Orange iPhone Expected Early November

Orange is set to become the first UK mobile operator, other than O2, to offer the iPhone on their network, after reports suggested that it will arrive around 10 November.

Orange has led the chase for the iPhone for a while now. It signed a deal with Apple at the end of September, and said then that would sell the iPhone later this year. It set up an iPhone website where potential customers could pre-register, but has so far provided no pricing or service plan information.

Now reports have emerged that those who signed up to express their interest have received an email this week to inform them that further news would be sent in “a week or so”. With the Guardian newspaper reporting that Orange would start selling the iPhone on 10 November, the email could be referring to Orange’s tariff pricing for the iPhone, prior to its launch the following week.

Apple and O2 has been slammed in the past for the hefty charges associated with the iPhone. The two companies partnered up in the UK two years ago now, after O2 signed a two year exclusivity deal (actually described as a multi-year deal) with Apple back on 9 November 2007.

For the other UK operators, it seems that Vodafone will not be shipping the iPhone in the UK and Ireland until early 2010. That said, Vodafone UK customers can register their interest at a pre-register site.

The chief executive of 3 said recently that the UK mobile operator plans to offer the iPhone to its subscribers during 2010.