[SkyPlatinum]

Will EE4G be allowing TM/Orange customers to migrate early/mid contract to their new service, if they sign a new 24 month contract with them on the same price plan? There seems to be conflicting views, I read an article that suggested that EE will be encouraging customers to leave early and will not be enforcing penalty charges if customers sign up for a new 24 month contract with EE4G? Sounds to good to be true in that one could sell your current phone, say iPhone 4S for £250 and enjoy a subsidised iPhone 5 as long as a new contract is taken out?? Would be interesting to hear your thoughts ? Or if anybody knows ??

[Mystic Eddy]

No one knows yet. Word from the horses mouth is to wait until they release their plans and t&c's (@EE on twitter).

[DevonBloke]

Originally Posted by SkyPlatinum

Will EE4G be allowing TM/Orange customers to migrate early/mid contract to their new service, if they sign a new 24 month contract with them on the same price plan? There seems to be conflicting views, I read an article that suggested that EE will be encouraging customers to leave early and will not be enforcing penalty charges if customers sign up for a new 24 month contract with EE4G? Sounds to good to be true in that one could sell your current phone, say iPhone 4S for £250 and enjoy a subsidised iPhone 5 as long as a new contract is taken out?? Would be interesting to hear your thoughts ? Or if anybody knows ??

Pretty certain that's not what is going to happen.
Firstly you need to already have an LTE handset not an iPhone 4s.
Reads pretty clearly to me.
If you already have an LTE handset on either Orange or T-Mobile contract, EE will be allowing you to move to EE4G subject to a new contract. In other words you'll just get a new 4G sim card to put in your phone, you'll be on a new 18/24 month EE contract and they'll just forget about the old Orange/T-Mobile contract that you were on previously.
That's what it says here http://ee.co.uk/movetoee

[Roush]

Originally Posted by DevonBloke

In other words you'll just get a new 4G sim card to put in your phone

I don't think that will be required in all cases. The T-Mobile SIM I have in my iPhone 5 seems to be set up for LTE already. Shortly after activating the phone I got a carrier update that revealed the 'Enable LTE' toggle in the settings.

I don't see why they'd send out SIMs that don't support LTE for use in LTE enabled handsets.

[SkyPlatinum]

Originally Posted by DevonBloke

Pretty certain that's not what is going to happen.
Firstly you need to already have an LTE handset not an iPhone 4s.
Reads pretty clearly to me.
If you already have an LTE handset on either Orange or T-Mobile contract, EE will be allowing you to move to EE4G subject to a new contract. In other words you'll just get a new 4G sim card to put in your phone, you'll be on a new 18/24 month EE contract and they'll just forget about the old Orange/T-Mobile contract that you were on previously.
That's what it says here http://ee.co.uk/movetoee

Olaf Swantee has made it clear on several occasions by saying " there will be an early upgrade path for existing EE3G customers" that says to me that they will be doing something. Ie if you are over 15 months of a 24 month contract and you commit to a further 24 months they will forfeit the remaining 9 months of your existing contract and provide a early upgrade which will mean a free/subsidised LTEcompatible phone. Remember they want to get as many current customers tied in to new 24 month 4G plans before 02 voda launch their services in spring, and may well be the case that the plan will be more expensive because for 6 months they will have a monopoly on 4G in the uk.most business people think long term profit, not short term loss. Will see

[Roush]

I would imagine it will be something along the lines of a sliding scale, where the upfront cost of upgrading to a 4G handset / tariff deal is high if you have a long time left on your existing contract or low if you are almost at the end of your current contract.

I can't imagine people will be offered new customer deals if they have many months left on existing contracts. From EE's point of view their existing handsets won't be paid for yet.

[SkyPlatinum]

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/new...aunch-date-set

[SkyPlatinum]

Originally Posted by Roush

I would imagine it will be something along the lines of a sliding scale, where the upfront cost of upgrading to a 4G handset / tariff deal is high if you have a long time left on your existing contract or low if you are almost at the end of your current contract.

I can't imagine people will be offered new customer deals if they have many months left on existing contracts. From EE's point of view their existing handsets won't be paid for yet.

Short term loss, long term profit. Think outside the box, Olaf Swantee will be

[wrighty694]

I hope he's thinking outside the box enough that he can get the 920 on a contract+bugger-all-extra-for-the-handset deal to woo a longtime Vf customer across*.....just sayin'


*(it might be a vain hope given that isheep5s were contract+£100 I think but faint heart ne'er won fair lady eh)

[SkyPlatinum]

http://cmvlive.com/technology/gadget...ee-4g-iphone-5

[Roush]

Originally Posted by SkyPlatinum

http://cmvlive.com/technology/gadget...ee-4g-iphone-5

Yes, it's fairly obvious that customers who already have a compatible 4G handset will be let out of their existing contracts to sign up to a new 4G contract. EE confirmed this some time ago.

What is not yet known is what the cost and process will be for existing EE customers who do not already have a compatible handset.

[SkyPlatinum]

Originally Posted by Roush

Yes, it's fairly obvious that customers who already have a compatible 4G handset will be let out of their existing contracts to sign up to a new 4G contract. EE confirmed this some time ago.

What is not yet known is what the cost and process will be for existing EE customers who do not already have a compatible handset.

But that's what this article refers too, by referring to the fact that customers won't have to pay out the remaining part if their contract isn't it obvious that they will need a phone upgrade

[Roush]

Originally Posted by SkyPlatinum

But that's what this article refers too, by referring to the fact that customers won't have to pay out the remaining part if their contract isn't it obvious that they will need a phone upgrade

No, you've misunderstood. The article refers to EE customers who have an iPhone 5 and will not need a new handset.

The clue is in the title.

Do you seriously think that you would be able to take out a contract today for an iPhone 4S, for example, for £19 upfront and then in a months time EE will let you have an iPhone 5 for £19 upfront, and all you have to do is agree to an extra month on the contract? That is never going to happen.

I think at best it will be a sliding-scale upgrade cost for those who do not have a 4G capable handset, based on the time remaining on the contract.

I'm happy to be proven wrong when EE announce details though.

[SkyPlatinum]

Originally Posted by Roush

No, you've misunderstood. The article refers to EE customers who have an iPhone 5 and will not need a new handset.

The clue is in the title.

Do you seriously think that you would be able to take out a contract today for an iPhone 4S, for example, for £19 upfront and then in a months time EE will let you have an iPhone 5 for £19 upfront, and all you have to do is agree to an extra month on the contract? That is never going to happen.

I think at best it will be a sliding-scale upgrade cost for those who do not have a 4G capable handset, based on the time remaining on the contract.

I'm happy to be proven wrong when EE announce details though.

I think you are misunderstood and will proved to be wrong

[SkyPlatinum]

Originally Posted by Roush

No, you've misunderstood. The article refers to EE customers who have an iPhone 5 and will not need a new handset.

The clue is in the title.

Do you seriously think that you would be able to take out a contract today for an iPhone 4S, for example, for £19 upfront and then in a months time EE will let you have an iPhone 5 for £19 upfront, and all you have to do is agree to an extra month on the contract? That is never going to happen.

I think at best it will be a sliding-scale upgrade cost for those who do not have a 4G capable handset, based on the time remaining on the contract.

I'm happy to be proven wrong when EE announce details though.

Then why does the article say " mid contract " the iPhone 5 has only been out under a month, how could one if these customers be mid contract, when a contract is normally 24 months. Read the article carefully again if states " even customers who are MID CONTRACT will be able to swap without charge "

[wavejockglw]

I have noticed that some of the base station boxes around my area have recently been replaced. Big green boxes have been replaced with two smaller grey boxes that sit in the same space. This has only happened in the last week or so at known T-Mobile sites so perhaps the new LTE infrastructure being put in place. (My local area has been designated one of the first for LTE).

[Roush]

Originally Posted by SkyPlatinum

Then why does the article say " mid contract " the iPhone 5 has only been out under a month, how could one if these customers be mid contract, when a contract is normally 24 months. Read the article carefully again if states " even customers who are MID CONTRACT will be able to swap without charge "

It's quite clear that they are using the term 'mid contract' to describe any currently active contract, and the sentence that says that specifically refers to the iPhone 5.

Do you seriously think they mean 'mid contract' literally? To mean the exact half way point?

It's all speculation anyway. EE's only communication so far regarding upgrades relates to people who already have a 4G capable handset.

[SkyPlatinum]

Originally Posted by Roush

It's quite clear that they are using the term 'mid contract' to describe any currently active contract, and the sentence that says that specifically refers to the iPhone 5.

Do you seriously think they mean 'mid contract' literally? To mean the exact half way point?

It's all speculation anyway. EE's only communication so far regarding upgrades relates to people who already have a 4G capable handset.

Will see

[mogzyboy]

There is no way they will let those that have just signed up to a contract with a non-4G handset out for nothing. There will be some kind of charge.

I have just under 12 months remaining on my contract (iPhone 4S) and I would be very surprised if even I was let out of that contract for nothing.

As said above, it'll be a sliding scale situation for those of us not owning a 4G handset - you pay more if you have longer left on your contract.

Yes, they'll undoubtedly want people to take up 4G, but there won't be many freebies to be had I can assure you of that.

[technoflare]

But if you are just into a contract and have a 4G phone then giving a new contract for the same length is no loss to them, wish only a likely uplift of the monthly cost. More of an issue if you have a 3G phone and need a new one for 4G whatever length you are into a contract.

[lee18xx]

I don't buy this whole 4G thing yet. I mean, to be fair, most of the networks haven't still provided 3G services satisfactorily. Running before they can walk methinks?

[SkyPlatinum]

3 mobile are basically saying that their 3G HSPA+ is faster then EE LTE

[mogzyboy]

Originally Posted by SkyPlatinum

3 mobile are basically saying that their 3G HSPA+ is faster then EE LTE

That's until they launch their own 4G network, when it'll be 'the best thing ever' etc.

To be fair, though, you can get pretty quick speeds on HSPA+ and DC-HSDPA.

I don't think 4G will benefit most people. It'll be beneficial to those that can't get decent ADSL.

[nigelbb]

Originally Posted by mogzyboy

I don't think 4G will benefit most people. It'll be beneficial to those that can't get decent ADSL.

That's assuming that the networks aren't going to try & screw even more money out of their customers with charges for exceeding ridiculously low data caps.

[wavejockglw]

Originally Posted by SkyPlatinum

3 mobile are basically saying that their 3G HSPA+ is faster then EE LTE

They are not being truthful if they are suggesting that.

They have just bought a chunk of 1800MHz bandwidth from EE to use for their LTE deployment but they won't have that up and running until at least Sept 2013.

For handset browsing, apps and streming on small screens HSPA+ delivers a good user experience when the signal strenth is strong and stable. I agree that LTE will make a difference only when a mobile is used as a primary Internet access device or as an alternative to fixed line sevices in areas where cable and fibre is unavailable. I'm sure EE will try to convince folks otherwise but right now I'm not struggling with mobile data performance so I remain to be convinced.