Contract-subsidised iPad coming to 3 and T-Mobile
UK network operator 3 announced on Thursday that it will offer cut-price iPads in the future when purchased with a data plan-inclusive contract.
3 says that it will begin to introduce the network-subsidised iPad Wi-Fi and 3G deal "in the coming months" but could not provide more details of the specific contracts involved.
T-Mobile — now sister-company to Orange since its merger to become Everything Everywhere in May — will also be offering the iPad for new and existing customers on 24 month contracts for an initial up-front cost of £199.
The monthly commitment for new customers is £27, while existing ones get a £2 discount. For this price customers will get 1GB of data and another 1GB of 'quiet time' data usage, which can be used between midnight and 10am.
Vodafone was also rumoured to be launching the iPad in the coming months but a company spokesperson told ZDNet UK on Friday that it was "speculation" and that "no announcements have been made about the iPad".
On Monday Orange announced that it would also be offering "more affordable prices" for the iPad on contract in the future.
Meanwhile, an O2 spokesman confirmed that the company has no plans to sell subsidised iPads.