Realistically, how much will it cost to import an unlocked Iphone 3G into the UK?

[deftangel]

I'm in the UK on T-Mobile 3 months into a 12 month contract. As I get half price line rental and an extremely good data service I'm reluctant to leave...but I want an iPhone 3G I've a HTC Touch and budget for an iTouch to chuck in so I don't think the cost will be a problem....just the best way of getting it over here.

Did anyone else here import an unlocked 2G? How did you go about it?

 

[MojoWill]

data might not work on a different network and there is no guarentee that it will even be availiable unlocked

 

[chrissmash]

According to Apple they have gone to extreme lengths this time with O2 to try and stop as many unlocks as possible but pretty sure there will always be one. I would say its more how much time will it take? rather than how much you should think about.

 

[Satori]

You could buy a PAYG iPhone in the UK (£450) and then have it unlocked (usually around £40 by a third party). This plan assumes that someone develops a simple method for unlocking the new iphone.

 

[deftangel]

data might not work on a different network and there is no guarentee that it will even be availiable unlocked

I was under the impression that in some countries the iPhone HAD to be sold unlocked? I can't think of any reason why my data settings won't work with the iPhone either.

EDIT: I've no issues with buying a PAYG phone and unlocking it, I wouldn't expect it to take a lot of time for someone to manage it either but at this stage it's not clear when I'll be able to get one over here.

 

[sananda]

You could buy a PAYG iPhone in the UK (£450)

from where?

 

[razorianfly]

Software 2.0 went through a beta seeding which consisted of 8 builds.

Beta 1, 2 and 3 were jail broken or unlocked,
after Beta 4, Software 2.0 has not been unlocked.

2.0 has now gone GM, without an unlock available.

It will happen, but I think it'll take a good while after launch for one to surface.

R-Fly

 

[nick9191]

You could buy a PAYG iPhone in the UK (£450) and then have it unlocked (usually around £40 by a third party). This plan assumes that someone develops a simple method for unlocking the new iphone.

Where the hell did you get that figure? Its £299 for the 8gb on PAYG. I'm guessing projects like ZiPhone and Pwnage will still be running.

 

[t0mat0]

So which country is most likely to demand an unlocked version/ It seems that unless that happens, people will have to
1) Wait till a PAYG 3G iPhone comes out and / or 2) Pay through the nose up-front for it.


I remember the France unlocking saga slightly e.g. Engadget prior to the launch date.

A lovely by-law passed on the 17th of November 1998 apparently.
Phone operators being obliged to unlock the phone, for a cost during the first 6 months of a contract but for free after the initial 6 months.


Orange had to give details about what was happening regarding the unlocked version, as there were rumours that it would be offering not actually unlocked iPhones, but simply Iphones set to work with any French carrier SIM card rather than, say, a SIM purchased in the UK.el reg

"Once legally (through Orange Customer Service) unlocked, the iPhone will operate with any SIM card, including foreign ones," a company spokesman subsequently told website iLounge. "But some applications like ‘Visual Voicemail’ may not work abroad."

The sting? The price of the unlocked handset - €749 (~$1100/£540) versus €399 ($576/£285) for the locked one .
(Germany's unlocked phone? €999!)

(Orange charging €649 for an unlocked iPhone, plus a €100 unlocking fee if the process is carried out during the six months after the handset was purchased. After that, unlocking being free).

(There may have been other developments regarding the v1 iPhone France unlocking situation).
https://www.macrumors.com/2007/11/28/orange-announces-iphone-france-and-unlocking-options/