That Nokia exclusive debate again (may be?)

[rockstarzzz]

This thread is already up for grabs for Nokia advocates against rest of the world.

EE - Everything Everywhere, UK's first 4G LTE Provider that plans to LTEfy 71% of UK by end of 2013, 98% by 2014 AND 100% by 2015, announced this morning that their EE Exclusive devices include Samsung Galaxy S3, HTC One X, Huwaie Ascend P1, Nokia Lumia 820 and Nokia Lumia 920.


I can't help but again argue for Nokia for what they've managed to pull off and I see it this way: Although Nokia is restricting itself with the exclusivity like iPhone once did, it might lose on the sales, the holiday sales. But will that make Lumia the device that any LTE fan will grab this winter? I think yes! LTE has been "switched on" as of today in London and 3 Other UK cities.

Those who will be sold on the speed aspect of LTE learning from our USA LTE users and iPhone's bragging of LTE tomorrow, will surely not get iPhone LTE in the UK. But will get Nokia Lumia 920! I don't see why anyone would want GS3 or HTC One X when they have freshly launched LTE phone in front of them.

So does that make Nokia Lumia 920 the phone that will popularise the WP8 in the UK and give it the break through? If iPhone owners get pissed at not being able to have a LTE iPhone in the UK whereas USA customers get LTE iPhone, they will want an alternative. Pretty much like Titan 1 and Titan 2 story for WP.

Unless ofcourse iPhone's exclusivity wasn't announced because Apple did not want a leaked feature 24 hours before their announcement?

Is there anyone who thinks this Nokia's exclusivity business is foolish? I don't, because Sammy or HTC and even Nokia hasn't been able to make WP popular in the UK yet. Not as much as Lumia 900 became in the US.

 

[scottcraft]

When I'm eligible for an upgrade I will get a phone. If the 920 is on my carrier (Verizon) I will probably get it, if not I will most likely not wait and get something else.

 

[rockstarzzz]

What if 920 is the ONLY LTE phone on your LTE network? Would you get that or buy an iPhone on another network that is LTE enabled?

 

[threed61]

What if 920 is the ONLY LTE phone on your LTE network? Would you get that or buy an iPhone on another network that is LTE enabled?

All new smartphones on Verizon are LTE.

 

[rockstarzzz]

^^ All new smartphones on EE are going to be LTE as well because it is a LTE network.

However in the UK EE is the only LTE network.

So choices are -> Get an iPhone, no LTE (because EE hasn't announced it yet)
or Get a Lumia, with LTE but only on EE - which is a new merger network of Tmobile and Orange.

 

[cgk]

^^ All new smartphones on EE are going to be LTE as well because it is a LTE network.

However in the UK EE is the only LTE network.

So choices are -> Get an iPhone, no LTE (because EE hasn't announced it yet)
or Get a Lumia, with LTE but only on EE - which is a new merger network of Tmobile and Orange.

This is where it gets slightly confusing - yes you are right that the network infrastructure is merged and all three (EE, T-mobile and Orange) are all owned by the same holding company Everything Everywhere but... EE, T-mobile and Orange are treated as three seperate business units - so t-mobile customers are treated seperately from orange customers and so on - so I am wondering if EE will also treat all customers as 'new'.


As for the iphone, I'm going to be really amazed if tomorrow it's not announced that the LTE iphone will be available on the EE network - it would give EE a massive advantage over the competition.

 

[cgk]

OK forget all that - the message this morning was that they would continue the three brands, this seems to suggest that is not the case.

 

[rockstarzzz]

So what does that mean now? EE stands alone as a business? A LTE business?

 

[cgk]

I'm slightly confused but I *think* that

* all stores will branded as EE
* current customers will continue as orange or t-mobile customers (but confusingly) their phones will show "EE" as the network
* over time they will migrate people away from the two existing networks to EE.

....I think..

 

[rockstarzzz]

Also, interesting thing is, Orange and T mobile ones who cannot migrate currently will NOT be on LTE. They will still get 3G only

I think iPhone will likely go for all networks anyway so as you said possibly announce tomorrow that they will sell on EE.

However, if they don't, then Nokia will have major benefit from current Orange, Tmobile and EE customers who would probably end up buying 920s instead of going to Three or Vodafone who "might" get 4G running 2013.