Originally Posted by AppleInsider

German mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Debitel said Tuesday it plans to offer a 600 euro ($891) rebate to customers who buy an iPhone from T-Mobile Germany but agree to use its wireless service instead, undermining much of T-Mobile's competitive advantage.

Reuters reports that Debitel -- which resells airtime it buys from T-Mobile and rivals Vodafone, O2, and E-Plus in Germany -- said it has no qualms about paying the difference in price between an unlocked iPhone and one locked to T-Mobile's network if it means gaining new subscribers.

Although T-Mobile had landed an exclusive deal with Apple to sell the iPhone in Germany, it was ordered by a Hamburg court last week to offer customers an option to buy an unlocked version of the handset that would not require a formal two-year contract and could be used other wireless networks in the country.

T-Mobile and Apple agreed to comply, but did so by pricing the unlocked iPhone at a whopping 999 euros in order to deter consumers from forgoing a T-Mobile contract. The two firms charge less than half that -- 399 euros -- for an iPhone tethered to the T-Mobile network.

In a statement, Debitel said it would begin offering through its stores on Wednesday iPhone contracts starting at 40 euros per month for 200 minutes, which is cheaper than T-Mobile's baseline plan of 49 euros for half as many minutes.

"We are happy to offer iPhone buyers the freedom of choice that customers are entitled to expect from a service provider," said Oliver Steil, Debitel's marketing chief.

Debitel added that customers using Vodafone, E-Plus and O2 networks would get all of Apple's iPhone services apart from visual voicemail which will continue to function only on T-Mobile's network.

Originally Posted by Rot'nApple

Hmmm, first post maybe...

40 Euros for 200 minutes beating T-Mobiles 49 Euros for half the minutes, all for gaining a new subscriber by paying $891.00 US Dollars to get them in the first place - sounds like a winner - what kind of commitment do these new subscribers need to make so
Debitel can recoup their money? What about other services data, visual voicemail, etc.?

Sound Business Plan on Debitel's behalf!

Wonder if T-Mobile will match rebate or sue for loss of revunue?

Originally Posted by Rot'nApple

Hmmm, first post maybe...

40 Euros for 200 minutes beating T-Mobiles 49 Euros for half the minutes, all for gaining a new subscriber by paying $891.00 US Dollars to get them in the first place - sounds like a winner - what kind of commitment do these new subscribers need to make so
Debitel can recoup their money? What about other services data, visual voicemail, etc.?

Sound Business Plan on Debitel's behalf!

Wonder if T-Mobile will match rebate or sue for loss of revunue?

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Debitel added that customers using Vodafone, E-Plus and O2 networks would get all of Apple's iPhone services apart from visual voicemail which will continue to function only on T-Mobile's network.

Originally Posted by cameronj

Commitment! Ha!

Seriously though, this is the reason why you let the free market take care of these problems instead of the idiot governments. Everyone wins. T-Mobile gets their cash, Apple gets whatever percentage of that 999 euro that was coming to it. Debitel gets a new customer (who will almost surely be a money loser for them). It's a perfect solution that no one should complain about.

See how that differs from the other solutions out so far?

Originally Posted by BRussell

Yeah, except that it was idiot government intervention that even allowed this to happen. Without it, we would have been stuck with t-mobile only. It seems to me this is a case of the government ensuring a free market.

Originally Posted by jpferreira

exactly

and Debitel is probably just investing in free publicity by the press... how many of you guys even knew they existed in the first place?

Originally Posted by jpferreira

exactly

and Debitel is probably just investing in free publicity by the press... how many of you guys even knew they existed in the first place?

Originally Posted by noirdesir

If I had to name a virtual provider in Germany, I could only come up with Debitel (even before today). They might not be the biggest (I really don't know) but they have been one of the first and have been around since the beginning of GSM.

Originally Posted by BRussell

Yeah, except that it was idiot government intervention that even allowed this to happen. Without it, we would have been stuck with t-mobile only. It seems to me this is a case of the government ensuring a free market.