The mobile networks are always eager for new smartphone releases as it signals an opportunity to sell some new two-year contracts to existing customers as well as grab some new ones. The smartphone every carrier wants to offer first is whatever the next iPhone is, and at the moment that’s the iPhone 5 expected to appear sometime in the next couple of months.
Deutsche Telekom (DT), known as T-Mobile outside of Germany, decided it couldn’t wait any longer and has decided to start offering pre-orders for the iPhone 5. The problem with that is no one knows when the next iPhone will arrive, what its price will be, and whether it will be a compelling upgrade (not that anyone would bet against it being a must-have device).
DT have got around that problem by offering a voucher, which they are calling a “premiere ticket” to anyone who wants to reserve the phone now. The reason for deciding to do this? DT believes demand is going to be so high they wanted to start offering consumers the chance to guarantee they will get one of the limited stock the company will receive. It also ensures to a large extent they will sell all iPhone 5 stock they get for the launch without having to rely on people queuing up or straining their web store to order one.
We’re not sure how Apple will feel about this, but it doesn’t look as though any money is changing hands. Instead new customers have to sign a contract, and existing subscribers sign a contract extension signalling they are serious about buying an iPhone 5 at launch. In order to do this you have to visit a DT store as it isn’t being offered online.
Some may be tempted by the ability to ensure a launch day iPhone 5, but then if thousands try and reserve the smartphone it’s not going to be a guarantee you’ll get it on day one. That all depends on how many iPhone 5 handsets DT is allocated by Apple.
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