Orange to sell Apple iPhone in United Kingdom

Orange, a telecom provider based in the UK, has finalised an agreement with Apple to begin selling the iPhone in the United Kingdom.

Previously, iPhones were only available from o2. This new deal with Orange brings the exclusivity o2 once enjoyed to an end. Orange said consumers would be able to purchase the iPhone from them as some point this year, but they did not give any details on how much they might cost or when they would be available. People are being invited to sign up on the Orange website to register their interest in the product. It isn't yet known if Orange will sell them at the same price as o2. They currently retail at o2 for about £87. Orange was in the news recently after it announced plans to merge with T- Mobile. If the deal goes ahead, the company would become the UK's most dominant mobile phone provider with 37 per cent market share. O2 say it was aware their arrangement to exclusively sell the iPhone in the UK was only going to be for a set time. A statement on the Orange website reads: "Orange UK and Apple have reached an agreement to bring iPhone 3G and 3GS to Orange UK customers later this year. Orange globally now offers iPhone in 28 countries and territories. Orange, which has the largest 3G network covering more people in the UK than any other operator, will sell iPhone in all Orange direct channels including Orange shops, the Orange webshop and Orange telesales channels, as well as selected high street partners." O2 will now offer the Palm phone, a rival to the iPhone, on an exclusive basis in the UK beginning October this year.