Don't Understand - Help Please

[HelixOmnimedia]

Hi (sorry if I'm rambling),

With 02 officially announced as the UK provider, its made me more interested in getting an iPhone - however the price plans are ridiculous. I'm currently with 02 getting 500min 500text + Rollover (what i don't use one month will rollover to the next - FANTASTIC), my contract is due for renewal from October 31st.
I WANT an iPhone but not at the prices that 02 are offering... so I've tried to look into getting one from the USA and unlocking it.

Now... this is where I get confused (or maybe I'm just stupid)...

• How can I get an iPhone from the USA? - my friend is going over 5th October - can she buy one at an Apple Store (open it) and bring it home?
• I thought it had to be 'activated' to AT&T before any unlocking can be done? - is this correct?
• Or can the phone be purchased 'sim free'?

I really really want and iPhone now (not bother about 4g or 8g) but the price is tempting since I could get it from the states.
I really can't get my head around how it works, with all these different aspects about activation and registration through iTunes, but to do that you need to have a plan with AT&T... and without this it just a brick?

Please help me understand.

I thought it had to be

 

[ScottDrummer]

buy the phone from apple store US (which comes with a at&t sim)
bring it home
activate it using iNdependance
unlock it
put it your own sim.
simple as that.
for detail of how to unlock and activate visit the top thread in the iphone topic, about unlocking.

 

[edesignuk]

Call o2 and speak to them before you do anything with imports, as an existing customer they will probably do you a deal.

 

[HelixOmnimedia]

Call o2 and speak to them before you do anything with imports, as an existing customer they will probably do you a deal.

As I type this the guy from 02 is on hold... he's talked me through parts of the deal between Apple and 02 and that all the contract price plans concerning the deal with Apple are "fenced off" and that they can't make any changes to it for existing customers.

Yeah then he briefly said that if I got the phone from the USA then none of the features will work over here on the 02 network, its an exclusive deal thats set up with Apple and 02 - is this guy talking out of his ****** or what?

Does what this guy say have any truth to it or are they saying this to stop existing customers from importing the device from the states?

 

[edesignuk]

I'm sure I read someone round here that is an existing customer got the minutes and texts of a higher plan on a lower cost one. You're an existing customer, they should cut you a break.

 

[HelixOmnimedia]

I'm sure I read someone round here that is an existing customer got the minutes and texts of a higher plan on a lower cost one. You're an existing customer, they should cut you a break.

That what i said to the guy... I have been with 02 for 5 years, and i was about to change networks last year and thats when they gave me my current deal.. i said that if i couldn't get a better plan with the iPhone then i would cancel my contract and get it from the states with a new uk provider... and still nothing.

On another note...
I'm reading the information about iNdependence and it all seems to good to be true.

 

[edesignuk]

I'd call back another time and speak to someone else.

A customer of 5 years should be able to get the £45 deal for £35 to them.

 

[iBlue]

That what i said to the guy... I have been with 02 for 5 years, and i was about to change networks last year and thats when they gave me my current deal.. i said that if i couldn't get a better plan with the iPhone then i would cancel my contract and get it from the states with a new uk provider... and still nothing.
...

That's really lousy. :-/

T-Mobile kept hounding me to upgrade when my contract was up. They were charging a RIDICULOUS amount for the phone I wanted so I kept saying no unless they stopped trying to shaft me on price. They absolutely would not budge. Got a better deal with Vodafone. So when my husband called to get the PAC/PUK code they then offered the phone free. They couldn't beat Vodafone's offer though so T-Mobile can poke it. Wankers.

Sometimes they're just unreasonable pricks, unfortunately.