O2 Ireland Announce Officially The iPhone
Just noticed on the O2 Website that the iPhone will launch in Ireland on the 14th March and will come in 2 flavours
- 8GB for 399 Euro
- 16GB for 499 Euro
The prices above are about 100 Euro more expensive than the US equivalent. I got mine for about 300 Euro.
The tariffs are bloody expensive though!
| Monthly charge | Euro 45 | Euro 65 | Euro 100 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anytime minutes included* | 175 | 350 | 700 | Mins |
| Texts included* | 100 | 150 | 250 | Texts |
| Data included** | 1GB | 1GB | 1GB | GB |
| Additional calls | 20c | 20c | 20c | Per min |
| Additional texts | 10c | 10c | 10c | Per texts |
| Voicemail*** | 15c | 15c | 15c | Per min |
Remember, I am on a 30 GB Data Plan for 30 Euro per month and these plans only give 1 GB with the lowest being 45 Euro. I am on a shared business plan for voice and texts which for 3 phones works out at about 200 per month.
Anybody serious about getting an iPhone and not wanting to be hooked into an 18 month contract with O2 would be better off buying an iphone and unlocking it using the brilliant ziPhone which we used here to upgrade to 1.1.3 and works in 4 minutes. No bullshit. No Hassle. No Lock.
I have been inundated with emails regarding running an iphone in Ireland and I am more than happy to reply to these right away (Thanks to my iPhone ;-) )
Some things that may help people:
- EDGE works. Its basically GPRS and all you need is the VPN server, username and password.
- An unlocked iPhone is not crippled in any way. All the normal services of a locked phone is available on an unlocked phone.
- EDGE
- Google Maps
- iTunes
- Wifi
- etc
- ziPhone works and is the bollox. 4 minutes and your free!
- There is always a way to fix a bricked iphone. Dont believe the scare mongering. Its basically a linux machine and can be restored / hacked / jailbroken.
- Once you go iPhone, you wont go to any other phone. People who say the N95 is better are full of shit and jealous cause the bought a rock while you play with your iphone.
- Safari is amazing. Fully featured (bar Flash but thats on the way). Better than Opera mobile.
So, if you have an iphone, thinking of getting an iphone or need some help on an unlocked iphone, dont be shy and post a comment! Remember. Its not illegal to own one in Ireland ;-)
Tags:
iphone
Comments [33] - Leave a comment
Comments
Good to see the iphone is in ireland and Daniel im wondering if you could please once and for all explain the EDGE situation with us, i, and many others, are finding that when you ring up Vodafone or O2 they dont seem to know what EDGE is and they (Vodafone anyway) explain to you all about Live and GPRS and whatever else but no one knows if a price plan for one of these will work with the iphone. Is EDGE totally different?
I went into a O2 shop and asked if you could go onto one of the iPhone price plans without having to buy the iPhone, which would suit alot of people like me who already have the iphone unlocked and just want a good package for EDGE. They said you cant!!
So can someone please explain the EDGE situation to me, i think il transfer to O2 as i hear they are the cheapest, but i dont seem to know if the 1GB plan for 15euro will be compatible with edge once i find out the settings.
I think i speak for a lot of people when i say we need advice!!
Thanks
Ok. EDGE is an acronym for Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution, also known as Enhanced GPRS (E-GPRS), which is a digital mobile phone technology, based on the GSM standard. It is designed to increase the capacity and data rates in GSM networks. It enables actual data speeds of about 90-120 kbps (384 kbps in theory). As EDGE is a superset to GPRS, it can operate on any network with GPRS deployed, requiring only a software upgrade implementation which is what is running on the iPhone.
Most of the monkeys working in Vodafone, O2, Meteor etc havent a clue and try and bluff instead of admitting they dont know. What you need is the APN for GPRS (Thats all you have to tell them. Pretend you have a Nokia N95) The next thing you have to sort out is a data plan. This is enabled on your account (Not specific to the APN you use). I rang O2, mentioned ZIP about having an iphone and asked for a data plan per month. Here's my money, give me the plan, give me the settings, like a good monkey. Done. My buddy Mike is on Vodafone, with a flat rate data plan and browsing away on his iphone without racking up massive charges. The only problem we had with the data plan was roaming in Europe. Topper who was on the same plan as me basically got a big roaming penis rammed up him and we now owe 900 quid for data charges for checking his mail and a few google searches.
Dan.
Oh ye i read on some site that Vodafone actually have a fairly good data plan that they dont adverise but if u request it they can give it to u. Iv never tried ringin them about it but just thought id let u know. With Vodafone live u can get an unlimited plan for 9.99 a month they told me or else 99cent a day if u dont get the package but im not sure if thats compatible with iphone.
Hopefully i can get sorted without having to switch networks, just that Vodafone APN i read everyone uses doesnt work with me, maybe i need to try different passwords or something.
If i sort it il put it up straight away i know im not the only person in this situation. I reckon itl all come down to who answers the phone in the vodafone call centre, dumb or dumber!
I rang Mike and this is the info:
APN : isp.vodafone.ie
Username : vodafone
Password : vodafone
Ring the Monnkey Parlour and ask for a data plan. If they ask what kind? Just tell them General GPRS, always on data for emails and browsing, throw them some bananas and hang up. It will work.
Let me know how you get on.
Dan.
I asked him and he just has a business plan. Dont know more than that. Going on my own usage (and I'm on it 24/7) I use about 100 megs a month EDGE traffic. There must be a cheaper option. 25megs for 15 is crap. Break their balls on this one. Tell them you'll move to O2 if they dont offer something good.
Dan.
APN : internet
Username : gprs
Password : gprs
Switch network. Add EDGE settings. Enjoy iPhone.
Dan.
250mb for 7.50Euro applys to GPRS traffic (regardless of if its EDGE or GPRS) which would be accumulated data for email, browsing, IM etc.
1GB for 15 Euro per month sounds to me that they are referring to 3G which the iPhone is not. 3G (Broadband as the monkeys call it) is different to GPRS/EDGE.
All I can go on really is that I pay 30 quid for 30gb per month for GPRS traffic. No distinction between email, web, im etc. Pure data.
So to sum up. O2 Broadband Addon would not apply to your iphone IMHO.
Dan.
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/bite-of-the-apple-iphone-will-set-you-back-euro1200-1302150.html
Hi Liam, just read that article and its a load of bollox. O2 saying they will not accept "hacked" (Hate that word) iphones probably means that you cant go in, not pay for a device through them, use your own and sign up for their tarrif. There is no way they can stop people using an unlocked iphone on their network or they will get some serious legal heat. Look at Germany, France, England.
My own guess is (if you do the maths on the cost of the handset) that they make on average about 100 Euro on each hand set. Mine cost $399 which at the time was about 300 Euro. They are flogging THE SAME DEVICE for 399 Euro.
The whole iphone saga is riddled with scare mongering from ATT, Apple and O2 worldwide.
Dan.
Basically wat ur sayin is no matter if im on 02 or vodafone all i need 2 do is get a data pack for gprs?? Which is obviously the same as edge if im understanding correcty.
I cant seem 2 get it workin on vodafone, the settings u gave above (isp...) cost 2 much, really dont understand why live.vodafone.com works for some and not others.
If anyone can solve this please post
Thanks
I, like alot of people who have posted am with vodafone, only isp.vodafone.ie works and the data plan is a real joke. Its hilarious how out of the game they are. They are gonna lose so many customers. I'll ring them up and see if they can offer me anything better or else im gone 2 meteor or o2. Not sure wat they will do. They prob dont know who meteor or o2 are! Windbags
My buddy Adam is on Meteor and while the iphone is working, he did have a few initial problems trying to get the APN server details out of them. Not sure if he got it sorted. AFAIK, Meteor piggy back on O2's network. If I were you, I would switch to O2 as thats where my experience is and I have had ZERO problems EDGE wise.
Dan.
On another note, i just saw a comparison of 02 iphone plans in ireland and uk, some joke
So its lookin like meteor or o2, i read in a blog that both networks support edge so id love 2 get it workin. Ur proof that u can browse, use youtube etc with o2, i jus dont really like their price plans!!
Iv my iphone unlocked, are u aware if i can use the meteor 250mb data plan to work with my safair, youtube, mail etc...
Im switchin over 2 meteor as they are by a mile the cheapest for everything! Im wondering will there ever be problems getting coverage for edge or how does that work?
I do believe its possible but would appreciate any help, loving the site, very handy.
Thanks daniel
Do I need to make any other changes on the phone other than running the ziPhone app.
I read something about calls and texts crashing unless some other patch was applied.
Will wait till july to get one when relations are going to ny, plan to get 16gb version for 500dollars....whichi is 328euro roughly, also the 3g version of the iphone will be out then
the iphone is far to overpriced here, even when comparing prices to uk, the 16gb iphone works out at 420euro.
all in all the iphone is well worth getting and is worth the cash in my opinion, however the o2 price plan is robbery to put it simply, and will only attract yuppies who have more money then sense and businessmen
Will it be much faster than the current one??
Man i reckon move 2 meteor, o2 are a rip off anyway, plus 250MB for 9.99...brilliant! Naff o2, naff vodafone, tney dont even have edge
the current iphone is not 3g, its somewhere around 2.75g, so browsing , streaming etc is slower...
as for all these price plans etc... no idea..i use ready to go, i get charged feck all for browsing web, and would just pigback off people wifi if i want to use internet:)
and since the iphone is based on mac os x, there will be a large number of wifi crackers being released similar to kissmac that i use on my ibook ....or just go into shopping centre or cafe...most provide free wifi these days :)
Im signing on to meteor today so il be signing a 12 month contract, maybe by the time im out of contract with them the 3G version iphone will be out and then i can switch back 2 vodafone!!
Any idea when that will be out?? Even in the US?
Dan.
The wifi is fantastic on the iphone but I agree with Ian, the range is not as good as a laptop. I have no problems at home or in the office but some of the Eircom hackable wifi networks are faint while showing perfectly on the laptop. I think this comes down to the power consumed by the wifi card. (AS a side, the reason there is a black plastic bit on the back of the iphone is cause wifi radio waves dont go through metal)
To sum up: If you have close wifi (100 metres) its the bollox.
Dan.
Im moving to meteor, joe lennon has a site and i see he switched over easily enuf, il take the 250mb per month (provided it works ok) and fingers crossed im all set. I was gonna go 2 o2 but not a fan of their personal plan tariffs!
Server:
Account
RSA SecurID
Secret
Send All Traffic.
L2TP PPTP
Proxy???
i will have to admit i havent a notion about any of these things.