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How do you get a Factory Unlocked iPhone 3G in the USA?

goosnarrggh said:
Care to elaborate on that assertion?

In my interpretation, the fact that a stock 1st generation iPhone wouldn't accept anything but an AT&T SIM card was evidence that it was "carrier locked". ZiPhoning it involved the process of modifying the firmware to remove the carrier lock.
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I meant it was carrier locked. The rest of my post would be contradicting that first statement. ;)
 
If you are willing to spend that much, get one from eBay. They average about $800-$900 unlocked.


I always wondered where those people got their iPhones. I've messaged them and they either don't respond or tell me they get them "from a quality place".

They are hiding something.
 
AFAIK, the only way to get one is to import.

Alternatively, you can get an iPhone locked, then pay the early termination fee to get out of your contract after 30 days. I believe that carriers have to unlock your phone if you do this.
 
Saladinos said:
AFAIK, the only way to get one is to import.

Alternatively, you can get an iPhone locked, then pay the early termination fee to get out of your contract after 30 days. I believe that carriers have to unlock your phone if you do this.
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This has been covered already. This answer is a big no.
 
firewood said:
Will an iPhone dealer in Belgium or Australia sell one to a tourist with a U.S. credit card? There are some pretty cheap airfares available these days... a reasonable deal on an iPhone could help offset the cost of a vacation.


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In South Africa we sell to anyone who can pay. It's like buying an iPod. You just buy the iPhone and leave. Pop in your own sim card:)
 
Even if you get an unlocked iPhone 3G in Hong Kong... I heard that it will re-lock the first time you connect it to iTunes in the US.
 
TheSpaz said:
Even if you get an unlocked iPhone 3G in Hong Kong... I heard that it will re-lock the first time you connect it to iTunes in the US.
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I've read that some of these so-called "unlocked" Hong Kong iPhones were actually gray-market USA iPhones that were internally modified (from what I've gleaned, it might be the equivalent of a Turbo SIM, but permanently attached inside the phone instead of being coupled with the SIM card). These phones are not compatible with the upgraded baseband included in firmware version 2.2.

A genuine unlocked Hong Kong iPhone can be identified by the model numbers MB489ZP/A, MB496ZP/A, or MB500ZP/A.

I'm not saying for certain that Apple definitely isn't doing nefarious things when you synch an overseas iPhone using a USA iTunes account. But there certainly are other possible explanations.
 
TheSpaz said:
Even if you get an unlocked iPhone 3G in Hong Kong... I heard that it will re-lock the first time you connect it to iTunes in the US.
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That is not true. My sister used to live in the US and has a US itunes account on her Mac. She has since moved back to HK and has a legitimate 3G iphone bought in HK and she has experienced no problem when connected to her US itunes account.

I too have a US iTunes account and also live in HK but I have a legitimate 2G iphone with a legitimate AT&T contract although I did unlock my phone. I'm considering getting a factory unlocked 3G phone from Apple here...
 
Belize sells em

I live in Belize (which is a lot closer to the US than Asia or Eurpe) and you can walk into any phone retailer here and pick up a factory unlocked iphone 3G for $900US... but most places will give you for less if u ask for a discount. I got one, but i dont know if it will lock if i update or restore it on itunes... i'm too scared to try.
 
Nermal said:
Unfortunately Vodafone's online shop won't sell outside NZ. As a side note, when did Voda start supporting prepay?
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I know this is late coming, but my understanding is that it was always available, but they never let on. I bought my one from Vodafone, no contract, and one vodafone rep even told me my old sim wouldn't work (I would need a newer one), but it worked fine.

Now I am in the US, using the same phone, on a T-mobile prepaid card. Works perfectly.
 
The new buy a 3g without a contract is still locked in the US right? And Can you buy it at the apple store too?
 
OK so I guess I'm REALLY lucky as I happen to be in Malaysia right at this moment, where according to that Apple site they sell factory unlocked phones, and I'll also be in Hong Kong one month from today...

So if I were to go buy one of these phones, I would just buy it like an iPod and walk out of the store with it...so it doesn't come with any SIM card then? Also how do I go about getting SIM cards for when I travel to other countries? The iPhone SIM is unique, is it not?

I guess what I'm asking is, can I just go buy a factory unlocked iphone, and then every time I go to a foreign country just stop in somewhere and get a local SIM and then use my phone all over the world without paying exorbitant roaming charges?
 
puma1552 said:
So if I were to go buy one of these phones, I would just buy it like an iPod and walk out of the store with it...so it doesn't come with any SIM card then? Also how do I go about getting SIM cards for when I travel to other countries? The iPhone SIM is unique, is it not?
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If it's unlocked then any regular SIM card will work, so long as the network supports the same frequencies.
 
Nermal said:
If it's unlocked then any regular SIM card will work, so long as the network supports the same frequencies.
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Alright, but how does one go about getting service for a phone like this short of purchasing a rate plan in the respective country (in this case Malaysia/HK)?

Surely bringing it to the states (or in my case Japan) and trying to get a service plan with a local provider would prove difficult, no?

Also I currently have a 3G with Softbank here in Japan...when I got it the girl was talking about the SIM and just told me if I ever want to travel abroad just stop in and they will do something with the SIM card for me...I presume something that would get me out of those aforementioned roaming charges (maybe unlock or change the SIM?) and she also made sure to tell me that if I did it myself I would have to pay $700 USD so make sure to bring it in to have her do it. In this case would there even be a point in getting a factory unlocked phone?
 
I'm not familiar with how services work over there, but here in NZ you can buy prepaid SIMs outright from virtually any electronics store and you don't need to present the phone in order to do so. Naturally if you're just visiting the country then a prepaid SIM will be what you need.

I've never been on a contract so I don't know what happens there, but again I assume that I'd just go into a carrier's store and get a SIM with my account details on it.

To roam in other countries with an NZ Vodafone SIM, I'd need to pop into Vodafone and get the SIM activated for roaming. By default the SIM doesn't work in other countries (except Australia and maybe a couple of others) due to the way that billing works: The roaming partners don't have their systems linked with Voda NZ, so the money can't come straight out of my NZ prepaid balance. They need to set up roaming with the carriers that I'll be using so that the carriers can bill Vodafone, who in turn would bill me.
 
I have one

I have a factoy unlocked iPhone 3gs. I bought sealed and the box didn't have an AT&T marak on the back i
of the box I'm on the current firmware on tmobile service no problems and works fin even without a data plan u can buy em in Chicago. 16 gb black iPhone 3gs. I'm typing this on my phone right now and works great Incan upgrade downgrade restore etc without having a problem paid a nice price 700+ usd. But was worth it!
 
firewood said:
Will an iPhone dealer in Belgium or Australia sell one to a tourist with a U.S. credit card? There are some pretty cheap airfares available these days... a reasonable deal on an iPhone could help offset the cost of a vacation.


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I'm sure they would. Even if not, you could always pay cash.
 
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