While US buyers have been able to get their hands on the Lumia 1020 since mid-July, those in other parts of the world looking forward to ordering Nokia"s 41-megapixel flagship have been left waiting as the roll-out slowly ramps up. Nokia promised that the device would making its way to China and "selected European markets" by the end of September.
This week, pre-orders opened in the U.K., ahead of general availability on September 25. To encourage potential buyers to get their orders in early, Nokia is offering a free Lumia 1020 accessories pack to U.K. buyers, worth £140. The bundle includes a wireless charging cover, wireless charging plate, Camera Grip accessory (which includes its own 1020mAh battery), and a camera tripod. Note that not all carriers and retailers are offering this inclusive deal, so be sure to shop around.
For those of you in the U.K. considering the Lumia 1020, here"s a round-up of major retailers and networks offering the device.
Three"s "recommended plan" for the Lumia 1020 32GB will see you pay £69 upfront for the handset, with a £34 per month charge on a two-year contract. The Ultimate Internet 500 plan includes 500 minutes, 5000 texts and unlimited "all-you-can-eat" data. The handset can also be purchased on Three pay-as-you-go for £549.99.
Later this year, Three will launch its 4G LTE network in the U.K., starting in London, Birmingham and Manchester, with plans to extend to fifty cities by the end of 2014. The 1020 will be fully compatible with Three"s 4G network, and the company has confirmed that it won"t charge any premiums for customers to use 4G, compared with its existing 3G tariffs. Three will also offer genuinely unlimited data packages on 4G, making it the only UK network to do so.
As part of the Telefónica empire, O2 will exclusively offer a 64GB version of the Lumia 1020 in the U.K., while other operators will be limited to selling the 32GB model only.
O2 offers a broad range of pricing options, including a choice of 3G, or more expensive 4G, plans. The cheapest 3G plan will see you pay £37 per month for 600 minutes, unlimited texts and 750MB of data, with no upfront charge for the phone. Prices rise to £57 a month for a 4G plan with unlimited minutes and texts and 5GB of data (8GB of data per month if you sign up before October 31).
Customers can reduce their monthly charges by opting to pay an amount upfront towards the price of the handset.
Handset retail giant Carphone Warehouse is offering the Lumia 1020, but only on contracts from O2 and Talkmobile, an MVNO that Vodafone owns and runs on its network.
O2 plans are in line with those available direct from the operator. Talkmobile will offer you 500 minutes, 1500 texts and 1GB of data for £25 a month, with an upfront charge for the handset of £249.99.
Pre-order from CarphoneWarehouse.com
Phones 4u"s offering for the Lumia 1020 include price plans from Vodafone, EE, T-Mobile and Orange, with a huge range of options to suit various budgets. Curiously, none of these carriers are yet offering the handset via their own websites or stores.
£27 a month, plus £299 upfront for the handset, will get you 500 minutes, unlimited texts and unlimited 3G data on the T-Mobile Full Monty 500 two-year plan. If you"d prefer a 4G plan with a more meaty data allowance, you can pick up the Lumia 1020 free on EE for £51 a month, which includes unlimited minutes and texts and 20GB of data.
In addition to the free accessories pack detailed further up this article, Phones 4u is also offering a free 6-month Netflix subscription to those who pre-order the Lumia 1020, and if you pre-order on a 4G plan, you"ll also get a free wireless speaker worth £120.
If you"d prefer to purchase the Lumia 1020 without a monthly price plan, online retailers such as Clove offer the handset off-contract and unlocked. Clove is selling the 1020 for £588 including VAT, with stock arriving a couple of days later than the networks, on September 27.
Although pre-orders are open for black, white and yellow variants, the company hasn"t yet got firm confirmation of when the yellow model will be in stock.