Well I've taken the plunge, and after waiting months(!) waiting for the applicability under the O2 Open Corporate loyalty scheme to come into force for the Apple iPhone 3GS, I decided to join the iPhone clan - yippee!

BUT, there is a slight bitter taste, in that the O2 Open loyalty scheme has changed though during the same time, I assume O2 were simply losing lots of revenue from the previous scheme...

Here's the O2 Open before and after outline... 

• Under the old scheme, you would have to pay the full price of the handset, but receive a 30% line rental discount. 
• Whilst under the new scheme you would just receive a flat rate £75 off the handset - but without any line rental discount - ho-hum!  Under

Lets talk money and in real-terms though:

• So with th 24mth £34.26 tariff, the standard rental would be £997.43 under the contract. 
• However, with the 30% line rental saving under the old O2 Open scheme this would bring this down to £750.76 for the contract period. 
• Under the flat-fee new scheme, this would be £922.43. 

A whoopping difference of £171.  But alas as the new 3GS was not available under the old scheme, and since November, the old O2 Open scheme doesn't apply, didn't have much choice but just to accept this. 

At least it's a saving - better than nothing as they say! :)