Speculation that T-Mobile is to lose it exclusive iPhone distribution deal has become more well-founded as local media report that O2 Germany is pushing hard to gain rights to sell the all-conquering handset.

T-Mobile has a deal with Apple that will terminate at the end of this year, although Deutsche Telekom said the firm was counting on its long-term partnership with Apple to continue. However, iPhone subscribers to T-Mobile Germany are becoming increasingly annoyed at the operator's high tariffs claiming they are not competitive with other operators in Europe. For example, T-Mobile offers customers in Austria far better deals than in the much larger German market for the iPhone.

Newspaper reports maintain that O2 Telefonica is currently pushing for a continuation of its exclusive iPhone deal in the UK and wants to add Germany to the list of countries where it can offer the device.

For more on the story:
The Local. Hamburg [1]

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