Moving to Europe can I use my iPhone

[irishmarine5]

I am moving to Europe and want to know if I will be able to use my iPhone with a European (Germany specific) cell carrier? I don't want to use AT&T and pay their roaming charges for the next two years. Thanks for your help.

I've got an iPhone 3G but have upgraded it to the 3.1 system. The contract with At&t doesn't matter as I'm in the military and can get out of it with orders. If I JB/unlock it can I still connect it to my computer?

 

[MattZani]

Not without having it JB'ed and Unlocked, which isnt 100% Successful.

 

[elppa]

It may be less hassle to pick up an iPhone on a German carrier (T-Mobile) to be honest.

How long do you have to run on your AT&T contract?

 

[anjinha]

I think your best option is to sell your current iPhone and buy one there.

 

[macrem]

This is why I refuse to buy any locked mobile phone, including iPhones. You can have them unlocked but it seems to be quite a hassle.

I think that by law, locking phones should be illegal (anti-fair trade)...same with zoning dvd's. Did anyone make the mistake of thinking we live in true democracies?

Belgium has such a law, but the entire country is out of 3Gs' apparently for up to eight (8!!!) weeks so no unlocked iPhone = no iPhone for me

I was enticed by Apple's product presented to me via expensive ads paid for by Apple stock holders, which gave me the idea to buy a smartphone & now as a result I am looking at Apple competitor's mobile phones.

 

[molala]

If you'll be in Germany for two years, it's better to buy an iPhone over there. I'm not sure they will unlock your iPhone after contract is fulfilled in Germany, but in other European countries they will (not the UK though). If you want to buy a factory unlocked iPhone with no contract (expensive), you could go to Belgium or Italy.

 

[andybno1]

This is why I refuse to buy any locked mobile phone, including iPhones. You can have them unlocked but it seems to be quite a hassle.

you think jailbreak then unlocking with ultrasn0w is a hassle?

takes 5 mins tops to jailbreaking and then install ultrasn0w and reboot device.

OPs best option personally is to jailbreak and unlock their device and just buy a sim in the country they are going and make sure the sim has a data plan such less hassle than forking out even more money for a new iPhone when u can just unlock the one you have.

this is all depending on if the OP hasn't upgraded to 3.1 yet

 

[macrem]

[...]this is all depending on if the OP hasn't upgraded to 3.1 yet

This is what I mean. I agree with you in that the steps are easy, but then I do not want to have to think about upgrades breaking the jailbreak/unlock, etc.

I also agree though that it's good advice to the OP or anyone who already owns a iPhone.

 

[macrem]

If you'll be in Germany for two years, it's better to buy an iPhone over there. I'm not sure they will unlock your iPhone after contract is fulfilled in Germany, but in other European countries they will (not the UK though). If you want to buy a factory unlocked iPhone with no contract (expensive), you could go to Belgium or Italy.

I'm not sure about Italy, but you won't find any 34Gs' in Belgium for a long time. The entire country is out of stock for up to 8 weeks!!

 

[macbookhamburg]

if you can unlock it, it will just work fine... other options as previously posted would be a two year contract wit tmobile... in which case i´m pretty sure they will unlock it for you afterwards... because the regular contract is 24 months... or buy an ulocked one in italy or austria for about 600-800 euro...
do you have a 3g or a 3gs ?