Buying iPhone 4 in US for use in the UK ?

[KevinM2]

Seeing as I am going to be out in the US over the launch week, I was wondering if it was possible to purchase a PAYG (no commitment) iPhone 4 in the US, and then pop my O2 SIM in when I get back to the UK?

I see that various store in the US have said they will be sellig the iPhone 4 on launch (Walmart, Best Buy etc), and I wondered if these (the no commitment/PAYG versions) would be locked to AT&T or do they lock to the first SIM that you put in?

If it's the latter, if I don't even switch the phone on until I get back to the UK, and the first thing I do is put my UK O2 SIM in it, would that work?

Or is this idea really a non starter?

Thanks.

 

[OllyW]

The phone would be locked to AT&T.

 

[KevinM2]

Is AT&T the sole iPhone service provider in the US?

If so, that's got to be a real pain for US customers. Remember what it was like in the UK when O2 had exclusive rights to all iPhone contracts. At least now there is a choice of 5 different companies, so much better choice/value for customers.

 

[old-wiz]

Is AT&T the sole iPhone service provider in the US?

If so, that's got to be a real pain for US customers. Remember what it was like in the UK when O2 had exclusive rights to all iPhone contracts. At least now there is a choice of 5 different companies, so much better choice/value for customers.

All iPhones sold in the U.S. are locked to AT&T. Just goes to show how much power AT&T has over government regulators.

 

[TZRaceR6]

I'm in the same boat as you mate. Will be in the US for the launch and am contemplating buying one and bringing it back and "hope" for the iPhone hackers to crack it and make it unlockable.