CONFIRMED: Hong Kong iPhone 3G sold by 3HK UNLOCKED

[imacdaddy]

I got a call today that my iPhone 3G is ready for pickup. Got the 16GB in black.

Anyway, I'm porting over my current mobile number from my current carrier SmarTone-Vodafone to use on 3HK but the number portability and the cancellation of my current contract wont happen until the 22nd so in the meantime, I have to use my current SmarTone-Vodafone SIM card in the iPhone 3G. (Thankfully I'm using 3G already)

I was surprised to learn that I only had to insert my current SIM card and connect to iTunes. It will detect the SIM card and download the carrier information onto the iPhone. I clicked OK before realising I should have taken a screen shot. So now I have the iPhone 3G on another carrier!

This means:
1. The iPhone sold here is the Unlocked version.
2. Apple had info on other carrier's 3G access points and downloaded the info automatically.
3. Perhaps iPhone 3G will be available in HK on another carrier soon?

Here's a pic I just took under the Settings. You can see my Carrier is SmarToneVodafone and the top left displays part of the name and is connected to their 3G network.

Just tested the internet browsing and is obviously fastert compared to 2G on my first gen iPhone. I hope when I switch over to 3HK network, it'll be just as fast or faster. In case you're wondering, you cannot buy the iPhone without a 3HK contract. Thought I'd share this on MR.

 

[kyen1]

In case you're wondering, you cannot buy the iPhone without a 3HK contract. Thought I'd share this on MR.

Actually, you can buy it without a 3HK contract...but it is very expensive.

What I would like to know is whether 3HK is accepting walk-in sales yet. Last week, they were still telling customers to register on their website and that they would call customers when stock was available.

Seems like a retarded strategy especially when iphones are lining the walls of the 3HK shops. They should just sell to whoever wants one.

 

[i0dium]

I got a call today that my iPhone 3G is ready for pickup. Got the 16GB in black.

Anyway, I'm porting over my current mobile number from my current carrier SmarTone-Vodafone to use on 3HK but the number portability and the cancellation of my current contract wont happen until the 22nd so in the meantime, I have to use my current SmarTone-Vodafone SIM card in the iPhone 3G. (Thankfully I'm using 3G already)

I was surprised to learn that I only had to insert my current SIM card and connect to iTunes. It will detect the SIM card and download the carrier information onto the iPhone. I clicked OK before realising I should have taken a screen shot. So now I have the iPhone 3G on another carrier!

This means:
1. The iPhone sold here is the Unlocked version.
2. Apple had info on other carrier's 3G access points and downloaded the info automatically.
3. Perhaps iPhone 3G will be available in HK on another carrier soon?

Here's a pic I just took under the Settings. You can see my Carrier is SmarToneVodafone and the top left displays part of the name and is connected to their 3G network.

Just tested the internet browsing and is obviously fastert compared to 2G on my first gen iPhone. I hope when I switch over to 3HK network, it'll be just as fast or faster. In case you're wondering, you cannot buy the iPhone without a 3HK contract. Thought I'd share this on MR.

Have you tried with foreign SIM-cards? Some say that the iPhone 3G in Hong Kong is country-locked, meaning that you can only use SIM-cards from Hong Kong providers (e.g. China Mobile or other foreign providers won't work).