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If you’re planning to buy a new iPhone 5S or 5C from O2 on launch day, don’t expect dizzying data from day one: O2 4G won’t be turned on for the iPhone for as much as a month or more.
O2 yesterday admitted that the new iPhones would not be able to use 4G at first, claiming Apple needs to send specific settings “in coming weeks.” But The Telegraph reports that won’t happen until at least November.
If, like erstwhile Fugee Wyclef Jean, O2 4G is gone ’til November, that’s a wait of over a month after the iPhone 5S and 5C go on sale on 20 September.
During that time you can connect to the Internet over standard 3G and faster HSPA+.
O2 was embarrassingly absent from the list of 4G networks revealed by Apple at the launch of the 5S and 5C. Rumours suggest that omission and the 4G delay are because O2 hasn’t yet completed Apple’s vetting process for 4G networks.
O2 revealed a sample of prices for the new phones yesterday, including a contract that nets you a brand spanking new iPhone 5C for just £30 up front and £32 per month — not a bad deal for an Apple device.
4G is more expensive, however: £100 up front and £42 per month for the 5C, or £120 up front and £47 per month for the 5S.
Vodafone and EE will also sell the new iPhones on 3G and 4G deals. We’ll keep you posted on the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C UK prices and release dates as we get more details from the networks, so keep it CNET. For the latest 4G prices and best deals on a variety of LTE phones including the iPhone, Samsung Galaxy S4 and more, check out our comparison of Vodafone, EE, and O2 4G deals, prices and data.
Will you be opting for the iPhone or is there a better 4G phone? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook wall.
