iPhone Carrier Confusion

Q

So much has been posted regarding the iPhone that it’s becoming confusing to get straight answers. Maybe you can answer this for me. Can I purchase the iPhone in the USA with out being bound to a carrier? I have a friend going to the USA soon and would like him to buy one for me. The other question I have is, what is the price of the iPhone on it’s own (without a contract to a carrier)?

A

In order to implement features like visual voice mail, Apple has chosen to contract with a single provider in each country. In the U.S., that provider is AT&T and the price is $399 USD.

The iPhone goes on sale in the UK and Germany this Friday, November 9, 2007. In the UK, the chosen provider is O2. In Germany the provider is T-Mobile.

If you want to enjoy the iPhone the way Apple intends, the only option is to wait until it’s available in your country where you’ll sign a contract with a single provider for a certain length of time. Or, you can purchase one and hack it.

iPhoneSimFree enables you to void your warranty and use your phone on other GSM networks in the U.S. or anywhere else. Jailbreak enables you to void your warranty and add 3rd party applications to an iPhone. The downside to hacking is you’ll be facing an ongoing battle to keep your iPhone working. It could stop working any time Apple releases a software update.

If you choose to hack an iPhone, experts advise that you don’t sync the phone when Apple releases an update. Wait until the hacking apps have been updated.

I’m perfectly happy with my un-hacked iPhone. I haven’t seen a single app on a hacked iPhone that is better than Signal, an app that controls iTunes over your WiFi network without a hack, but if I lived in a country where the iPhone isn’t yet available, I think I’d do the hack.

6 Comments

  1. Pingback by Iphone | Apple | Mac Blog » iPhone Carrier Confusion on November 8, 2007 11:05 am

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  2. Pingback by I Organize » Blog Archive » iPhone Carrier Confusion on November 8, 2007 11:06 am

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  3. Pingback by Iphone: Apple Iphone Reviews, Accessories & Gadgets » iPhone Carrier Confusion on November 9, 2007 2:23 am

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  4. Comment by Ty on December 10, 2007 3:13 am

    I tried using Signal, and cant get it to work. I don’t think the troubleshooting advice on alloysoft’s website has been updated since OS 10.5, so their tips regarding firewall and TCP ports are useless to an intermediate user such as myself. Any advice?

  5. Comment by fairul on May 2, 2008 7:28 am

    hello,

    i have an enquiry here,

    I would like to buy an Iphone here from US but I’m not sure if its work in my country, Singapore.

    The Carrier that the seller posted at an advertisement is T-Mobile, AT&T, Cingular, U.S. Cellular.

    I need your advise…

  6. Pingback by iphone carrier on June 22, 2008 6:07 pm

    [...] straight answers. Maybe you can answer this for me. Can I purchase the iphone in the USA with …http://www.dearcali.com/iphone-carrier-confusion/U.K. Carrier Offers Free iPhone… With A CatchWireless carrier O2 said Tuesday it would offer [...]

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