Subsidized iPad fails to interest U.K. consumers according to report

By on Jan 5, 2011 at 1:52 AM
Tablets January 5, 2011

As rumors of iPad subsidies becoming available from U.S. carriers this year gain momentum, The Times reports that similar strategies in the U.K. do not appear to be paying off in the short term. Orange, T-Mobile and Three each recently began offering discounts on the iPad Wi-Fi + 3G when purchased alongside a new service contract. The 16 GB iPad model, which typically costs £529 in the U.K., is available for just £199 when purchased with a £25-per-month data plan. While sales performance at T-Mobile and Three is still a bit of a mystery, The Times reports that Orange sold just 1,000 subsidized iPads during the first week of availability. The sales figure has not been confirmed by Orange, but if it is anywhere near accurate it could indicate that customers don’t have much interest in signing up for yet another data contract — especially one tied to a device that is anything but a commodity at this point.

[Via paidContent:UK]

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13 Comments

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  • Booboolala2000

    no one wants another data plan with a tablet. If Motrizon only offers a 3g/LTE tablet forget about it. wifi only for me. I will tether with my droid.

    • Anonymous

      I was discussing this yesterday with my father. It’s ridiculous that we have to pay for multiple data plans, one for each device. They need to figure out better data pricing that can treat data like voice/text.

      For instance, a 5GB family data plan could cost $60/month or something, just like the 4G 5GB-limited MiFi plans, and then every device after the first that is activated on the plan can cost an extra $5/month. So, if you have three 4G phones, a 4G tablet, and a 4G MiFi, you would only have to pay $60 + (5-1)*$5 = $80/month for data as opposed to $30/month*5 = $150/month.

      This is similar to how you may shell out $80/month for a family plan with shared voice/text minutes but only have to pay an extra $10/month for each device after the first. Four devices using this voice plan would then only cost $110/month.

      • Rich

        Dead on. This is why I’m still on the fence as to what to do.

        I currently have a BB, and have read that the new BB PlayBook will allow tethering to my BB, meaning I wouldn’t need a new data plan.

        My contract on Verizon is up in a few months, and I’d be willing to swap over to an iPhone if they are available… but I can’t tether the iPad and I’d be paying more with another data plan (one for the iPhone and one for the iPad).

        Or.. I go with a new phone (Android) and a new tablet (Android) and tether them. I just haven’t found an Android phone on Verizon I like (currently) better than my BB.

        All I know is I’m not adding on another data plan. I’ll go without a tablet first. Unfortunately Wi-Fi only isn’t an option as I spend a lot of time in rural areas where there is no Wi-Fi available and would be using the tablet.

  • Anonymous

    The beauty of the iPad is that it only cost $629 which is not bad and then you get a device that’s carrier Unlock and contract free.

  • Guest

    they dont want to have anything to do with us “yanks” rofls

  • http://twitter.com/dannyoneill Danny O’Neill

    It is as simple as that, The data plan wont get used as much as say your iphone and they wanted £25 a month over 24 months. Thats no doubt already on top of your £35+ iphone plan. People really dont want to pay for another data plan when those android folks get to tether their tablet device.

    I love my ipad. Its everything I could want from an internet machine, its the wifi only version. If im out and about and I cant get wifi I just use my iphone which is pretty decent. No way I can justify another data plan.

    If you want the 3G. Buy it unlocked and just get a pay as you go data sim. Here in the UK Orange are supposed to have the best 3G network but my ip4 is on orange and the wife is on t-mobile and we find she can get a stronger 3G signal more of the time, often my phone is on GPRS where she gets 2-3 bars of 3G.

    • http://twitter.com/MikeCaine MikeCaine

      I belive Orange users can now use T Mobile networks where available. Don’t know the full details of how it works though.

  • http://www.fbloise.com Frankie Bloise

    The thing is that they release this prices for christmas but everybody is waiting for the iPad 2, so nobody want to attach themselv to a 2 yrs plan with a soon to be taken out of the market tablet

    • PB

      BB is the #1 smartphone in the UK. They’re all waiting for the PlayBook, duh :)

      • http://www.fbloise.com Frankie Bloise

        No shit??
        BB… really?

  • J41872

    “They’re looking at their data plans wrong.”
    - Steve Jobs

  • http://twitter.com/j_nathaniel Jason

    Too many data plan requirements. One for their phones, another for computers, and then for iPad. These adding $700 to $2000 to the price of devices over two years. Price them reasonably with no contact requirement and I’m buying. Otherwise they can keep’em.

  • Anonymous

    For £25 you get 1gb.. people are educated now about how much data that is after being burned on the laptops.

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