iPhone International unlock
- Thread starter Q8Music
- Start date
Depending on your credit score (and time with AT&T) they will provision your account so that you can roam internationally. Assuming you have a sufficient credit score, they will do this provisioning for free.
However, this does NOT unlock your phone. This merely allows you to use the AT&T SIM card while out of the country (and pay the sky-high AT&T roaming rates). Currently, there is NO way to get AT&T to "unlock" your iPhone. I previously got Cingular to unlock a RAZR bought through them, allowing me to use other company's SIM cards while traveling. However, they will NOT do this for the iPhone (at least for now...)
However, this does NOT unlock your phone. This merely allows you to use the AT&T SIM card while out of the country (and pay the sky-high AT&T roaming rates). Currently, there is NO way to get AT&T to "unlock" your iPhone. I previously got Cingular to unlock a RAZR bought through them, allowing me to use other company's SIM cards while traveling. However, they will NOT do this for the iPhone (at least for now...)
I took my iPhone to China, Hong Kong and Vietnam and it was roaming great. 1.99/minute talk and $0.0197/kb datat transfer. I had it on airplane mode most of the trip, but it did work.
The only thing you might get from AT&T is roaming but you still have to pay them the big bucks if you keep the SIM card in $$
AT&T doesn't want people to unlock the phones, because they had to put in so much money to get the phones made that they will lose money on you if you aren't signed up on their network. In the next few months some people will probably come out with an unlock guide like you see for most phones.
I was really impressed, and so where all the others with me on a trip to Ecuador this last week. Mine was the only one that worked. The hotel tried to work with cingular on the phone, to get the others to work. No avail. While AT&T rates for roam are steep, the alternative is to get an unlocked phone and buy a local pay as you go sim. I keep an unlocked Razor to do just this on longer trips. This approach is not necessarily cheaper if you do not plan upon returning or end up not using it up. I have resorted to giving sims with time left to my drivers for a tip.
Most companies will unlock your phone, upon request, after you have had the phone for 90 days. It may take them some time to actually come through on the request, but they do. Personally, I just buy the phones, unlocked, to start with.
Ultimately, AT&T will be put into a position to unlock the phone, since you purchased it outright and not as a freebie for a contract. While the iPhone is expensive, there is still a bit of subsidy going on.
Most companies will unlock your phone, upon request, after you have had the phone for 90 days. It may take them some time to actually come through on the request, but they do. Personally, I just buy the phones, unlocked, to start with.
Ultimately, AT&T will be put into a position to unlock the phone, since you purchased it outright and not as a freebie for a contract. While the iPhone is expensive, there is still a bit of subsidy going on.
Cell phone service is like airlines. They pretty much all suck. Some suck less at times, but overall they all are fairly good at providing mediocre service. So to be locked into one or the other, nothing is perfect. Any phone you get from a provider is locked for a period. So the alternative is to pay full price for an unlocked one on your own. A path I have taken on my spare. It is a fine feeling to pay $175 for a V3, unlocked, when I can get them for free from AT&T.
Frankly, most of the providers would stumble in one way or another. It really boils down to who gives the best coverage where YOU live or work. The best features of European data networks are not available here in the US, and most of those are frankly pretty bad. Saying one US data service is so much better than an other is like saying my AMC Gremlin is a superior car to your Ford Pinto. They are both rolling junk.
I spend about half of my time traveling. I get better cell phone service in Zambia than the US companies can provide, and for a fraction of the cost. We are stuck with the system the FCC has let grow here and hoping it will get better soon is pointless.
Personally, I am thrilled the iPhone works as well as it does. I had low expectations, but have been constantly impressed. It has led me to the point that I can leave my laptop at home for many trips. Let somebody else haul it through customs and security. I mainly want my emails and to do a bit of web work. My fingers are too big to use the Blackberry type devices. You have to have the fingers of a pixie to work it. Besides Web browsing on everything I had tried to date was an exercise in frustration.
I am tired of high end hotels in Europe and around the world charging for WiFi when you are already paying an steep rate for the room. The less expensive the hotel, the more likely that WiFi is free.
Frankly, most of the providers would stumble in one way or another. It really boils down to who gives the best coverage where YOU live or work. The best features of European data networks are not available here in the US, and most of those are frankly pretty bad. Saying one US data service is so much better than an other is like saying my AMC Gremlin is a superior car to your Ford Pinto. They are both rolling junk.
I spend about half of my time traveling. I get better cell phone service in Zambia than the US companies can provide, and for a fraction of the cost. We are stuck with the system the FCC has let grow here and hoping it will get better soon is pointless.
Personally, I am thrilled the iPhone works as well as it does. I had low expectations, but have been constantly impressed. It has led me to the point that I can leave my laptop at home for many trips. Let somebody else haul it through customs and security. I mainly want my emails and to do a bit of web work. My fingers are too big to use the Blackberry type devices. You have to have the fingers of a pixie to work it. Besides Web browsing on everything I had tried to date was an exercise in frustration.
I am tired of high end hotels in Europe and around the world charging for WiFi when you are already paying an steep rate for the room. The less expensive the hotel, the more likely that WiFi is free.