Seriously considering an iPhone need some help

[popper]

I am on a recent 18 month contract with t.mobile on the android HTC Hero, but i want to trade it in for an iPhone 3GS. What i need to know is:

if i buy an unlocked iphone can i then simply put my current t.mobile contract SIM in the unblocked iphone and have it work?

or is there an easier rout around all this that i don't know about?

thats the most important questions out the way.

but also heres another one:

are there any caveats that come with having a unlocked iphone? i've done some research (how accurate or honest they are i am not sure) that say things like:

"Important: You must connect the iPhone to a computer each time you switch it on after being powered off. This applies to all unlocked new iPhones. Straight-forward instructions are provided."

"Restoring or updating the iPhone will cause it to lock to O2. Current firmware on iPhone: 3.1.2."

"THE PHONE IS UNLOCKED BUT AS EVERYBODY

KNOWS THAT 3GS IPHONE IS LOCKED AGAIN IF ITS TURN OFF - AND THERE IS A SOFTWARE TO UNLOCK IT AGAIN WHICH COMES WITH THE PHONE"

Is there a specific type of unlocked iPhone i would need to buy to avoid these caveats? like a "factory unlocked iphone" or something?

[joec1101]

You can use an unlocked iPhone on TMo, but you won't get the 3G network - only Edge. It's only going to work at its full capacity on ATT. If you want to stay with TMo, you're probably better off using one of their 3G phones so you get the full benefit of using the 3G network.

A friend of mine just recently did this and wasn't happy with the Edge network on TMo, so he ported over to ATT.

[Raz0rEdge]

You can plug your SIM card into the unlocked iPhone and it will work on the TMo network but I can't address the 3G or Edge issue there..

As far as the unlocking phone itself, it all depends on HOW it's unlocked. If it's one that is unlocked with a software unlock, then a iPhone OS update will cause it to relock and you will have to go through the process of unlocking it again to make it work on TMo..if the phone is unlocked through the carrier, then the update will NOT cause any problems (this is how I have mine on ATT)..

If the phone is unlocked, through carrier or software, you don't need to anything special if you were to turn it off and back on..it'll just work..

Regards

[p3ezi(moto)]

hey isn't the htc hero a sprint phone....anyways...i was thinking about getting a iphone..but i guess i'll stick with my moto cliq