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The nice thing about those Scandinavian telecoms: when their customers complain, the companies listen. Just as Sweden’s TeliaSonera reevaluated its iPhone offerings after customers launched a petition, similar efforts in Norway have now borne fruit as well.

NetCom, which is actually owned by TeliaSonera, has relented after over 3500 customers expressed their disappointment with the limited download plans being offered in the land of the vikings. And so the company unveiled iConnect, a phone plan that will allow for unlimited data transfer on the iPhone 3G, at the pricey rate of 499,- kr/month ($99).

That’s not the only price attached: while downloads are unlimited, Norwegian customers taking advantage of the plan will have to pay by the minute for all phone calls, at a rate of 0,49 kr/minute ($0.10) and by the text message at 0,59 kr/message ($0.12).

In addition, the iPhone 3G itself will be more expensive when you sing up with the iConnect plan (which still requires a 12 month contract). The 8GB model will run 3.290,- kr ($652) and the 16GB model will cost a very expensive 4.190,- kr ($830).

While we’re glad that Norwegians will have to options to not worry about their data rates, it does seem like it’s a pretty expensive proposition, especially if you want to use the phone features of your new iPhone. But at least they can just e-mail each other instead.

Potential customers of the iPhone 3G in the U.K. briefly had the option for unprecedented service this morning, as British provider O2 offered people the ability to pre-order an iPhone online, in order to have it delivered–yes, hand-delivered to your very house–on the 11th.

Plenty of people took advantage of the opportunity–so many in fact, that O2 is now saying that the “due to the huge demand for the iPhone 3G, it’s currently out of stock online.” We presume they haven’t run through their entire inventory–a note on the page instructs those interested to come back on July 10th for more information.

But what’s most interesting about this, from our stateside perspective, is the fact that the phones get delivered. That would seem to suggest that unlike those in the U.S., U.K. customers won’t need to hang around in stores to have their phones activated. AT&T has told us that online ordering will not even be available to those of us in the U.S–we’ll have to queue up at 8AM if we truly want to get our mitts on an iPhone 3G.

According to the fine print, taking delivery of the iPhone in the U.K. requires at least an 18-month contract, a credit check, and direct debit. However, the price of the phone is still subsidized in the U.K.–in fact, if you sign up for £45 ($89) or £75 plans, they’ll give you the iPhone 3G for free (with the cheaper £35 and £30 plans, it’ll cost £99). That suggests perhaps the phones being shipped must be pre-activated, though we won’t know for sure until Friday.

Since the iPhone 3G was announced last week, speculation has run rampant that you would be able to activate the phone within 30 days. However, AT&T said this is simply not true.

AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel confirmed for Macworld that activation must be done at the time of purchase, in-store. Siegel also said that customers could keep there current iPhone or AT&T phone numbers and move to the iPhone 3G when it’s released.

According to the speculation around the Internet, you would be able to purchase a subsidized iPhone 3G and not activate it immediately. After 30 days, AT&T would bring up your account and charge your credit card for the subsidized amount of the phone.

In theory that sounds fine, but it does nothing to solve the problem of having hacked iPhones out in the market. That’s not to say that this measure will stop hacked phones, but the companies are trying to cut down a peg or two.

The fact that the iPhone will be legally available in so many countries now will also likely cut back on the demand for hacked iPhones.

As the iPhone 3G hits stores this week, Apple is aiming to gain more users by offering it at reduced prices through carriers.

Apple has slashed the iPhone’s price nearly in half, possibly attracting new buyers who balked at paying US$499 for the original 16G-byte iPhone. The new model will work on faster 3G (third-generation) broadband wireless networks for quicker downloads and come with GPS (Global Positioning System) capabilities.

In the U.S., AT&T will start selling the iPhone 3G on Friday, starting at $199 for the 8G-byte model and $299 for the 16G-byte model, each with a two-year contract. In the U.K., O2 will offer iPhone 3G for free with some contracts. The device will also bow Friday in 20 other countries including Germany, Japan and Australia; Apple hopes to sell it in 70 countries by year-end, including India, the Philippines, South Africa and Egypt.

Support for 3G networks will enable the new iPhone to download data up to 2.8 times faster than the earlier model, according to Apple. It will come with a 3.5-inch screen with improved battery life, talk time of five hours, standby time of 300 hours, six hours of high-speed browsing, 20 hours of audio and seven hours of video, the company claims.

The phone runs Mac OS X, weighs 113 grams (0.29 pounds), and is a hair thicker than its predecessor at 0.48 inch, or 12.3 mm. The new iPhone includes a standard audio headphone jack, which the previous model didn’t include.

The new phone has some shortcomings, such as the lack of a video camera, but the new features and low price points should attract buyers now that the iPhone is tried and tested, said Fareena Sultan, associate professor at Northeastern University’s College of Business Administration.

“The issue is not about the box, it’s about the service,” Sultan said. The carriers are assisting Apple in subsidizing the phones and ultimately hope to make money through higher-priced contracts and additional services, Sultan said.

The price drop and addition of GPS and 3G support are dramatic enough to boost consumer adoption, said Bill Hughes, principal analyst for wireless devices at In-Stat.

Dropping the price won’t hurt the iPhone’s enterprise adoption, but it won’t open the floodgates either, Hughes said. Enterprises are looking for mobile devices to handle back-office applications, and the iPhone 3G needs to prove itself capable, Hughes said.

There are also questions in larger enterprises surrounding the security and manageability of iPhones, Hughes said.

“It takes a courageous manager to justify the skeptics around them to prove the [iPhone] as a compelling device,” Hughes said.

The initial adopters could be small and medium-size businesses, Hughes said. It may take longer for the iPhone to make a dent in larger enterprises, where Research In Motion’s BlackBerry is widely used, especially for e-mail.

The phone may also face competition in the consumer space from iPhone clones, said Jack Gold, principal analyst at J. Gold Associates. The original iPhone set a precedent for new devices like Samsung’s Instinct and HTC’s Touch Diamond, with touchscreens and similar interfaces to the iPhone, Gold said.

But Apple can’t keep innovating technologically, so it is developing a proprietary software ecosystem to deliver applications that could differentiate the iPhone from competing mobile devices, analysts said. The iPhone will come with iPhone 2.0, a new software platform that builds in support for Microsoft Exchange, allowing enterprises to push e-mail, contacts and calendars from Exchange Server to the iPhone.

Developers can write applications for the iPhone 2.0 platform and sell them through Apple’s online App Store, which will also launch on Friday and be accessible to users in 62 countries. Users will be able to download iPhone applications under 10M bytes over cellular networks, by Wi-Fi or through iTunes. Downloading applications larger than 10M bytes will require Wi-Fi or synchronization through iTunes on a PC. Users will also be able to distribute applications by syncing iPhones.

Markets in which the iPhone will bow Friday include Mexico, Hong Kong, Ireland, Austria, France, Portugal, Switzerland, Canada, Singapore, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and New Zealand. The new iPhone will support 16 languages including English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish, Russian, Korean, Japanese and Chinese.

iPhones and sustainable agriculture don’t have a lot in common, but a bedraggled group of publicity-seekers and iPhone enthusiasts who want the next U.S. president to plant an organic farm on the White House lawn have connected the two as a reason to line up for Friday’s iPhone 3G launch.

Led by a fresh-faced sprite called David Bowman Simon — who looks more likely to be driving his father’s SUV than getting his hands dirty hoeing a row of seeds — Waiting for Apples’ mission is to encourage people to grow their own food while setting a Guinness World Record for the most time spent waiting in line to buy something

The group also wants to promote The White House Organic Farm Project, which is taking names for a petition to inspire the next president to plant an organic farm at the White House, the official residence of the U.S. president.

A few members of Waiting for Apples have been camped out in front of New York City’s flagship Apple Store on Fifth Avenue since Friday morning, fortified by stacks of organic produce that a friend is delivering to them via bicycle from the Union Square Greenmarket.

A Solar-powered generator courtesy of SolarOne, a green energy, arts and education center in New York, also is making the group’s mission more comfortable. On Monday the generator was powering an iPod blasting the record “More Songs about Buildings and Food” by the Talking Heads, as a barefoot Simon and co-conspirator Heyward Gignilliat fielded questions from passers-by on a humid day under threatening thunderclouds.

“We are trying to bring interest and promotion to local and organic agriculture,” Simon said in an interview, trying to explain Waiting for Apples’ mission while posing for a photo with a stalk of fresh basil and an American flag.

Or, as Gignilliat put it, “We think it’s a good idea to grow food,” he said. “It’s just a good thing.” His demeanor and manner of speaking suggested he may support not only growing plants, but also smoking them. They also had with them a “Worm Condo,” which is a compost heap, complete with worms, in — of all things for an environmental group — what appeared to be a plastic box.

Neither Gignilliat nor Simon had a concrete answer for explaining the link between 3G iPhones and sustainable agriculture. But Simon saw an opportunity to use the launch of a highly anticipated product — of which he also happens to be a fan — as a way to generate attention for his cause.

Gignilliat also said the multimedia functionality of the iPhone makes it possible for the group to conduct a mass promotional campaign from the street outside an Apple Store because group members are able to stay connected to their e-mail and the Internet.

“It makes all this possible,” said Gignilliat, gesturing to the group’s Fifth Avenue camp, which he joked was the headquarters for the campaign.

Waiting for Apples’ stunt calls to mind last year’s Keep a Child Alive campaign, which called for the first person to buy the very first iPhone at New York’s SoHo store to sell their iPhone on eBay to support the charitable effort.

To accompany its line-sitting campaign, Waiting for Apples also outlined its mission on its Web site in an “open letter” to Apple CEO Steve Jobs, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and “the Good People of New York State,” among others.

“We have come from all parts of the country, and even from abroad, to set a new record for longest time waiting in line to stimulate the economy of NYC,” the group wrote. “We could have set this record anywhere, and on anything. But, we heart NYC, the Big Apple. And we love Apples grown in and near NYC. So, what more nourishing place than right across from Central Park, the ‘lungs’ of New York City.”

The group also said it will celebrate New York City’s PlaNYC 2030 sustainability agenda by doing things like spending “a lot of time in a great public space, around the clock” and drinking New York’s “renowned tap water.”‘

In addition to promoting sustainable agriculture and trying to set a world record, Simon and Gignilliat do also plan to buy 3G iPhones. And not just for themselves — Simon said he is buying one each for U.S. presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain.

However, when asked, he didn’t seem to have a very clear idea how he might actually ensure the devices get into the candidates’ hands or how giving them iPhones would help promote The White House Organic Farm Project.

The 3G iPhone is scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. and various other countries at 8 a.m. local time Friday.

Vodafone India has started pre-registering customers for the iPhone 3G from Apple, promising that the device will be available soon, but the company has not disclosed when the device will be offered to customers.

The Indian government has yet to issue final guidelines on the auction of 3G spectrum and licenses in India. One of the issues holding up a final decision is whether foreign companies can bid for the license. (Listen to a podcast about the iPhone going 3G.)

Vodafone is however already an operator in India following its acquisition of a majority stake in mobile services company Hutchison Essar, renamed as Vodafone Essar. Vodafone announced earlier this year that the iPhone 3G will be available in India during the year.

In an advertisement Wednesday in The Times of India and on its Web site, the company is offering to pre-register customers for the iPhone 3G. The company however cautions that the device offered by Vodafone is currently compatible only with 2G networks, and some of its features may not work in India.

A Vodafone India spokesman declined to comment further on the company’s offering.

Bharti Airtel, another large Indian operator, has also said it will launch the iPhone 3G in India later this year. The company has not specified the date for the availability of the phone to its customers. Vodafone’s offer to pre-register customers reflects significant market interest in the Apple iPhone, and may be an attempt to get a marketing edge over Bharti Airtel.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.

You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers (no disrespect to RadioShack intended). Besides releasing rate plan details, AT&T has also posted answers to some of the lingering queries that new and existing AT&T customers might have about snagging themselves an iPhone 3G. Here are a few that we hope will answer questions that readers have frequently been asking us.

So the iPhone costs $199 or $299, right?

Sure, Steve Jobs has touted the $199 price tag for the iPhone 3G, but as with anything where a non-Apple company is involved, the truth is not quite that straightforward. If you’re a new customer to AT&T, you will pay $199 for the 8GB model or $299 for the 16GB model, as long as you also sign up for a 2 year contract.

If, however, you are an existing AT&T customer, it will depend on your upgrade eligibility. If you are eligible for an upgrade and your account is in good standing (check your My Account page AT&T’s website to find out if you qualify), you can also take advantage of the $199/$299 pricing. Otherwise, you can purchase an “early upgrade” which will run you $399 for the 8GB or $499 for the 16GB model. Both of those cases will require you to extend your current contract for another two years, and you’ll have to pay an $18 upgrade fee to boot.

Can I get an iPhone without signing up for a two-year contract?

No. Well, not yet anyway. According to AT&T, a “no-commitment” version of the iPhone 3G (perfect for those of us with commitmentphobia) is “coming soon”, and will run $599 for the 8GB model and $699 for the 16GB model. Yowch.

What about prepaid plans? Can I sign up for one with the iPhone 3G?

‘Fraid not. According to AT&T’s cutely named iReady checklist (PDF link), prepaid plans are not available for iPhone 3G.

I want to buy iPhones for me, my dog Ralphie, and my Aunt Marge; can I do that?

Nyet. AT&T says you may purchase only 1 iPhone per person in line. Your Aunt Marge and Ralphie will have to wait in line for their own.

If I buy a new iPhone 3G, how do I transfer data from my old iPhone?

Fortunately, iTunes will take care of that. Make sure you sync your existing iPhone with iTunes before trying to sync your new phone so that all your data is current.

Will my new iPhone 3G be able to retrieve my existing voicemails?

Apparently not. AT&T says “Check and clear your voicemail. Any existing voicemail messages will be lost once your new phone is activated.” So if you were hoping to retain that hilarious message your friend sent you from their bachelor party, you might want to find some other way of recording it.

What do I do with my old iPhone once I’ve got my shiny new iPhone 3G?

Well, whatever you want, really. You can hand your old phone off to your friend or family member who can then activate it themselves via iTunes. AT&T provides full details for how to do so in this PDF. If you decide not to pass your old phone on, here are some suggestions for what to do with your old unit.

Alternatively, there are software programs out there that will probably let you turn it into a pretty functional iPod touch.

Everyone might be focused on the launch next week of the iPhone 3G, a speedier version of Apple’s original iPhone that’s been restyled and has a GPS radio to boot. But what about those left behind? The “2G” iPhones that use the slower EDGE network run by AT&T in the U.S. and other carriers worldwide? There could be hundreds of thousands of these phones–possibly even over a million–hitting the market as customers upgrade to the spanking new model. 

In the U.S., owners of 2G iPhones with a two-year contract can be released from that contract and get a subsidized iPhone 3G, as long as their accounts are in good standing. Because 2G iPhone buyers paid the full cost of the phone, they get to keep the older model, which is deactivated as the iPhone 3G is enabled.

These older iPhones can be sold or given away–family members may be knocking on your door and calling you if you have such an item–and AT&T confirmed for me yesterday that a 2G iPhone qualifies for the cheaper 2G calling/messaging plans. They start at $20 per month for both data and SMS, where an equivalent iPhone 3G plan is $30 for data and $5 for SMS.

The older iPhones may also be appealing because they can still be jailbroken and unlocked. The former term, jailbreaking, refers to the ability to install third-party software without Apple’s say-so. The iPhone 2.0 software that’s available free to current iPhone users (in a few days) and will be part of the iPhone 3G release includes the App Store, a way to download free and for-fee software–but only packages Apple has approved.

Unlocking an iPhone has wider appeal. Except in certain countries that have a requirement for carriers to offer an option to buy an unlocked phone–often at an exorbitant price–iPhones can’t be used on networks other than the carrier which sold the phone. This lock protects the exclusivity of Apple’s deals with various telecom partners, and has no consumer benefit.

For instance, many international travelers have multiple SIMs (Subscriber Identity Modules), which authenticates a phone onto a carrier’s network, that let them make affordable calls in the country they’re in, rather than using the insane international pricing charged by their home carrier.

The 2G iPhone can be unlocked through techniques developed and given away or sold by various developers and firms.

My question is: will used 2G iPhones have a premium in the U.S. above $200 when in good condition when sold on eBay and other auction sites, or does AT&T’s $200 subsidized price (8 GB model) lower the value of the older phone, even though the service plan is higher and the iPhone 3G will likely be even more secured against unlocking and jailbreaking?

With Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) only days away, industry analysts are putting this year’s conference on a par with the release of Mac OS X and the Intel transition in terms of importance for the company.

“This is a hugely significant WWDC for Apple because they are bringing out a new platform,” said Michael Gartenberg, vice president and research director at research firm JupiterResearch. “This is the coming out party for the iPhone.”

Ross Rubin, director of analysis at market-researching NPD Group agreed. “Certainly the iPhone SDK is the most significant expansion to the platform since OS X,” he said.

Speculation has been swirling around the Internet for months that Apple will unveil the next-generation 3G iPhone at WWDC, but the significance of the event doesn’t rely on a new iPhone release. Having thousands of developers on hand, beginning work on applications for the iPhone is what’s most important.

While WWDC is a developers conference in every sense, Apple CEO Steve Jobs will be speaking to more than the developers when he takes the stage for his keynote on Monday morning. Jobs will also have a message for the mobile industry, according to Gartenberg.

“They are saying, ‘there is a new mobile platform in town and it’s us,’  said Gartenberg.

Interest in the developers conference has never been higher. Having a sold out event for the first time in the company’s history, Apple engineers will see the greatest variety of developers that have ever attended the event.

Analysts expect to see traditional Mac developers, mobile developers from other platforms, and internal developers from companies that want to be part of the iPhone revolution.

Many developers and consumers wanted Apple to release a native software development kit (SDK) for the iPhone when it came out, but Apple stood its ground at the time and only let peoeple create Web-based programs.

“In typical Apple style, they attack problems one at a time, fix it and move on to the next one,” said Gartenberg. “They could have done this right away, but at this point consumers are aware of the iPhone and developers have seen the popularity of the iPhone.”

By delaying developer access to the iPhone, Apple also had time to create a delivery system for the programs to come - the App Store, giving Apple another significant advantage over its competition in the mobile market.

“Putting apps right at the users fingertips and enabling them to acquire that software from anywhere is definitely a step forward in building exposure for the applications,” said NPD’s Rubin.

Gartenberg agrees. After spending years trying to navigate mobile Web sites and managing what is sometimes a difficult installation process, the App Store should be a welcome change.

“The ecosystem Apple is providing is super important. Most just aren’t consumer friendly,” said Gartenberg.

The App Store could also lead to another benefit for Apple and its developers - the impulse buy. Much the same way that users often purchase songs from iTunes on a whim, Rubin expects the same thing could happen with iPhone applications.

Whatever the announcements next week, Apple will deliver a shot across the bow of the mobile industry - and should set itself up nicely to reach its 10 million iPhone sales goal.