iPhone from the US for use in the UK

[sundogs]

Hello,

please bear with me, I'm a wee bit slow with these things but I'd appreciate some replies

Got some family jetting off to the states and they want to bring me home an unlocked iphone 3gs so that I can use my regular (i.e. not iphone) T-mobile, contract sim inside.
I get unlimited interent on my phone as well as free texts

I'd really like a new phone and due to a breakage with my old phone, won't be due an upgrade for another year
i've had little luck in finding an answer to these questions:
1) Is it possible to purchase an unlocked iPhone directly from Apple? (i know it will cost, but is it possible?)
2) If I do this, would it in turn be possible to use my sim card and make use of my unlimited internet etc.?

Thanks so much!

 

[Applejuiced]

1) Is it possible to purchase an unlocked iPhone directly from Apple? (i know it will cost, but is it possible?)
2) If I do this, would it in turn be possible to use my sim card and make use of my unlimited internet etc.?

Thanks so much!

1. No, there is no factory unlocked iphones sold in the US.
Try Canada, Mexico, or many other countries in Europe etc..
If you Buy an iphone from the US it will be locked to AT&T.
Depending on firmware and baseband version installed you might or might not be able to jailbreak and unlock it.
And then you're getting into the cat and mouse game with potential of losing your unlock if you update firmware and have a phone that you cannot use, SHSH blobs and many other headaches that come into play with a carrier locked iphone.

 

[oakie]

like as said, unlocked iPhones arent available in the US.

but they ARE available in the UK, so why not buy one there? the full retail price is comparable between the two countries.