Network operator O2 is promising an iPhone 5 4G upgrade, but only if you agree to pay the remainder of your contract.
O2 says, “Our new 4G Phone Promise means customers who purchase an iPhone 5 then want to change to a 4G phone next year can upgrade mid-way through their contract.” O2 says they will cover for 10% of the remainder of the contract plus VAT.
O2 also says that you can shave off a large part of this fee by recycling your current handset. However, this is just like getting out of your contract early, but with a 10% discount. Furthermore, you might have to pay extra for the new phone. Lastly, this only applies if you want to get your hands on the iPhone 4S’ successor.
The new iPhone is LTE-enabled, but it can only connect to EE’s 4GEE network that uses the 1,800MHz spectrum. This means that O2 or Vodafone customers cannot use the iPhone 5’s 4G capabilities even if the networks lunch their 4G services next year. The only way O2 and Vodafone customers can enjoy a 4G iPhone is if Apple releases a phone that can connect to their spectrums. However, it’s still unknown if the Cupertino firm plans to do this.
The launching of 4GEE by EE (formerly known as Everything Everywhere) has peeved rival networks. Not only does EE have a head start over its rivals, there is also no certainty if Apple plans to release an LTE-enabled iPhone 5 that would work on their spectrum band.
Annoyed O2 is requiring you to pay the remainder of your contract for an LTE-enabled iPhone 5? Would you rather switch to EE, or are planning to wait until next year to see if Apple releases an iPhone 5 that works with O2’s spectrum? Share your thoughts through a comment on our Facebook page.
