O2 Ireland today confirmed that it will be the exclusive Irish carrier for Apple’s revolutionary iPhone when it makes its official debut in Ireland on March 14th. iPhone combines three devices into one: a mobile phone, a widescreen iPod and the best mobile Internet device ever, all based on Apple’s revolutionary Multi-Touch interface and pioneering software that allows users to control iPhone with just a tap, flick or pinch of their fingers.
iPhone will be sold in Ireland through O2 retail stores. The device will also be available through Carphone Warehouse retail stores. iPhone will be available in an 8GB model for €399 (inc VAT) and a 16GB model for €499 (inc VAT) and will work with either a Mac or PC. Three new iPhone tariffs will be available from O2, starting at €45, all of which will include anytime minutes, texts and a 1GB data bundle.
Commenting on the announcement in the press release, Danuta Gray, O2 Ireland CEO, said, “The iPhone is changing the way people use their mobiles forever, and we’re thrilled to offer it to O2 customers in Ireland. Our strategy in Ireland continues to be to bring our customers the very best innovations and experiences in mobile communications.”
The activation process for customers who sign up to iPhone tariffs is very simple, with the SIM being activated immediately in-store. Once at home, all customers then have to do is sync the device to their PC or Mac, download the latest version of iTunes, follow the easy to use activation steps and the device will be ready to use.
Once activated, users can easily sync all of their phone numbers and other contact information, calendars, email accounts, web browser bookmarks, music, photos, podcasts and TV shows just like they do when they sync their iPods with iTunes.
Telefónica O2 Europe also announced fourth quarter results today:
Key performance indicators for the quarter ended 31 December 2007:
Total revenue (in local currency):
• O2 UK total revenue grew by 7.8% in the fourth quarter and by 18.7% for the full year;
• O2 Germany total revenue was broadly flat in the fourth quarter and grew by 6.7% for the full year;
• O2 Ireland total revenue grew by 1.4% in the fourth quarter and by 11.9% for the full year;
• O2 Czech Republic group total revenue grew by 1.7% in the fourth quarter and by 2.9% for the full year
Mobile average revenue per user (monthly, in local currency):
• O2 UK blended ARPU £24.0 (Q4 2006: £23.0)
• O2 Germany blended ARPU €19.4 (Q4 2006: €23.7)
• O2 Ireland blended ARPU €45.7 (Q4 2006: €45.0)
• O2 Czech Republic ARPU CZK 540 (Q4 2006: CZK 528)
Mobile data:
• Group data revenue of €3.5 billion, with non-SMS data revenue of €680 million in 2007
• Over 8 billion SMS messages sent during the quarter – 16% growth year on year.
Matthew Key, Chairman & Chief Executive of Telefónica Europe, commented n the press release:
For 2007 O2 has delivered a strong set of results adding 3.04 million mobile customers during the year and over 1 million in the fourth quarter alone, taking the total mobile customer base to 38.26 million, 8.6% higher than last year. Non-SMS data revenue is growing fast with €680 million recorded in 2007, growth of 26% year on year, and this trend will accelerate in 2008.
In the UK, we outperformed the market again, posting like for like revenue growth of 9.5% for the year, above the top end of our guidance range. The UK added 483,000 net customers in the quarter including 276,000 on contract, the highest number ever, helped by sales of the iPhone, the fastest selling device that we have ever had in the UK. Whilst it is still to soon too say we are immune to any slowdown in the global economy, we are currently seeing no evidence of a decrease in our customers spend and the mobile is an indispensable part of many customers lives. Blended monthly ARPU growth of £1 year on year in the UK illustrates that we are successfully focusing on higher value customers. (Bold emphasis added by MacDailyNews)
In Germany, the trend in total revenue improved from the first nine months of the year and was flat in the fourth quarter, compared to the same period last year. However, the market continues to be challenging, with blended quarterly monthly ARPU down 17.9% year on year. We were pleased with net additions of 244,000 contract customers during the quarter, an increase of 26.5% over the fourth quarter last year and our new Fonic brand has attracted over 200,000 customers in just less than 4 months. The total mobile customer base finished the year at 12.472 million, representing 13.1% year on year growth. Our Telefónica Deutschland DSL business continues to perform well, with a 3½ fold increase in unbundled lines to 671,000, and reached our target of OIBDA breakeven on a monthly basis before the end of the year. Our re-launched O2 DSL service added 38,000 customers during the quarter and has a strong order pipeline.
The Czech Republic business has had a strong year, delivering 2.9% group revenue growth compared to 2006, with 4.8% service revenue growth in the Czech mobile business, which added 158,000 customers in the quarter, an increase of 51% on the same quarter last year. The percentage of contract customers in the base now stands at 43.8%, compared to only 38.5% at the end of December 2006. In our fixed line business, the total number of ADSL lines stood at 570,000 at the end of December, compared to 470,000 at the same time last year.
In a competitive market O2 Ireland traded well, adding 22,000 net contract customers in the quarter, an increase of 26.8% compared to the same period last year, ending the period with a total customer base of 1.646 million, 1% higher than at the same time last year. The launch of O2 Broadband, our wireless mobile broadband solution, continues to exceed our expectations, offering a real alternative to fixed broadband in the home in a market that is under penetrated and has good growth potential.”
Source: Telefónica O2 Europe
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Mike in Helsinki” for the heads up.]
It’s called the O’Phone in Ireland.
Wonder if there will be a special edition BonoPhone
Paddy & Mick are flying a plane. All is going well until the landing, as soon as the wheels touch the floor, they slam the engines into reverse and apply the brakes fully.
They JUST manage to stop the plane before end of the tarmac. Sweating profusely, Paddy says to Mick “Blimey Mick, this runway isn’t very long.”
Mick replies “I know, but you should see how wide it is!”
Confession
An elderly man walks into a confessional. The following conversation ensues:
Man: “I am 92 years old, have a wonderful wife of 70 years, many children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Yesterday, I picked up two college girls, hitchhiking. We went to a motel, where I had sex with each of them three times.”
Priest: “Are you sorry for your sins?”
Man: “What sins?”
Priest: “What kind of a Catholic are you?”
Man: “I’m Jewish.”
Priest: “Why are you telling me all this?”
Man: “I’m 92 years old ….. I’m telling everybody!”
Erin go wireless!
You may joke about the Irish, but despite being opressed for centuries we managed to box well above our weight in this world. We built America, sixteen US presidents are of Irish descent.
A good number of people I know have been waiting for this (including myself).
Then I read:
“starting at €45, all of which will include anytime minutes, texts and a 1GB data bundle.”
1GB! What planet are they on.
What happened to the expected Unlimited data plan?
I’m amazed Apple let this past (Apple has their European HQ here).
Ireland, screwed again by the network providers.
“You may joke about the Irish . . .”
Is it o.k. to joke with the Irish?
Let me know soon. Thanks.
Yes Ampar,
It is ok to joke with the Irish.
Ps your the wittiest person on this forum.
Keep it up.
From O2’s site for Ireland:
* Unused inclusive minutes and texts cannot be carried over to the following month. !!
** Data use in excess of the 1GB allowance will be charged at 2c per MB excluding roaming. !!!
*** Visual voicemail is not currently supported. !!!!!
(Hope the formatting works):
Monthly charge €45 €65 €100
Anytime minutes included* 175 350 700 Mins
Texts included* 100 150 250
Data included** 1GB 1GB 1GB
Additional calls 20c 20c 20c P min
Additional texts 10c 10c 10c P text
Voicemail*** 15c 15c 15c P min
all in all, this is not good.
Fantastic Phone
Crappy networks.
WHEN IT COMES TO SPAIN AND PORTUGAL,PEOPLE ARE FANATIC BY THE IPHONE HERE!!!
“all in all, this is not good.”
No, it isn’t. What’s the point of an exclusive carrier if that carrier isn’t going to put a good package together that allow users to really make use of their new iPhone?
Agreed Irish Dude & Spark.
From MacNN
Fees will start at €45 per month under an 18-month contract; users will not however have access to unlimited data, the cap being set at 1GB for all plans. Similarly, Visual Voicemail is not being supported in the initial deployment, though it may arrive later. Both of these changes will make the Irish iPhone distinct from that in any other country.
Ireland is becoming one of the most expensive places on earth. That is why O2 can get away with those prices…
Ireland has been pumped full to bursting with redevelopment fund Euros…
I’ll be getting a Touch & staying with Vodafone.
“iRelandphone”. Buy several million of them in honor of St. Patrick’s day, please.
“O2 to sell Apple iPhone exclusively in Ireland starting March 14”
That is St Patrick’s Day.
Thanks O2 & a happy Paddy’s Day to you too!
(Extends middle finger)
Thanks, Another Irish Dude!
We’re just Dublin the fun around here.
wow, that’s even worse than the t-mobile plans here in germany. and that means something.
Watch out Canada, with Rogers, your next!
No problem Ampar. Thanks for the laugh on this crappy day.
I really had hopes that iPhone would help change the game here.
Guess i’ll be doing the same as some others, get an iPod Touch & stay with my slightly less crappy phone company….
O2 don’t even have Wifi hotspots in Ireland, and no deal with any Wifi network like in the UK.
1 GB of data. Whoopee!
So we are doubly screwed.
Whether you like the iPhone or not this is simply another case of being ripped off in Ireland. In every other country the iPhone has been released, they have had unlimited data plans also usually supported by an agreement for use of wi-fi hotspots such as AT&T;’s wi-fi spots in the US and O2’s own wi-fi hotspots in the UK. In the UK iPhone subcribers also have access to cloud wi-fi network which is a nationwide wi-fi provider inclusive in their O2 tariff.
What is interesting here is that the iPhone is only available in the UK on O2 and in Ireland on O2. This gives us a direct comparison between pricing policies in the UK and Ireland via the same company, for example: high tariff UK is £75 (€105) Vs €100 in Ireland. In the UK you get 3000 minutes of calls but in Ireland you get 700 minutes. In UK you get 500 texts and in Ireland you get 250. In UK you get unlimited data and wi-fi (O2 hotspots and cloud) and in Ireland you get a 1GB limit, 2c for every additional 1MB and no deal with any wi-fi hotspots. And also in Ireland, additional calls are 20c per minute which is pretty high and additional texts are 10c per minute, also relatively high.
Even a tech-related article I read today states this:
“Fees will start at €45 per month under an 18-month contract; users will not however have access to unlimited data, the cap being set at 1GB for all plans. Similarly, Visual Voicemail is not being supported in the initial deployment, though it may arrive later. Both of these changes will make the Irish iPhone distinct from that in any other country.”
Also, quoting the O2 website:
“Unused inclusive minutes and texts cannot be carried over to the following month.” and
“*** Visual voicemail is not currently supported”.
We are the only country so far with no unlimited data plan. O2 are also launching this product on St. Patrick’s day March 14th. It is nice to know that O2 are sending us a happy Paddy’s day gift by ripping us off.
Does anyone have stats for the range of monthly data volume per typical iPhone user?