iPhone coming to SFR in France
updated 08:15 pm EST, Wed February 25, 2009
iPhone at SFR in France
The iPhone 3G will now be coming to a second provider in France, SFR, following government orders that asked Apple to expand distribution beyond the exclusive deal with Orange. The handsets will cost 100 euros (~$125 USD) for the 8GB version or 200 euros (~$250 USD) for the 16GB variant. Prices for 24-month contracts with unlimited messaging, data and Wi-Fi range from 42 euros (~$54 USD) per month to 68 euros (~$87 USD) per month depending on the number of minutes.
A complaint filed by Bouygues Telecom in September accused Apple and Orange of hurting competition. Government regulators agreed, denouncing the deal as a "serious and immediate threat" to competition in the cellphone segment and potentially driving up costs to consumers.
Apple recently expanded its contracts in Scandinavia with the addition of Norway's Telenor. Previously, customers in the region were forced to sign with TeliaSonera of Sweden to obtain an iPhone.
