Europe Gets Ready For The iPhone

The iPhone will be hitting Europe in the near future, and analysts have a number of questions concerning the launch. It’s believed that the distribution of the phone in Europe will be much different than that done in the States. Apple has apparently already signed agreements with three major European telcos to handle the phone.

Germany’s T-Mobile Deutschland, France’s Orange, and Britain’s O2 (UK) are reported to have signed exclusive deals to sell the iPhone in their respective markets, with an announcement expected as early as next week, according to the report, which cited unnamed sources.

As part of the deal, the operators agreed to give Apple 10 percent of the revenue they generate from the sale of voice and data services for the device, the report said.

All three operators declined to comment. Other potential partners, including Telefónica and Telecom Italia, are keeping mum as well.

Vodafone Group, Europe’s largest mobile phone company, diplomatically pushed the ball into Apple’s court. “We really don’t have a lot to say, I’m afraid,” a company spokesman said. “This is really a question for Apple.”

It’s unlikely the plan will be anything like the exclusive deal Apple signed with AT&T, but details currently remain sketchy. AT&T needed to make a number of concessions to win the business from Apple, and it’s likely the same will be expected of European counterparts. They will do it, of course, for a chance to service a lucrative market of consumers.