English Choice: iPhone Carrier Choices

To our British readers, you are so frakking lucky!  You not only get one choice.  You not only get two choices.  You're going to be getting three choices of iPhone carriers!

The mobile world, specifically the Apple mobile fans, will be watching to see what this means for them. You're going to get competition for your hard-earned money.  Perhaps more features.  Perhaps just lower monthly rates.

But I reckon you'll get more features and lower rates.  For us on this side of the Pond, folks, it feels like we're looking into the window of a rich family whose kids are playing with new toys.  It's a bit of a downer.

A while back, there was news that some Canadian carriers are looking to bring the iPhone to their networks so Rogers don't get all the fun and continue to charge users the crazy rates.

Again, what about the mobile warriors in the States?  Conventional wisdom is that We're stuck with ATT until the LTE network from Verizon is built.  I'm not so sure about that.  I'm still hoping T-Mobile somehow is able to provide the iPhones since they're got a more robust 3G network from when they came online with it last year.

Otherwise, we'll have to wait until the middle of 2010 at the earliest when Verizon's LTE is tentatively scheduled to come online.  For now, we can see what competition among wireless providers will mean for the customers.  And I'm sure the FCC are also looking as well.

Plus, given how Apple was able to secretly negotiate with the Orange and Vodafone to sell the iPhones without spies and bloggers finding out about this.  The same thing can potentially be going on with American carriers.

For now, congrats to the Brits on finally getting choices.