I realize, that we are claiming to “have no desire to turn this space into another iPhone blog“, while at the same time posting at least one iPhone related post per day. Please excuse this temporary insanity, as the June launch date of the iPhone creeps a little closer every second. (Not that we are counting or anything….)
Engadget reports today that potential iPhone users can sleep easy, because the iPhone’s still a quad-band worldphone.
There’s been a lot of buzz these past couple days about the iPhone’s FCC filing and what it says — or rather, what it doesn’t say — about the handset’s internals. The fear basically revolves around the fact that a lack of testing on the GSM 900 and 1800MHz bands indicates that it lacks those bands entirely, but we can assure the globetrotters out there jonesin’ for an iPhone come next month that there’ll be a full range of RF spectrum waiting for you.
So, that sounds fantastic. However, besides the quad-band goodness, will iPhone users really be able to use their U.S. iPhone while traveling outside the country?
During his Macworld Keynote in January 2007, Steve Jobs announced publicly, that in the U.S. Cingular (or AT&T) will be the only carrier and the iPhone will only be obtainable in combination with a Cingular subscription. That being said, there is a fairly good chance (read 100%) that the iPhone will be simlocked, and consequently unusable in foreign countries. (And conveniently on networks other than AT&T’s.)
Sure, you could continue to use the AT&T sim card in, let’s say, Germany for example, however are you willing to pay the premium roaming fees of $1.29 per minute? (Or 99cents in combination with a $5.99 per month global rate plan.)
The much more likely scenario would be that you would want to buy a prepaid sim card from a local wireless carrier, or even sign up for a temporary contract while you are overseas.
But, does AT&T unlock their phones for you? According to the (rather unfriendly) AT&T representative, that I talked to this morning, the answer is yes. She assured me, that all Cingular (she used the old name, not me) phones could be unlocked by simply calling up customer care. I asked her, if the same rule will apply for Apple’s upcoming iPhone. She answered that with another question: “Is this going to be a Cingular product?” Quite obviously, she has no idea if AT&T will unlock the iPhone for you or not. So let’s look at the two possible scenarios we are facing here:
Option # 1: AT&T will allow customers to unlock the iPhone.
This would be great news for all globetrotters. You sign up with AT&T, get the iPhone, call customer care, and request your “subsidiary unlock key.” That’s it. You are free to travel the world with your shiny new iPhone. (And deeply impress some of your European friends while you’re at it, since the iPhone won’t be available overseas before the year’s end.)
On the downside (for AT&T at least), this would open the door for potential T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint customers to purchase an iPhone and use it on their networks instead of AT&T’s. Sure, there’s still that pesky, little two-year contract agreement, but there’s a way around everything.
Option #2: AT&T will not unlock the iPhone during its initial two year run.
This scenario would single handedly render the quad-band capabilities of the iPhone useless. Customers would not be able to use the iPhone overseas unless they decide to dish up AT&T’s roaming fees instead.
This would surely result into some angry customers, however, AT&T would have two measures in place to protect the iPhone from “unintended” use on other U.S networks. (Alongside the above mentioned two-year contract.)
Quite obviously, AT&T is in a tough spot here. Satisfying its globetrotter customers, and potentially risking misuse of the unlock code, or scaring away that customer base, but keep the iPhone tightly locked to the AT&T network.
Glad I don’t have to make that decision!
How would you decide?
EDIT: Silly me, Sprint and Verizon don’t even use the GSM system, and therefore don’t have SIM cards.
Update 6-9-2007: There seemed to be some initial confusion if the iPhone will actually have a SIM card slot or not. Today, AT&T’s leaked training manual now officially confirms that the iPhone will indeed carry a SIM card slot.
About Philipp
Please let it be unlocked!
In response to : Sure, there’s still that pesky, little two-year contract agreement, but there’s a way around everything.
I would suggest using celltradeusa.com to get out of a cell phone contract. I used celltrade a few months back with success.
I was able to get out of my 2 year cell phone contract penalty free using celltrade’s system.
I plan on using the service again when the i-phone comes out…
I am a celltrade fan for life.
It would be wonderful if the iphone would be unlocked but I think you’re not considering the fact that it might just simply be physically impossible to have it done, since the battery is not removable and there doesn’t seem to be an outside access to the sim card slot. Everything will probably be just be locked, literally and unfortunately, inside!!!
Hey Diana,
actually, the SIM card will be accessible as noted by Steve Jobs in his keynote. So from the physical standpoint it should be possible.
I know what everyone is saying about Canada and Europes release dates, there is a lot of speculation end of 2007 or early 2008. Here’s my question:
As a Canadian I am well aware that Rogers will be the only carrier available in Canada, that’s fine with me. Now if I buy an iPhone via ebay or some other way and get it in Canada, will I be able to take my Rogers SIM card and stick it in the phone and have it work if AT&T make public the unlock code?
Can anyone answer me on this .. ?
Hey Shawn. That really depends and no one will be able to tell you until the iPhone is released. There won’t be a public unlock key for the iPhone. Each unique phone will require an unique unlock code. However, people have come up with cracks for other phones, so the iPhone should be no different. It all depends so if Apple and AT&T will also install other hurdles besides sim-lock. No details up to this point, so this is all speculation unfortunately.
One thing is for sure though: You won’t be able to use somebody else’s unlock key to unlock your phone. Sorry.
I have no doubts that Apple will produce an exceptional gadget
that also happens to be a phone. Until now, we have been using quite simple devices, compared to the Iphone. I doubt that even if the simm card could be replaced and the phone hacked or officcially unlocked, we will be able to place a Thai or French simm card and use it with all it’s features. Perhaps a sound solutions for those of us that love toys, would be to carry two phones abroad: an Iphone that we will show off altough we will be payuing $3.00 a minute, and a modest Nokia
with a local simm card that we may use in secret when we go back to the hotel. We could even hide it when the room service
waiter comes in and show off the Iphone.
I used to work for Cingular in the ANS department. Which is the second level support for Smarphone/PDA Devices. For AT&T and cingular there is 2 seperate ways you can get your phone unlocked. 1 being that you bought the phone at full MSRP. Meaning you bought the phone, and didn’t get a contract. And I do apologize but I do not remember the second.
So for me.. knowing that lots of people are going to buy it and some are going to not like it. (Happens with any phone) I will wait for it to pop up on craigslist, and also wait and see if people are able to use it on T-mobile. Knowing Apple they may have sim locked and hardware locked the device. Wait for posts about people who have successfully unlocked it and used it on another carrier.
But yes, legally if you buy the phone at MSRP AT&T will legally HAVE to give you the unlock code since you did not buy into the contract. Also there is no way for them to see where or how you bought it. So buying it from a 3rd party vendor or auction would be fine. Call in customer care get the unlock code and your ready to go.
So, Once we complete 2 year contract on the iPhone in US, will AT&T give you the unlock code??
Doesn’t look like it, at least not in the United States. You should be able to jailbreak and unlock your original iPhone fairly easy, however.
Check out http://redsn0w.com/ for more information.