O2’s rivals are already cursing their failure to secure the iPhone deal. The news this morning that two thirds of people buying the phone are their customers, switching sides, will do nothing to ease their pain.

To secure its exclusive tie-up with Apple, O2 is thought to have paid dearly, with an agreement for a continuing share of subscriber revenues of as much as 30 per cent.

To prove that such an unprecedented deal is worthwhile it will want to show not only that the devices are flying off its shelves but that it is inflicting some serious pain on Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile by luring customers away.

On the second count at least the two thirds figure would indicate some early success.

However, these customers are likely to be hardcore Apple fans prepared to pay fancy penalties to switch before their current contracts expire.

There is still a mass of fog from both O2 and Carphone Warehouse surrounding hard numbers of UK iPhone sales. But there is already sufficient anecdotal evidence to worry those who failed to gain the franchise.

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