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Unlocked iPhone

T

troy67

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 5, 2007
2
0
I live in Toronto and can't wait for an iPhone in Canada which could be as long away as October or even next January (but it shouldn't be that long).

Canada's GMS network for iPhone has been confirmed as Rogers Wireless. I was wondering if it would be possible for me to buy an iPhone from the US, unlock it somehow, and then use it in Canada with Rogers. If I could do that, would all the features be available to me?

Please give as much insight on this subject as possible,

Thanks
 
troy67 said:
I live in Toronto and can't wait for an iPhone in Canada which could be as long away as October or even next January (but it shouldn't be that long).

Canada's GMS network for iPhone has been confirmed as Rogers Wireless. I was wondering if it would be possible for me to buy an iPhone from the US, unlock it somehow, and then use it in Canada with Rogers. If I could do that, would all the features be available to me?

Please give as much insight on this subject as possible,

Thanks
Click to expand...

I doubt it, and I doubt it.

The iPhone eventually will be unlocked, but a multimillion corporation such as Cingular is going to do all they can to ensure their newest major marketing device won't fail. Unlike your average razr which is available on any network, the iPhone's sole attachment to Cingular is very deliberate. Unlocking this puppy's gonna take a while.

In addition, you'd likely be unable to use *all* the features on your network. My guess is that their iPhone supporting network will be launched the day they sell iPhones to the public... thus, you won't be getting any visual voicemail. You'd probably be able to use the data functions and wifi stuff... but who's to know?

All in all, just wait until June. Then you can start a daily "how to unlock an iPhone" google and see if anything turns up.

Best of luck... and let me know if you find anything, I'd love to get my grubby mitts on one sans Cingular.
 
okay, well hopefully i can wait that long, but im soon to buy an LG prada if the iphone cant be unlocked, which i can get online from italy unlocked. I hope i can wait.
 
Rokem said:
I don't think it was a while ago but with new changes that just happened, it says specifically it is. (this is in the US btw)
Click to expand...

I thought that new law stated that carriers had to unlock phones, I assumed they were always legal. Guess I was committing a felony when I purchased an unlocked phone earlier last year then :D
 
I don't think it's ever been illegal to purchase an unlocked phone. I'm sure most manufacturers have web shops, I know Sony Ericsson has had one for quite some time. The only catch is the price, which isn't subsidized when you buy one unlocked and unbranded.
 
I think if the iPhone can be unlocked that Apple would be able to sell a lot more units since people in Europe want it right now and most people hate Cingular. I do agree with the fact that you probably wont be able to utilize all its functions like Visual voice mail if its not used with Cingular.

I'm currently using an unlocked cingular Treo 650 with Tmobile cause the those bastards stopped carrying the Treo for Tmobile. I pretty much get all the functionality of the phone, in fact I get free email and web service with out having to pay cause I got the WAP settings from Tmobile.

As for the question about unlocking phones being legal, this is what CNET had to say about it.
 
hmmm...

a thought has struck my mind. the iPhone is quad band right? so it SHOULD be able to be used anywhere in the world. if I am not mistaken, if you travel over seas, they unlock the phone for you. right? why would this not completely unlock it? maybeI am missing something. probably seems to easy.
Andreas
 
buymeaniphone said:
I think if the iPhone can be unlocked that Apple would be able to sell a lot more units since people in Europe want it right now and most people hate Cingular.
Click to expand...

People in Europe do not hate Cingular. Most don't even know it as it is a US-only carrier.
The only people having anything to do with it are American Cingular customers roaming via European operators.
 
blueflame said:
a thought has struck my mind. the iPhone is quad band right? so it SHOULD be able to be used anywhere in the world. if I am not mistaken, if you travel over seas, they unlock the phone for you. right?
Click to expand...

No they don't unlock it. You are only able to use it if your carrier has a roaming agreement with some local operator and you pay the exhorbitant charges. You cannot change the SIM card while abroad.
 
cube said:
No they don't unlock it. You are only able to use it if your carrier has a roaming agreement with some local operator and you pay the exhorbitant charges. You cannot change the SIM card while abroad.
Click to expand...

Thats crap, I guess its just another way Cingular screws you.

T-Mobile's unlocking policy is awesome. As long as you've been with them for 90 days and are in good standing, they give you the unlock code no questions asked. I'll be getting my BlackBerry Pearl unlocked once I reach my 90 days in March
 
I don't see anyone unlocking before you can get it in Canada thru Rogers. Not to mention there is no way you'd get features like the visual voicemail working at that point. Patience. Patience.
 
Why is everyone so obsessed with visual voicemail. I hardly get any voicemail, and when I do, I get an sms saying who it was from. I usually don't even listen to them. I just call the person. There are, also services that give you a text version of your voicemail in an SMS or email:)
 
Unlocked is the way to go and it's legal!

Why is everyone worried about unlocking a phone? Most phone manufacturers sell unlocked models. You pay more, but that's because the carriers subsidize the phones and hence "lock" them to get their investment back. Some carriers are more liberal, like T-Mobil and will give good customers the privelidge of unlocking the phone. Others, are not so "customer focused" and will not be as accommodating. Bottom line, if you can buy an unlocked phone, you'll pay more, but you are quite legal. If you have a locked phone and get it unlocked, you may be breaking the contract you have with the carrier, but you still have to live with that contract until it terminates. In the meantime, if you travel abroad, you can buy a local carrier's SIM card and phone at a much reduced rate. It's the only way to mobile.:)
 
Rokem said:
I don't think it was a while ago but with new changes that just happened, it says specifically it is. (this is in the US btw)
Click to expand...

It was confirmation from teh US copyright office (or something) that unlocking a phone did not violate copyright. No obligation to unlock by a carrier, just that doing it as a third-party was not unlawful.

Probably with unlocking iPhone is that other networks may not support its features
 
troy67 said:
I live in Toronto and can't wait for an iPhone in Canada which could be as long away as October or even next January (but it shouldn't be that long).

Canada's GMS network for iPhone has been confirmed as Rogers Wireless. I was wondering if it would be possible for me to buy an iPhone from the US, unlock it somehow, and then use it in Canada with Rogers. If I could do that, would all the features be available to me?

Please give as much insight on this subject as possible,

Thanks
Click to expand...
Just but the iPhone from the Apple Store (which should be unlocked).

We of course don't know the exact price Apple will be selling it from the Apple Store, but some are suggesting it shouldn't cost anymore than it does with a contract because they don't want Cingular to subsidise the cost.
 
hvfsl said:
Just but the iPhone from the Apple Store (which should be unlocked).

We of course don't know the exact price Apple will be selling it from the Apple Store, but some are suggesting it shouldn't cost anymore than it does with a contract because they don't want Cingular to subsidise the cost.
Click to expand...

Where did you hear that Apple will be selling the iPhone unlocked?

This seems HIGHLY unlikely. That would just leave Cingular/at&t with a feature set which is unique (at first only until other carriers emulate) as a selling point. I don't see them agreeing to that. No matter how much people hate cingular, I doubt they are that stupid.
 
apb3 said:
Where did you hear that Apple will be selling the iPhone unlocked?

This seems HIGHLY unlikely. That would just leave Cingular/at&t with a feature set which is unique (at first only until other carriers emulate) as a selling point. I don't see them agreeing to that. No matter how much people hate cingular, I doubt they are that stupid.
Click to expand...

I doubt Apple will sell it unlocked.

Even if they did, and you put your T-Mobile SIM in it I bet it wouldn't be worth it. Most if not all of the features would be crippled or disabled, except for the phone and that's a maybe.

I have T-Mobile (w/ BlackBerry service) and refuse to switch to Cingular. I'll get the iPhone later if the price comes down.

$600 + 2 year contract!!!!!!! are you crazy??????
 
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