O2 set to win deal as UK partner for iPhone-papers
LONDON, July 5 (Reuters) - Mobile phone operator O2, part of Spanish telecoms group Telefonica (TEF.MC: Quote, Profile, Research), is poised to clinch a deal to be the exclusive network partner for Apple Inc.'s (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) iPhone in the UK, newspapers said on Thursday.
The Financial Times cited unidentified sources familiar with the matter as saying O2 would be the first European mobile operator to reach an agreement with Apple for iPhone in one of the industry's most sought after deals in years.
The Times newspaper, without citing sources, said the final contract was expected to be signed imminently.
An O2 spokesman had no immediate comment. Telefonica declined to comment.
Apple began selling the iPhone, which combines a wireless phone with music- and video-playing capabilities and Web browsing, in the United States on Friday in the most highly anticipated technology product launch so far this year.
The phone is expected to go on sale in parts of Europe, including the UK, this autumn and to be rolled out more extensively next year, when it will also be launched in Asia.
A deal with Apple would be a big boost for Telefonica, which bought O2 for 17.7 billion pounds ($35.7 billion) in 2005 and would be a blow to British rival Vodafone (VOD.L: Quote, Profile, Research), which had hoped to get the contract.
At 0725 GMT, Telefonica shares were up 0.1 percent at 16.56 euros. Vodafone was down 1.4 percent at 163.8 pence, the biggest fall on the UK's benchmark FTSE-100 index (.FTSE: Quote, Profile, Research).
O2 is the biggest mobile operator in Britain in terms of subscriber numbers with around 18 million customers, but it trails Vodafone in terms of revenue market share.
The Financial Times cited unidentified sources familiar with the matter as saying O2 would be the first European mobile operator to reach an agreement with Apple for iPhone in one of the industry's most sought after deals in years.
The Times newspaper, without citing sources, said the final contract was expected to be signed imminently.
An O2 spokesman had no immediate comment. Telefonica declined to comment.
Apple began selling the iPhone, which combines a wireless phone with music- and video-playing capabilities and Web browsing, in the United States on Friday in the most highly anticipated technology product launch so far this year.
The phone is expected to go on sale in parts of Europe, including the UK, this autumn and to be rolled out more extensively next year, when it will also be launched in Asia.
A deal with Apple would be a big boost for Telefonica, which bought O2 for 17.7 billion pounds ($35.7 billion) in 2005 and would be a blow to British rival Vodafone (VOD.L: Quote, Profile, Research), which had hoped to get the contract.
At 0725 GMT, Telefonica shares were up 0.1 percent at 16.56 euros. Vodafone was down 1.4 percent at 163.8 pence, the biggest fall on the UK's benchmark FTSE-100 index (.FTSE: Quote, Profile, Research).
O2 is the biggest mobile operator in Britain in terms of subscriber numbers with around 18 million customers, but it trails Vodafone in terms of revenue market share.
Posts
No comments: