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Japanese carrier NTT Docomo has revealed that it experienced a record monthly drop in subscribers for September, which is somewhat surprising given that the company was the lone remaining major Japanese carrier without the iPhone on offer until the release of the iPhone 5s and 5c, also in September. The mobile operator blames the iPhone as the reason behind the dip, however, in a twist that shows that when it comes to iPhone, customers are looking for immediate satisfaction.

Docomo blamed a drop of 66,800 subscribers during September to limited stock of new iPhone devices, according to a report from Reuters in Tokyo today, which contrasts considerably with what rivals KDDI and SoftBank saw. Both of those carriers received net subscriber additions in September thanks to the new iPhone’s launch, something Docomo ascribes to them having plenty of iPhone hardware on hand to meet demand.

Despite this setback, Docomo will probably eventually see a net benefit from having the iPhone. Using the U.S. situation as an example, it took a long time for AT&T’s competitors to start to win back the subscribers they’d slowly shed to that U.S. carrier after it held the iPhone exclusive contract for years. Low stock out of the gate for Docomo vs. both KDDI and SoftBank suggests that perhaps the two existing players got preference as to early shipments, or it’s possible that Docomo underestimated demand for Apple’s iPhone and as a result put in low initial orders.

There’s a larger point to be made here about the iPhone and its effects on carrier fortunes: This is definitely a device that people are willing to jump fences for. The example here proves that customers weren’t willing to wait even so much as a few weeks to get their hands on the device on a network they’re already used to when it’s readily available elsewhere. Of course, the ultimate fear for mobile operators is that they become just another interchangeable dumb pipe, with the device driving buyer network decisions, and it looks like that could be exactly what’s happening in the Japanese market, at least.

Last month Apple released the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c in the U.S., as well as a number of select markets. In the U.S., both smartphones were offered by Apple Retail Stores, carriers and retailers on launch day. Prior to the release, Walmart announced that it would sell the iPhone 5c $20 less than its contract price for $79. Target soon matched this price. In a bid to drive more sales, Best Buy just recently announced that the iPhone 5c would be available for $50 on contract, though this was a limited time promotion. Walmart strikes back by slashing the new plastic iPhone’s price once again, offering it for $45.

As mentioned above, this is the on contract price, meaning that customers will have to choose a two year service contract with Verizon, AT&T, Sprint or T-Mobile. Sarah Spencer McKinney, director of corporate communications for Walmart, tells ABC News that customers should expect the price to remain constant at $45 throughout the holiday season. There’s no doubt in the fact that the retailer is offering a substantial discount on the on contract price of iPhone 5c. Apple’s suggested retail price for the smartphone is $99.99 along with a two year contract. So if you’re in the market for an “unapologetically” plastic iPhone, picking it up from Walmart will save you a decent amount of your hard earned dollars.

iPhone 5c At Walmart Now Going For $45 On Contract original content from Ubergizmo.

Many had wrongly assumed that the iPhone 5c would be Apple’s low-cost iPhone, and while the iPhone 5c is technically cheaper, it isn’t cheaper by that much meaning that it won’t exactly be the handset that will be breaking into emerging markets. In any case if you thought that the asking price of the iPhone 5c even on contract was a little too pricey for your tastes, you’re in luck because it seems that despite being on sale for only two weeks, retailer Best Buy has decided to throw in a $50 gift card along with the iPhone 5c which can actually be used towards the device, meaning that the phone, $99 on contract, can be yours for $49 instead.

This is a pretty good deal and the good news is that if you didn’t want to use the $50 gift card towards an iPhone 5c, Best Buy has stated that the card can be used on other devices like the Samsung Galaxy S4 which retails for $199 on contract. This is a limited time offer so you best hurry if you want to cash in on this deal. According to Best Buy, this promotion is meant to drive traffic, specifically towards the iPhone 5c and the Galaxy S4, and given that $50 is a pretty big cut, which is almost half of the iPhone 5c’s price, it will no doubt help to boost sales.

Best Buy Offering $50 Off iPhone 5c For A Limited Time original content from Ubergizmo.

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Apple’s iPhones tend to be priced at premium prices, possibly because Apple knows that what they sell are hot ticket items and customers are more than willing to pay for them. However if you’re thinking about picking up the new iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c but think that the asking price is a bit more than you would like, you’re in luck because Virgin Mobile in the US has announced that they will start selling the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c at their stores, and even better news is that they will be priced $100 less compared to Apple’s advertised prices.

However it should be noted that these price are for the off-contract phones, meaning that if you wanted to get them on contract you’d have to pay what everyone else is paying, but for those who don’t want to be tied to a contract, this could be a good deal. What this means is that customers will be able to purchase the iPhone 5s starting from $550, with the iPhone 5c starting at $450. It is unknown as to how long this offer will last but if you wanted to cash in on this deal, you better move quick, especially when you take into account how the iPhones have been selling like hotcakes even without the $100 discount.

Virgin Mobile Will Offer News iPhones $100 Cheaper Than Retail original content from Ubergizmo.