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Puchasing an Unlocked iPhone
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01-14-2008 03:13:16 PM
Re: Puchasing an Unlocked iPhone
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01-14-2008 03:19:35 PM
I don't think AT&T is unlocking the iPhone. I wouldn't recommend you trying to unlock it yourself. Your best bet would be to look on ebay.com for an unlocked iPhone.
bluem1 wrote:Hello,I am looking form some help....a friend of mine overseas asked me for to buy him an unlocked iphone. If I buy the iphone from ATT is it possible for me to unlock it via a software and if so where i can get it unlocked...thanks,b
Re: Puchasing an Unlocked iPhone
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01-14-2008 03:29:46 PM
Re: Puchasing an Unlocked iPhone
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01-14-2008 03:52:48 PM
My guess is to use an unlocked phone on another network, of course. Maybe the person doesn't want to use the cell on AT&T's network and wants to use it on a different one. I know that one kid who was 17 years old and he unlocked the iPhone. He landed up using the iPhone on T-mobile's network.
graphite07 wrote:i never really understood why people want a unlocked phone? i guess to use on a different service. why not just wait and change cell service providers and get a phone that was intended for that service. i have seen unlokced iphones on ebay BUT they are going for high dollar.
Yup, do be expected to pay a lot of money for an unlocked iPhone.
Re: Puchasing an Unlocked iPhone
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01-14-2008 06:00:37 PM
If he wants an unlocked phone and he is overseas-can't he buy an unlocked phone over there? I know unlocked phones are available in France. (not cheap though). At least, then, it is unlocked legally and he won't have to worry about it getting "bricked". If there was a problem, he would at least have some recourse. If he is using an unlocked (illegally)iPhone and it has a problem he is SOL.
Re: Puchasing an Unlocked iPhone
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01-16-2008 05:20:58 AM
In response to the prior poster, people want unlocked phones for a number of reasons. Many people (including myself) use prepaid SIM cards when they travel internationally to avoid the high cost of international roaming. For example in Dubai, ATT charges $2.49 a minute to roam. A prepaid SIM card cost $10 ($12.50 with the "my favorite country" program). A local calls is about three cents and a call to the US is roughly thirty cents. I have a US phone number which I can forward over the web to any number I want. I can forward it to Dubai for eighteen cents a minute. Do the math.
Re: Puchasing an Unlocked iPhone
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01-16-2008 05:49:55 PM
If you have an unlocked iPhone, would you be able to get a prepaid SIM & do what you are doing? Do you still get Data, etc.?
Re: Puchasing an Unlocked iPhone
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01-16-2008 07:40:33 PM
With the possibile exception of a handful of German iPhones, there are no officially unlocked iPhones. The ones purchased off ebay, etc are usually ATT phones unlocked using various programs.
What you need to know is that you probably cannot upgrade the software on such a phone, but yes, with a properly unlocked phone you can use any provider. Visual voicemail may not work and a few things like that.
You should probably take this discussion to an unofficial forum like Howard's Forum.
Re: Puchasing an Unlocked iPhone
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01-16-2008 09:30:51 PM
Ok, I misunderstood something. I was thinking if you bought an iPhone and it was activated that it was unlocked. Dum, dum......
Let me rephrase the question-if you have an activated iPhone, bring it overseas and put a prepaid SIM in it, would that work the way you described how you do it already?
Thanks
Re: Puchasing an Unlocked iPhone
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01-17-2008 05:10:45 AM
The phone will only work with SIMs allocated by ATT to the iPhone program, e.g. you couldn't even use a standard ATT SIM in the phone. A prepaid SIM from another carrier will not work.
Unlike standard ATT phones, ATT will not give out unlock codes for iPhones no matter how established a customer you are. I would suspect that their contract with Apple prohibits this.
Stu
Re: Puchasing an Unlocked iPhone
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01-17-2008 05:42:57 AM
Ok, thanks-I learned something today.








