iPhone + UNICEL = WTF?

[Finnxeon]

So as I was driving past one of several local UNICEL shops in my hometown today, I saw a rather unbelievable sight. As some may know, Unicel is the only GSM provider in Vermont, and they would be the last carrier I would ever expect to make the statement I saw.

As I drove by i saw a sign saying "iPhones are coming! Taking orders now!".

Ummm WTF? Maybe the employees are confused or something because I highly doubt this is true, although it would be nice to be able to use the iPhone in vermont. Basically I am going to take the sign with a grain of salt and say it is false obviously, but boy did it get me excited for 10 seconds until i realized that I live in vermont and we do not have at&t and that means NO iPhone for me.....oh dear. I had no clue what would make them assume just anybody could get the iPhone though.

But anyways, just wanted to share my little story with everybody!

 

[cyclingplatypus]

Perhaps they are going to sell unlocked ones?!?!?!

 

[Finnxeon]

i feel like that wouldn't be legal though.......oh how i wish it were though!

 

[/dev/toaster]

You should stop in to ask how they plan to pull it off. I am curious to hear the results

 

[boss1]

Perhaps, if UNICEL is truly planning on going through with this, they are doing it based on a stipulation in the AT&T & Apple agreement.



The loop hole would probably have to read something to this effect:

"Apple is not allowed to offer iPhone product line with any other carrier other than AT&T in any area in the US where AT&T's network coverage area exists for the length of the AT&T/Apple agreement"

OR

There maybe some law or form of law that UNICEL plans on using that says that "AT&T or any carrier for that matter can NOT legally prevent a cellphone manufacturer/reseller or consumer from having access to or using a product in an area that where the carrier does not offer service".

If the law sides against the service provider than any agreement or contract would pretty much be NULL in that regard. Just because two businesses agree to something (AT&T/Apple) doesn't mean it's legal.


That would pretty much sum it up.

 

[Finnxeon]

oh i see! That does make sense.

I should take a trip into town to see.

 

[certsoft]

That does seem strange. We have Unicel here in Eastern Oregon but haven't seen any mention of iPhones. I'm using a hacked iPhone on Unicel but doing so using a prepaid T-Mobile card (so no Edge for me).

Used to live in Randolph, VT.

 

[iTeen]

o wow...this would be very cool...it would be better if it were a verizon rumor though
jake

 

[SickNic]

Well, here is the thing,
there may be some truth to that sign, but it's going to be a while yet. As you all may know, Verizon wireless has put in an offer to buy Unicel. If VW were to get all the towers and territories Unicel has, there would be a monopoly. As part of the deal, VW needs to trade territories with AT&T so there won't be a monopoly.

So, yes, that poster is for real. I dunno why they are setting it up though, because Unicel won't be selling iPhones at all, and it won't be for at least another year.

 

[1Zach1]

I might have to take a trip around town and see what the different Unicels are saying here.

 

[TEG]

Unicel was bought by Verizon. Verizon is switching all users to CDMA. at&t just bought Dobson Cellular (Cellular One). Each of these purchases overlap existing coverage. As a result Verizon is giving the Vermont network to at&t in exchange for various overlapped markets in the midwest. As a result the iPhone will soon be available in Vermont and in places like Minnesota, Alaksa, and North Dakota, where you couldn't get it due to limited or no at&t network.

TEG

 

[forgottensoft]

This is actually easily explained. Unicel was bought by Verizon a while back, but a few weeks later Verizon traded its Vermont shares (and a couple other places) to AT&T for some of its midwest shares. Therefore, AT&T and NE Unicel are the same company. So, iPhone is a likely step.

 

[nicole t5]

unicel to at&t

If it is anything like minnesota unicel was bought out by at & t so the iphone will then be available to the unicel customers because they will switch from unicel to at & t.