O2 CS person I spoke to yesterday had been given no information and had no access to the O2 web pages I was looking at. She asked me to read off the tariffs to her! I suspect the cancellation fee will vary according to what contract you are on, what phone and contract you want to buy next, who you speak to, the phase of the moon, and other factors we can only guess at.

Its simple to work out the cost to finish you contract early. You just need to multiply the remaining months of your contract by your tariff level.

Of course, why didn't I think of that