Orange keeps the exclusive iPhone contract in France

Orange has officially announced that they will keep their exclusive contract for the next model of the iPhone, as was implied by the rumour that says they have signed a contract with Apple until 2011.
It is really a pity, because due to the lack of competition, even though competition hardly exists in France, they will not have any reason to reduce the subscription tariff associated with the device.
No information was given on a possible change of the economic model by proposing, for example, a subsidy applied towards purchase of the iPhone.