O2 To Unlock iPhones After Contracts Expire?

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Following on from the updates we offered you a while back concerning Orange being set to offer the iPhone in the UK before the end of the year and T-Mobile being set to offer the iPhone in the UK from early next year – thus seeing O2 loose its iPhone exclusivity – it now transpires that O2 may be set to change its stance concerning unlocking iPhones gained via the network once a customer’s contract is up.

It is already obvious that Orange and Vodafone offering the iPhone in the UK is going to see consumers getting increasingly better deals as the competition to secure trade heats up but reports that O2 may be considering changing its stance concerning unlocking the devices once the term of an end user’s contract is up could be yet another benefit to the iPhone market being opened up in the UK.

According to a statement offered to The Register (credited below) O2 state that ‘we did not offer unlocking at the end of a customer’s iPhone contract as we had the exclusive contract for the iPhone in the UK. Obviously, that situation has changed… and we are currently working through what will happen.’

Admittedly, the statement doesn’t expressly state that O2 are considering unlocking the handsets once contracts are up but the statement above certainly implies that this is a distinct possibility and is something that’s presently being thrashed out behind closed doors. And, in all honesty, what have O2 got to gain by keeping iPhones attained via them locked once Orange and Vodafone (and possibly Virgin Mobile – though we’ve yet to hear if they are set to get a slice of the pie) get in on the action. Nothing, except, of course, an understandable degree of ill feeling from its customers who will then be able to vote with their feet (and plastic).

We’ll keep you in the loop.

UPDATE: See O2 to Accept iPhone Unlocking [O2 Officially Confirm iPhone Unlocking Accepted on Expired Contracts as O2 iPhone Exclusivity in the UK Ceases].