Moving from UK to US with 1st Gen iPhone (newbie)

[eeyore13]

Hi,

I'm new to the forum and I did some quick searches and scans through the sticky threads and did not see an answer, so apologies if this is already answered elsewhere.

I'm moving from the UK to the US (tomorrow - New Year's Day) and I have an original 1st Gen iPhone running 2.2 on O2. It is still under contract and I'll be cancelling my contract when I move, though I'd prefer to wait a few weeks in case people try to call my UK number.

My question is, when I want to unlock my iPhone (which is already out of warranty, so now worry about voiding that) and take it to AT&T, will I have trouble if I'm not physically in the UK and on the O2 network? In other words, can I wait until I'm in the US, then unlock my O2 iPhone, then go to AT&T and sign up for service?

Or is this something I need to take care of today before I leave the UK?

Thanks for your help!

 

[ppc750fx]

In other words, can I wait until I'm in the US, then unlock my O2 iPhone, then go to AT&T and sign up for service?

Yes, but don't tell them it's an iPhone -- if you do, you'll have to pay more money -- essentially because AT&T are greedy bastards.

My advice: go with T-Mobile.

But in answer to your question: if you're going to be pwning and unlocking, it doesn't matter when/where you do it.

 

[eeyore13]

Why T-Mobile?

My advice: go with T-Mobile.

Probably something else I should have asked - can you give me a quick explanation of why?

I will also be purchasing a 2nd Gen iPhone and was just going to get a Family Share plan on AT&T for the two of them...but if I can do better w/ T-Mobile...

 

[yoyo5280]

T-Mobile has better coverage most of the time. I always use T-Mobile prepaid when I visit.

If you want to go on ATT then YOU DO NOT HAVE TO UNLCOK!

I believe that you go to ATT and tell them that you legally use the iPhone on O2 but have moved here and would like to use your iPhone on ATT.

I say this because there is no carrier logo on the iPhone, and each phone is made to work on the specified carriers, world wide (or so I have been told.)

 

[SFStateStudent]

Probably something else I should have asked - can you give me a quick explanation of why? I will also be purchasing a 2nd Gen iPhone and was just going to get a Family Share plan on AT&T for the two of them...but if I can do better w/ T-Mobile...

You probably need to determine "where" in the USA you'll be moving to, and if you want to keep your phone number from the UK/O2, you might be looking at international charges with a T-Mobile account or an AT&T account. Might be worth looking into keeping the O2 account, until you can get settled and work out a Family Plan with either carrier. Remember, with T-Mobile you don't have Visual Voicemail, so that is something else you need to take into consideration. Check with att.com and you can check on the coverage for the area you are moving to, (v1 iPhone has Go Phone SIM cards available for pay as you go) and also check the 3G coverage as well. Good luck with your move and your iPhone decisions...

 

[iBlue]

How your mobile coverage is on various providers varies a lot by your location in the US. It's not like the UK, where they are all pretty much the same. If it's a big city you are moving to, you can probably go with anyone and be fine. If not, I would check into what the better provider may be for the area. I've seen a map which showed who had the most coverage where but I can't seem to find it.

Good luck with your move.