iPhone reaches Africa and the Caribbean

Posted on 19 May 2008 at 09:01

Belgium, Poland and, for the first time, African countries have joined the iPhone rollout out schedule, after France Telecom announced a multinational deal to deliver the Apple smartphone.

The owner of Orange has snapped up iPhone rights for five Caribbean countries, Jordan, Romania, Slovakia and its African markets, plus Austria and Switzerland, where it will compete with T-Mobile and Swisscom respectively, and Portugal, where it will go head-to-head with Vodafone.

The African deal brings the iPhone to Egypt, Cameroon, Botswana, Madagascar, Mali, Senegal, Mauritius and R?ion. The Caribbean contract covers the Dominican Republic, Martinique, French Guiana, Dominica and Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Orange's move into Austria, Portugal and Switzerland means that five countries will now see rival telcos competing to sell the Apple handset. Australia and Italy will also see competing carriers.

France Telecom said that it had only secured exclusive rights in Belgium and Romania. Spain now stands as the largest European country without an announced iPhone carrier.

Author: Simon Aughton

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