Appletell

After sealing a distribution agreement with Asian telecom company Singtel and Swisscom of Switzerland, Apple has sealed another distribution agreement for the iPhone, this time with Orange, the exclusive provider of the iPhones in France. Interestingly, whereas it was not indicated whether the iPhones to be distributed in the Asian market is the 3G model or the non-3G ones, for Orange it was clearly stated that the 3G iPhones will be the models to be sold in the European countries. The agreement between Orange and Apple will expand to other European countries, the Middle Easy and some parts of Africa.

The two companies have also agreed that Orange shall be the sole distributor of iPhones in Belgium and Romania, while for other European countries including the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Jordan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland and as well as in some African markets, Orange will either have co-exclusive or non-exclusive deals with other local telecommunications companies. This is in addition to other distribution deals that Apple has agreed upon with America Mobil for the iPhone’s distribution to Latin America and Vodafone for Australia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey.

Meanwhile in Italy, Telecom Italia mobile has snagged the distribution of the iPhone to the Italian market and Rogers has it in Canada.

Via [Apple Insider]

On the heals of the iPhone’s geographic expansion in Europe, the iPhone is making it’s official entrance into Asia.

Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel) will bring the iPhone to Singapore, India, Australia and the Philippines later this year (read, iPhone 2 with 3G speeds).

This is probably the only way to curb the massive knockoff problem that is currently going on in Asia. Further, a 2.5G iPhone is of no or little interest to countries and carriers with 3G networks.