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The U.K. iPhone 4 Thread

I find myself checking this thread every 10 minutes :D
In some ways the iPhone launch has worked out well, because it comes out the day after I've finished my exam. In other ways, it hasn't worked so well as I find myself repeatedly checking the orange website, here, avforums iPhone thread and my email, to see if the orange prices have been announced! Arghh!
Worst thing is, I have a big history exam on Wednesday, so in some respects it'll be good that I have tuesday off to revise, but it will also be bad as I'll be checking to see if pre-orders are up :D
Damn you apple :apple:
 
allonym said:
I found this thread here:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/820282/

Last post is hopeful, but I'd be confident if a couple of people said they'd actually done it!
Click to expand...

Interesting. So at the moment my scanning of all the info and following various threads makes me think that the current state of play for PAYG unlocking 3GS, and of course subject to change for the iPhone 4, is:

O2 - Unlock for £15 at any time but you lose any remaining time on the 12 month free WiFi and data deal.

Orange - Unlock for £20 after 3 months.

Vodafone - ?

T-Mobile - ? (but a bit academic because the rumours seem to be that they won't be offering PAYG until a month or two after launch).

Does the above look about right?

I really want to end up on T-Mobile PAYG (great prices for their data bundles) and that's the one that it's looking very likely won't be available on launch day so I'm thinking along the lines of buying another network PAYG on launch day and ideally unlocking it immediately.

If things don't change then it's looking to me as if O2 PAYG might be my best bet since they won't have the 12 month free data to worry about losing anymore (it's only free WiFi for the iPhone 4, free 3G data now requires minimum monthly topups to qualify) but I'd be interested in knowing the situation with unlocking a Vodafone PAYG handset on the day of purchase to see if that might be another option.

- Julian
 
spikey, im on avf too! will have to look for that thread!!!!!

to be honest this is my main source of info rather than other forums as this i mac focused and likely more accurate, also theres less arguments
 
spikeyjac said:
I find myself checking this thread every 10 minutes :D
Click to expand...
I find myself wondering how many pages this thread will have grown to by the time we get to launch day!!! There's still 12 days left, including today and launch day itself, and already we're close to hitting 100 pages on the page count. The thread will likely go mad tomorrow if that's the day they announce handset prices.

- Julian
 
I still don't see why Apple cannot sell the iPhone 4 as an unlocked item. I want to buy it from Apple and not O2, Voda, Three etc. I can understand previously when O2 were the only supplier and Apple had an agreement with them. But now there is no incentive to lock into a network other than a subsidised phone bought from the operator themselves. Last time I bought a 3GS on PAYG it was locked onto O2, and the incentive for that was 12 months free internet use. Where is the incentive now? If the networks are stopping us from using a PAYG phone unlocked there must be a reason. I wonder if it's crap service, crap network or crap prices. Or with some of them, all of that.

It can be done. I bought a 3G iPad without any sim. I decided what network to use it on when I wanted to.
 
Guys are O2 actually confirmed to have a handset available from launch on PAYGO?

If so I will be getting it and getting it from Apple.
 
I haven't decided whether to get a iPhone 4 yet to replace my 3GS... i'm thinking I might wait for the dual-core iPhone 5 with 8 megapixel camera :D
 
Boblister said:
I still don't see why Apple cannot sell the iPhone 4 as an unlocked item. I want to buy it from Apple and not O2, Voda, Three etc. I can understand previously when O2 were the only supplier and Apple had an agreement with them. But now there is no incentive to lock into a network other than a subsidised phone bought from the operator themselves. Last time I bought a 3GS on PAYG it was locked onto O2, and the incentive for that was 12 months free internet use. Where is the incentive now? If the networks are stopping us from using a PAYG phone unlocked there must be a reason. I wonder if it's crap service, crap network or crap prices. Or with some of them, all of that.

It can be done. I bought a 3G iPad without any sim. I decided what network to use it on when I wanted to.
Click to expand...

I totally agree, they should just sell it unlocked like the iPad. Its weird that you can't just walk into an Apple shop pay for your phone and have the liberty to do what you want esp in this day and age.

Last year when the 3GS came out i went all the way to Belgium on launch day to buy one. (I get staff Eurostar discount so was peanuts) In Belgium and Italy by Law the phone has to be sold unlocked then its up to you to decide who you will follow for a tariff.

I did get one but they had limited stock, I wanted a black model 32gig 3gs but had to settle for a 16gig white 3gs. I didn't have to go though any of the hassle of unlocking or anything, just connect to itunes and it says your phone is unlocked.

You can always order unlocked phones from play.com and other sites but all they do is buy from Italy or Belgium and sell them at a premium. I remember the 32gig 3gs going for £999.99 from Play at launch :eek:
 
I mentioned the whole why would they lock phones now etc a while ago and a guy was adamant that every phone will be locked to each network so this means 20 different models assuming the below.

16gb black iphone (3, vodafone, orange, o2. tmobile) = 5
32gb black iphone (3, vodafone, orange, o2. tmobile) = 5

16gb white iphone (3, vodafone, orange, o2. tmobile) = 5
32gb white iphone (3, vodafone, orange, o2. tmobile) = 5

Not sure about pay and go ones as they should be included in the above.
 
nwlondonlad said:
I totally agree, they should just sell it unlocked like the iPad. Its weird that you can't just walk into an Apple shop pay for your phone and have the liberty to do what you want esp in this day and age.

Last year when the 3GS came out i went all the way to Belgium on launch day to buy one. (I get staff Eurostar discount so was peanuts) In Belgium and Italy by Law the phone has to be sold unlocked then its up to you to decide who you will follow for a tariff.

I did get one but they had limited stock, I wanted a black model 32gig 3gs but had to settle for a 16gig white 3gs. I didn't have to go though any of the hassle of unlocking or anything, just connect to itunes and it says your phone is unlocked.

You can always order unlocked phones from play.com and other sites but all they do is buy from Italy or Belgium and sell them at a premium. I remember the 32gig 3gs going for £999.99 from Play at launch :eek:
Click to expand...

Thats interesting. I think Ofcom should be involved in this. It is definitely limiting the consumers freedom of choice. As I have said before. I can understand if a particular network has in some way subsidised the cost of the phone or offered another service such as free internet.

Out of interest how much price difference was the phone when you bought it in Belgium.
 
daleski75 said:
I mentioned the whole why would they lock phones now etc a while ago and a guy was adamant that every phone will be locked to each network so this means 20 different models assuming the below.

16gb black iphone (3, vodafone, orange, o2. tmobile) = 5
32gb black iphone (3, vodafone, orange, o2. tmobile) = 5

16gb white iphone (3, vodafone, orange, o2. tmobile) = 5
32gb white iphone (3, vodafone, orange, o2. tmobile) = 5

Not sure about pay and go ones as they should be included in the above.
Click to expand...

I dont think it would work like that. All Apple have to do is insist either they or the phone store, O2, Voda etc. activate the phone before it's handed over then it can be locked at that point. It's been mentioned earlier that the way the iPhone is determined to be locked is by a big database held by Apple and probably accessed when you sync. O2 told me when mine was unlocked that all they had to do was supply the IMEI number to Apple and they do the unlocking. I suspect the iPhone lock status is verified each time it call the mothership (Apple). So all they would need to do in the Apple store is Lock it there and then to whatever carrier you have chosen, you don't need different models for different carriers.
 
In alternate reality world maybe because there is so much choice now between which network to choose from all of the networks will NOT be offering an unlock to try and keep customers for as long as possible.

I am hoping for some common sense and for all networks to at least offer an unlock at some point specially on pay as you go as they have already got the money up front so they won't be losing out as such.
 
Boblister said:
I dont think it would work like that. All Apple have to do is insist either they or the phone store, O2, Voda etc. activate the phone before it's handed over then it can be locked at that point. It's been mentioned earlier that the way the iPhone is determined to be locked is by a big database held by Apple and probably accessed when you sync. O2 told me when mine was unlocked that all they had to do was supply the IMEI number to Apple and they do the unlocking. I suspect the iPhone lock status is verified each time it call the mothership (Apple). So all they would need to do in the Apple store is Lock it there and then to whatever carrier you have chosen, you don't need different models for different carriers.
Click to expand...

The weird thing is I had the exact same theory but I was shot down saying that would never happen by another poster.

My theory was unlocked when you buy it, you put in your sim talks to itunes etc and then locks it to the sim.
 
Boblister said:
Thats interesting. I think Ofcom should be involved in this. It is definitely limiting the consumers freedom of choice. As I have said before. I can understand if a particular network has in some way subsidised the cost of the phone or offered another service such as free internet.

Out of interest how much price difference was the phone when you bought it in Belgium.
Click to expand...

It was 575 Euros, can't remember what the exchange rate was back then on the 26th June 2009. That comes to £478 (Today). Not bad as i sold it last week for £300

They don't have Apple shops there but They do have authorized Apple dealerships and a network called Mobistar which is where i bought mine from.
 
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