AT&T and Apple Tightening Policies to Reduce iPhone Unlocking

[Tosser]

" The All-New BlackBerry®
Multiple Carrier Networks Have BlackBerry Smartphones. Find Yours
BlackBerry.com/FR
Ads by Google ( Advertise here ) "

Even BlackBerry is using that kind of " we have more carriers than iPhone, hooray "
That's sad...

Yes, but a very good selling point. For all the rest, that is.

The pressure is on.
("oomphff")

 

[BongoBanger]

"This morning we're getting a first look at unsubsidized prices for the iPhone 3G in Europe. Vodafone Italy have set an out-of-contract price for the iPhone 3G at 499/€569 ($773/$881) for the 8GB/16GB models, respectively. Subscription rates have not yet been announced."

Engadget

All the people with iphone 1g, your iphone price just went up too

Ouch. That's £350/£400 or thereabouts unless 02 provide a subsidy.

 

[BongoBanger]

- Nothing I can find specifically prohibits individual carriers from blacklisting phones for their own reasons, but the IMEI DB website states that, " The black list is a list of IMEIs that are associated with GSM or 3G devices that should be denied service on mobile networks because they have been reported as lost, stolen, faulty or otherwise unsuitable for use."

Which includes "anything that affects their revenue streams".

- Methinks that if <insert carrier> were to add IMEIs to the database simply because the individual that owns the device is refusing to sign a 2 year <insert carrier> contract, the GSM Association (that is responsible for the IMEI DB) might frown upon such actions.

Sure, they'll do that and piss off all their big members like Vodafone, Telefonica and AT&T because that would be really sensible.

It is blatant abuse of what should be a good system to thwart criminal activity, not to enforce an otherwise unenforceable EULA. It would be like labeling and officially registering people as sex offenders simply because they urinated behind a dumpster in a darkened alleyway.

No, they're labelling people as thieves because that's what they actually are if they take a subsidised product on agreed conditions and don't pay the money back.

- Mealsothinks that should one carrier blacklist a particular "lost" phone, another carrier might be more than happy to un-blacklist the phone when it is "found" and proof of ownership is provided - and one of their SIM cards is used to "verify operation", of course.

Some do but major carriers do not because the know it opens them up to all sorts of abuse.

Bluntly, if you buy the phone knowing it's subsidised and then welsh out of the agreement you're a thief. That is all.

 

[g00k]

aahhh i am so happy that i buyed my iphone 3months ago....
for my usage my current iphone is even better than the new one.
because the new ones back case is just cheap.... and the new one wont get a dock... apple wtf?
and i dont need gps and 3g... ha i am so relieved that i made the right decision.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

" There WILL be a crack, there will ALWAYS be. Last year when the iPhone was released, there were fears that anyone not on AT&T wouldn't be able to use it. Those skeptics were wrong. As long as there are Tech/Geeks, there will always be solutions. "

Ok I think you don't get it do you...
Apple & AT&T are actually acting BEFORE you can crack anything.
They used to act (at least try to) after you got your iPhone..
Now you cannot get out of a shop without having your iPhone activated, with a 2years contract. And even if you wanna cancel it go ahead, but fees

YOU don't seem to know the difference between a "crack" and "unlocking" a phone. Not everyone who wants to crack or hack the iPhone wants to "unlock" it from AT&T. There's only one other provider you could switch to anyway here (i.e. T-Mobile). Some will STILL want to be able to put any software on their phone they choose as Apple will clearly NOT allow certain types of software to be sold through ITunes (e.g. emulators). What if Apple says NO to Java or Flash after Adobe submits it? A hacked iPhone could still support it.

The other question is how bad do you want an unlocked iPhone? If you simply do an early termination of your iPhone after 30 days, you pay your $200 fee and you have an iPhone you can now unlock. It then costs the same as a generation 1.0 iPhone. What have you really lost? Trying to do that en masse to sell on Ebay might present some problems, but I'm sure some will manage just the same. Where there's a will, there's a way.

 

[Stately]

I just don't understand you people who are "fine" with phones locked to contracts, especially with the iphone. Don't you see that in the end you just pay more ?

I for one just want an iphone for using as a phone, an iPod (video), and a business tool (calender, contacts) and now as a GPS, but without the expensive data packages which I could care less about.

I don't need to have my e-mail standing by, or harassing me in the middle of my day, or surf the web when I'm in the middle of the street. I'm fine with using wi-fi hotspots (or just using my laptop instead of a phone !) - I don't really see the benefit of the internet on my phone except in (for me) very rare occasions.

It's clear that for anyone like me (and I have quite a few people around me that feel the same way), the iPhone is just a no go !

Ok, let me make this quick and painless. (swipe) You don't need an iphone . .

 

[ts1973]

Ok, let me make this quick and painless. (swipe) You don't need an iphone . .

OK, so now I'm in pain

Please tell me what I do need then ? A phone, an ipod (touch) and a gps device ? The iphone combines the three for me which is perfect, and I don't want the data. Please, pretty please, pretty pretty please....

Won't happen I know, but please don't act as if I didn't look around for alternative options : it always comes down to the iPod : if I want to play the songs I've purchased from the iTunes store, I need an iPod, no other (smart) phone even with gps built-in can deliver this (unless I kill the DRM on the songs with one method or the other).

 

[compuguy1088]

Well this is NOT the source but this is what they call AT&T NAVIGATOR (GPS) which is a 30 day trial - if this turns out to be true, wow, there will be FOUL cried every where.

http://www.wireless.att.com/businesscenter/popup/telenav-gps-important-info.jsp

Also, not sure how they are doing it but TOM TOM is releasing a software package for iphone 1 so it will somehow be better than what apple presently has.

If true, then I think Apple would be smart to re-release the FIRST iPhone at any price, maybe $299 as some would save even if they broke (jail) and used TOM TOM GPS, only thing they won't get is 3G which each day looks less appealing considering almost all of us are near a data system (WI FI) and can deal with EDGE, especially if over the long run it is going to save a lot of money and no contracts.

I though the mapping data for the iPhone came from Google Maps, not Telenav. Telenav appears to be something suited towards more standard phones...

http://www.telenav.com/products/tn/

 

[QuantumLo0p]

Openmoko or Android anyone?

So, with the spectacular iPhone locked down to AT&T and sooooooo many people not considering AT&T as a provider for even a nanosecond what are the alternatives?

There is certainly no shortage of pricey smartphones on the market and you can pretty much chose whatever provider you wish. However, what about something very capable yet relatively inexpensive compared to top tier smart phones?

Until Apple decides to get out of bed with AT&T I would love the likes of the Android and Openmoko platforms to be viable.

Just have to wait a little while longer...

 

[Foulger]

Why do people hack?

In protest at high priced monopolistic practices.

In NZ you have to sign up for a two year plan with Vodafone which cost NZ$6000 (US$4500).

So sad.

Never mind, their products are really the best. Lets keep our ethics in place and hope that one day they will do the same.

Postscript. For me I would prefer to pay the full price for the product and use it on the network of my choice

 

[macsamillion]

Today—well actually yesterday—here in Pasadena, the purchase of a iPhone was profoundly complicated by ATT and Apple tightening of their sales policies. Nearest we could tell was that it took about 10 minutes to complete sales of five phones to their respective customers—as contrasted by my experience last year, the iphone activation was like magic. My purchase took about six and half hours... we kept thinking that what ever the technical problem was would be promptly solved. Turns out that problem may be the relationship with ATT.

I too would be willing to pay full price for the phone if I were allowed to use any network... It's not what it cost buy...

I plan on contacting ATT customer service and getting some roll-over minutes for my trouble.

 

[DiamondMac]

Today—well actually yesterday—here in Pasadena, the purchase of a iPhone was profoundly complicated by ATT and Apple tightening of their sales policies. Nearest we could tell was that it took about 10 minutes to complete sales of five phones to their respective customers—as contrasted by my experience last year, the iphone activation was like magic. My purchase took about six and half hours... we kept thinking that what ever the technical problem was would be promptly solved. Turns out that problem may be the relationship with ATT.

I too would be willing to pay full price for the phone if I were allowed to use any network... It's not what it cost buy...

I plan on contacting ATT customer service and getting some roll-over minutes for my trouble.

3 friends of mine went to stores around here. All 3 went to different ones

All of them said it was an absolute nightmare. Not only did the stores have such a small amount of iPhones but it took them several HOURS to get them.

 

[zync]

3 friends of mine went to stores around here. All 3 went to different ones

All of them said it was an absolute nightmare. Not only did the stores have such a small amount of iPhones but it took them several HOURS to get them.

I wanted to just see what they look like (I might get one next week) so I went to the closest Apple Store and the line was still there today! So I just left.

 

[DiamondMac]

I wanted to just see what they look like (I might get one next week) so I went to the closest Apple Store and the line was still there today! So I just left.

Things lightened up significantly today driving by 2 different stores

Now, maybe they were still sold out but I doubt it

 

[zync]

Things lightened up significantly today driving by 2 different stores

Now, maybe they were still sold out but I doubt it

I wouldn't doubt it. I just hope they get a new shipment when I go in to get one. I had waited on it for so long, then I lost my job three weeks ago due to downsizing and couldn't get it. This week I should have a new job. So hopefully next Saturday, or the one following, they have it in. Actually, this coming Sunday or the next. I have an engagement the following Saturday, and this Saturday is the FLUGTAG!

 

[charlituna]

Until Apple decides to get out of bed with AT&T

but can you be certain that verizon or t-mobile would be a better bed mate. that they wouldn't have servers that crashed and idiot customer care people and rates and fees that were bordering on way too much.

no, you can't. and for all it's issues, ATT is totally horrid in most areas.