iphone sim free in the uk?

tyros8000 · Jul 19, 2007

found this on digg, hope its true, i think it would be the best thing for apple to do in the uk.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/18/expansys-uk-offering-unlocked-iphone/

can't see it happening but we can always hope...

fleurya · Jul 19, 2007

Wasn't there another post on Engadget later in the day retracting that statement or at least the info on the site was gone?

tyros8000 · Jul 19, 2007

i am not sure, i just noticed it on digg and i am not a regular reader or engadget

knightlie · Jul 19, 2007

If I can't put my Tesco Mobile sim card in it, then no sale.

RONE · Jul 19, 2007

fleurya said:
Wasn't there another post on Engadget later in the day retracting that statement or at least the info on the site was gone?

Yeah, it even says it on the link he posted.

Zoolook · Jul 19, 2007

If you can buy it sim free in the UK, then surely you can use it anywhere - which is a great way of having an iPhone in the US without being with AT&T

RONE · Jul 19, 2007

Zoolook said:
If you can buy it sim free in the UK, then surely you can use it anywhere - which is a great way of having an iPhone in the US without being with AT&T

But you can't.

Zoolook · Jul 19, 2007

RONE said:
But you can't.

Not yet.

boneheadz · Jul 20, 2007

Zoolook said:
Not yet.

I am wondering why you would want a sim free iphone? That would be a CDMA phone and it would likely require carrier support to use it anywhere but with the carrier you have. An unlocked GSM will have more freedom wouldn't it?

Zoolook · Jul 20, 2007

boneheadz said:
I am wondering why you would want a sim free iphone? That would be a CDMA phone and it would likely require carrier support to use it anywhere but with the carrier you have. An unlocked GSM will have more freedom wouldn't it?

Sorry, that's what I meant by Sim free, unlocked. I know that there are phones that are literally sim free - ignore me, I was using the wrong term.

Harvey · Jul 20, 2007

Not a big deal

in Europe you can remove sim lock from any phone in the mobile phone repair shops, 20 quid or so. Can't see why could that not happen to iPhone once it arrives into EU.

knightlie · Jul 20, 2007

Harvey said:
in Europe you can remove sim lock from any phone in the mobile phone repair shops, 20 quid or so. Can't see why could that not happen to iPhone once it arrives into EU.

Because the iPhone is designed not allow it, I'd guess. That's why it's locked to ATT. Unlocking phones isn't some generic function you can apply to any phone regardless, AFAIK, the phone has to be able to be unlocked.

SpliCer261 · Jul 20, 2007

O2 has won the battle for iphone in the UK.

So i assume it would be like the XDAs and blackberrys, you can buy the iphone with an o2 contract.

But the interesting thing is that, o2 sells all their phones lock free unlike other companies, will iphone be simlock free?

O2 is great anyway, iphones being stuck with o2 contracts isn't a bad thing, they are the best out there at the moment.

http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/8516/9540/O2-gets-UK-iPhone-Deal.phtml

Zoolook · Jul 20, 2007

Apple seems to be partnering with each of the worst phone companies in each country. Nice one.

Zoolook · Jul 20, 2007

knightlie said:
Because the iPhone is designed not allow it, I'd guess. That's why it's locked to ATT. Unlocking phones isn't some generic function you can apply to any phone regardless, AFAIK, the phone has to be able to be unlocked.

Every phone can be unlocked. if the phone is being sold in 40 European countries across 40 providers, you don't think they're going to hard code each region to a company do you? It's all in the firmware and so eventually, they get figured out and can be unlocked.

boneheadz · Jul 20, 2007

Zoolook said:
Sorry, that's what I meant by Sim free, unlocked. I know that there are phones that are literally sim free - ignore me, I was using the wrong term.

Glad I didn't take your advice to ignore you. Your other posts have been informative. Maybe just the one post :Smirk: