Vodafone claims ‘significant numbers' of Apple iPhone users are defecting to its network in search of better network coverage.
Speaking to Mobile Terry O’Brien, Vodafone’s retail director, said: ‘A significant number of iPhone users have migrated to Vodafone since we launched the iPhone.’ He added: ‘It is quite astounding how many of these new customers have moved to us because of poor network experience.’
O’Brien declined to identify the networks that iPhone users are abandoning in favour of Vodafone.
Industry observers point to O2 as the likely contender as it is the only UK network that has iPhone customers coming to the end of their original iPhone contracts.
O2 forged a two year exclusivity deal with Apple for the iPhone in 2007 which came to an end last November. Since then Apple has cut a non-exclusive deal with O2 and forged deals with Orange, Vodafone and Tesco to supply the iPhone in the UK.
O’Brien said Vodafone had invested heavily in its network in advance of its deal with Apple. He commented: ‘There is no good trying to sell the iPhone without the right network to support it. We are getting a lot of anecdotal feedback from stores and from sites like Twitter that shows we have the advantage on other networks.’
O2 strongly refuted any suggestion it is losing iPhone customers to rival networks. A spokeswoman said: ‘This is absolutely not the case. We have seen no increase in churn since the end of our exclusive agreement with Apple. In fact, we continue to have the lowest level of churn in the industry.
‘With regard to network coverage, we are just about to release independently verified results of tests carried out by SiRoDa (and validated by BABT) which show that we offer the best network experience in many UK cities, including London. This is supported by other independent tests.’
Labels: Iphone , Mobile operators
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