IPhone 3g- unlocking

[pinklemonade]

ok so i've had a wee shifty about the dibb and can't find the answer im looking for.

Im thinking of buying a 3G IPhone when we go over in december, at this point i will still have 6 months left on my Orange contract ( need to stay on orang as O2 just doesnt work properly in Galashiels where i live)

Now am i right in thinking that if i buy in the states i need to sign up with an AT&T contract? or can i buy one SIM free, i can unlock it so i can use my oranges SIM when im back in the UK but how do i get out of the AT&T contract?

Thanks

[sally42]

As far as I know - on july 11th the upgraded IPhone will become available and it'll be easier to get it 'jailbroken' that it would if you tried to unlock an American IPhone.
Thats what I've been told anyway - it may be rubbish!

Sally xx

[Hal]

Yes you would need to sign up to an AT&T contract.

No you can't buy it sim free.

If you unlock it you will void the warranty (and a lot of them do play up).

Lastly, if you unlock it your phone will be blocked the next time Apples issues a software update.

Best advice is to get an O2 one if you want one - if you don't want O2 then you would be better off just getting an iTouch, and keeping to a different phone.


:wavey:

[pinklemonade]

so do all the people who use the Dibb and have an IPhone continue to pay an AT&T or O2 contract even though they hav unblocked the phone itself?

[DangerMouse74]

Apple stuff tends to be pretty reliable, and a warranty is a warranty. If it fails because of hardware failure they would have to honour the warranty (even if you have not signed up to AT&T). Big problem with the 3G iPhone, is the opinion seems to indicate that they will make you sign up for the agreement in the shop, unlike the current iPhone that people took home in the box then did whatever with it. This ties in with the fact that some companies such as O2 are bringing out a pay-as-you go version, but at a more expensive price.

All this has been picked up on Apple forums, etc. So don't quote me as fact :)

[N52939]

You can buy the phone at an Apple store and not activate it with AT&T (the actual activation is done via iTunes). You can then unlock it and use whichever SIM you want.

[Bondy007]

Not 100% sure but I guess you should be ok to purchase one in the States and you don't have to sign on the dotted line for a contract while your there. I bought the 1st gen iPhone last year from the states and got it unlocked (after about 3 months !!) via iphoneunlockuk website back home. Because it's unlocked and O2 pay as you go I (and on the Edge network not 3g) I can't use mobile internet but that doesn't bother me. Everything else works perfectly alright.
What you do need to watch out for is any new firmware updates released by Apple, they're releasing version 2.0 soon which potentially could lock current unlocked iPhones. But as I used iphoneunlockuk they provide me with lifetime support for free so i should be able to update my firmware without any issues.
So, in short you should be alright buying one over the counter and unlocking it back home.

[dogken]

What you do need to watch out for is any new firmware updates released by Apple, they're releasing version 2.0 soon which potentially could lock current unlocked iPhones. But as I used iphoneunlockuk they provide me with lifetime support for free so i should be able to update my firmware without any issues.
So, in short you should be alright buying one over the counter and unlocking it back home.

I thought that too, that I would get lifetime support but I've been in touch and they want 20 quid for the firmware update to version 2.
As for buying your iphone in the States I don't think that the Apple stores are going to stock the iphone I think it has to be perchased from AT&T direct, (not a 100% but who is) that is why the price is comming down, because the contract is going up.
Going to wait and see what O2 PAYG is going to be priced at!

[Bondy007]

Oooh, ######... 20 quid... I might not bother updating then...

[Hal]

Apple stuff tends to be pretty reliable
I have to disagree - replying on my Macbook. There have been well publicised problems with Macbook's, Iphones and Ipods - sometimes they are more lemon than apple.

...and a warranty is a warranty.
Its Geographically limited. When I was in the Apple Store in Regent Street recently (dropping my faulty (hardware failure :nonono:) Macbook off for repair!) there were signs everywhere warning that they would not repair Iphones bought outside the UK.

If it fails because of hardware failure they would have to honour the warranty (even if you have not signed up to AT&T).
See above.

[Dabies]

From what I've read, if you buy the new iPhone 3G you will be forced to sign up to a contract with AT&T(US) or O2(UK) before they will actually give you the phone, you then need to connect it to iTunes to activate it. So it's going to be a lot harder to buy a new iPhone with a view to unlocking it.

To be honest I don't see why there is such a big need to unlock them anymore, they only cost £100 on the £30 & £35 contracts and are free on the others, plus you get all the Cloud and now BT openzone wi-fi access include in those tariffs, so unless you absolutely hate O2, I'd just go with them.

[pinklemonade]

as per my original post i dont get signal on o2 where i live so absolutely no point in taking an o2 contract