O2 to open early, may unlock iPhone 3G after one year

[AppleInsider]

British carrier O2 plans a prompt morning launch for the iPhone 3G, AppleInsider has learned, and hints that it may unlock the iPhone for use on any carrier for Pay As You Go customers.

Appearing to confirm some recent rumors senior O2 retail sources in the Midlands region of the UK claim that all company stores will officially open at 7:05AM local time, well ahead of normal schedules. The real-world opening is expected to be 7:02AM (a take on the company name) in keeping with a young tradition started when the original iPhone launched at 6:02PM for its November launch.

The shift from evening to morning reflects rumors of an early American launch that is believed by some to be necessary to handle the long wait times for in-store activating plans, which are believed to take roughly 10 minutes or more per customer.

O2 is also said by the new sources to begin stocking up on iPhone 3G units the week before the launch rather than the just-in-time deliveries that were made in some areas with launches of the original Apple cellphone. Demo units may be in use shortly afterwards, according to the reports.

For some customers, though, the most important news may come a year later. Separate O2 staff are suggesting that the wireless carrier's usual policy of offering an unlock code for Pay As You Go phones after 12 months will remain true for iPhone 3G.

While the request for an unlock code costs £15, the gesture would at least theoretically allow iPhone customers in Britain to use their handsets on competing networks such as 3 or Vodafone or to swap SIM cards temporarily for local phone service while on vacation.

It's unknown as to whether or not this policy will hold. For the original iPhone, Apple is known to have taken extra steps in hardware to prevent unlocking , but now is relying primarily on the service signup requirement to guarantee use with official providers.

It would also represent one of the first instances where unlocked iPhones would be sanctioned as a matter of policy rather than law; unlocked iPhone 3G units will be sold in France, for example, but primarily because providers aren't allowed to offer an exclusive device without it also being available as a stand-alone unlocked version.

[zeasar]

Rite, gotta set my alarm clock at 6 o'clock then...

Actually, Im not even sure the centre where the O2 shop is in opens at 7am. :\

[eAi]

My local O2 store has a table for about 10 demo iPhones which has been empty for the last month or so. They also had a large iPhone for the window display that froze a few weeks ago then got removed and hasn't returned :(

[Oh Blah Dee Blah Dah]

O2 + 3"G" = 05

Opening is 7:05, the addition of the company (02) and the new iPhone version (3G)

[jb510]

It would also represent one of the first instances where unlocked iPhones would be sanctioned as a matter of policy rather than law; unlocked iPhone 3G units will be sold in France, for example, but primarily because providers aren't allowed to offer an exclusive device without it also being available as a stand-alone unlocked version.

What about the brief sale of unlocked phones in Germany? What ever happened with those phone anyway...

[dreyfus2]

What about the brief sale of unlocked phones in Germany? What ever happened with those phone anyway...

Well, that one week was not "sanctioned" by policy, but enforced by an injunction - so the statement in the article seems correct. We have 18 of the officially unlocked phones sold that week in the company and they are doing fine. I privately bought one of the officially unlocked 16GB models in France and it's doing fine as well. All of them have worked with any SIM in any country. Just like any phone should.

[jasonfj]

I plan to buy into an AT&T iPhone/plan, but often travel to the UK. Will I be able to unlock it to temporarily use a local SIM, then go back to my AT&T service when I get back to the US?

[winterspan]

I plan to buy into an AT&T iPhone/plan, but often travel to the UK. Will I be able to unlock it to temporarily use a local SIM, then go back to my AT&T service when I get back to the US?

NO. Your American iPhone will be locked to AT&T as far as we know, as was the iPhone 2G. There have been debates over unlocks since AT&T will unlock other subsidized phones after your original contract period has been completed, but they never applied this policy to the iPhone.

Although I know the iPhone 3G will no doubt be unlocked by hackers, it really pisses me off that Apple refuses to provide a solution to this problem. I can't believe that people simply accepted this fact with the original. I can imagine that many (most?) people in this country hardly even leave their state, not to even mention the country, but for people who travel abroad regularly, this makes the iPhone a non-starter.

[jasonfj]

NO. Your American iPhone will be locked to AT&T as far as we know, as was the iPhone 2G. There have been debates over unlocks since AT&T will unlock other subsidized phones after your original contract period has been completed, but they never applied this policy to the iPhone.

Although I know the iPhone 3G will no doubt be unlocked by hackers, it really pisses me off that Apple refuses to provide a solution to this problem. I can't believe that people simply accepted this fact with the original. I can imagine that many (most?) people in this country hardly even leave their state, not to even mention the country, but for people who travel abroad regularly, this makes the iPhone a non-starter.


I actually meant can I unlock it with a hack and then continue with AT&T after.

[neckaros]

In france Orange unlick it after 6 month.

[zeasar]

I actually meant can I unlock it with a hack and then continue with AT&T after.

After unlock you can use any sims in your iphone, any includes your AT&T sims.

And apple will have to come up with an unlocking method as soon as next may/june, where the contracts of the locked iphones sold in the UK since last november runs out.

[Walter Slocombe]

In france Orange unlick it after 6 month.

:wow:

why were they licking it in the first place?

enquiring minds need to know

[adamclark]

According to an assistant I spoke to yesterday lunch time in the O2 store on Cross Street, Manchester, pre-registration will be available from 4 July. From that date I was told that I could go into an O2 store, have my credit checked and set up my new O2 account in advance of the iPhone 3G launch a week later. I was told that it would be as well if I brought my PAC on that day as well (I will be porting across from T-Mobile).

The account, once set up, would effectively lie dormant until I go in on 11 July and buy my iPhone, at which point there would be a two-part activation process, initiated by in-store activation and then completed with a one-off activation at home through iTunes.

I asked if this pre-registration would "reserve" me an iPhone 3G on 11 July. She assumed it would, because the thought that they would be allocated their stock of iPhone 3Gs based on the number of pre-registrations. (I'm still not convinced that that means pre-registration will act as a "reservation". Unless they are limiting launch-day sales to people who have already pre-registered, which I can't see...)

All of this pretty much confirms previous "unofficial" reports from other O2 locations, but I think the 4 July date is new?

It's going to be a long two weeks!

[JeffDM]

:wow:

why were they licking it in the first place?

enquiring minds need to know

That's a mental image that can't be unseen after it's there.

[jasonfj]

At the moment I'm on T-Mobile. I guess I need to cancel my contract with them now, but how do I make sure I can carry my existing number over to AT&T?

[NasserAE]

I actually meant can I unlock it with a hack and then continue with AT&T after.

I am sure that the 3G iPhone will be unlocked by hackers. The only issue is whether Apple will be able to determine if it was unlocked if you need to take your iPhone to service. If the process is totally reversible then I will sign up!

[cameronj]

At the moment I'm on T-Mobile. I guess I need to cancel my contract with them now, but how do I make sure I can carry my existing number over to AT&T?

I would think the law requiring number portability would provide enough certainty for you.

[jasonfj]

I would think the law requiring number portability would provide enough certainty for you.

I meant whether to cancel my contract now and hope it doesn't end before I get my iPhone or wait till the day I buy the iPhone and cancel then. Would T-Mobile pro-rate the bill, or would I end up paying for two contracts that month?

[winterspan]

I meant whether to cancel my contract now and hope it doesn't end before I get my iPhone or wait till the day I buy the iPhone and cancel then. Would T-Mobile pro-rate the bill, or would I end up paying for two contracts that month?

"hope it doesn't end" <-- what do you mean by that? Anyways, it depends on T-mobile's policies. You should probably call them and ask about prorating July or if you can cancel your service (ending June) and still retain your number until the iPhone is launched - although I'm not sure how that second part might work. I believe it is the NEW provider that has to contact your existing provider and setup a number transfer. In that case, they might recycle your number if you cancel your contract BEFORE launching a new iPhone contract.

[johnwin]

At the moment I'm on T-Mobile. I guess I need to cancel my contract with them now, but how do I make sure I can carry my existing number over to AT&T?

You will need to give T-Mo one months notice. If your origional contract is not yet up then you will need to settle up with them (pay all remaining monthly payments) or keep paying monthly until the contract end.

If the contract has not yet ended then it will also cost you £45 to port your number. If you are beyond the contract period they are required to do it for free (I think)

I told them that I'd rather have a new number than pay them £45!

[Biohazard_UK]

According to an assistant I spoke to yesterday lunch time in the O2 store on Cross Street, Manchester, pre-registration will be available from 4 July. From that date I was told that I could go into an O2 store, have my credit checked and set up my new O2 account in advance of the iPhone 3G launch a week later. I was told that it would be as well if I brought my PAC on that day as well (I will be porting across from T-Mobile).

The account, once set up, would effectively lie dormant until I go in on 11 July and buy my iPhone, at which point there would be a two-part activation process, initiated by in-store activation and then completed with a one-off activation at home through iTunes.

I asked if this pre-registration would "reserve" me an iPhone 3G on 11 July. She assumed it would, because the thought that they would be allocated their stock of iPhone 3Gs based on the number of pre-registrations. (I'm still not convinced that that means pre-registration will act as a "reservation". Unless they are limiting launch-day sales to people who have already pre-registered, which I can't see...)

All of this pretty much confirms previous "unofficial" reports from other O2 locations, but I think the 4 July date is new?

It's going to be a long two weeks!

I dont know where you got the date of 4th July from to pre-register. I did just that in my local o2 store in Maidstone yesterday and they said that they had taken loads of registrations already. Curiously though, most of them had been for the 8GB model and not the 16GB one, which i have registered for.

[adamclark]

I dont know where you got the date of 4th July from to pre-register. I did just that in my local o2 store in Maidstone yesterday and they said that they had taken loads of registrations already. Curiously though, most of them had been for the 8GB model and not the 16GB one, which i have registered for.

Like I said in my original post, I got the 4 July date from an assistant in the O2 store on Cross Street in Manchester on Friday.

[lfmorrison]

After unlock you can use any sims in your iphone, any includes your AT&T sims.

And apple will have to come up with an unlocking method as soon as next may/june, where the contracts of the locked iphones sold in the UK since last november runs out.

Despite popular belief, Ofcom (the telecommunications regulator in the UK) does not have any regulation or law which would force wireless operators to provide SIM unlocks. Wireless operators are allowed to SIM unlock the phones they sell (or choose not to unlock them) as they see fit.

Ofcom does strongly recommend that wireless operators clearly post their own terms and conditions regarding SIM locking, so that the customer has all the resources needed to make an informed purchasing decision.

As a matter of custom, UK wireless operators have traditionally provided unlocking codes for most wireless phones when their initial contract expires. But they do that because the choose to, not because they have to.

[iHoppipolla]

Would someone buy a SIM card for the iPhone from an American carrier if the person unlocked the phone somewhere [I]not[I] stateside but wanted to use it stateside?

I'm not sure how the whole process works...

[lfmorrison]

Would someone buy a SIM card for the iPhone from an American carrier if the person unlocked the phone somewhere [I]not[I] stateside but wanted to use it stateside?

I'm not sure how the whole process works...

Yes, that would be one of the common uses of an unlocked phone. If you kept your non-US SIM card installed while you visited the US, you'd most likely be hit with massive roaming fees on top of your regular calling tariffs.

If you swapped out the non-US SIM card for a temporary prepaid US SIM card, then you'd be able to make calls at much cheaper domestic rates.

Note, though, that while a US-based SIM care was installed, your phone would temporarily have a different telephone number, and you wouldn't be able to receive calls which were placed to your regular number.

[mark_g]

"Ofcom does strongly recommend that wireless operators clearly post their own terms and conditions regarding SIM locking, so that the customer has all the resources needed to make an informed purchasing decision.

I haven't laughed so much in all my life. I have never fully understood the t's&c's of any mobile contract, and the sales personnel understand even less. The worst thing is that they refuse to acknowledge the Sales of Goods acts etc. Having been conned into upgrading my Nokia last year to one which blatently did not do what the salesman promised it would (with witnesses) on a contract which actually turned out to cost more than he said it would, I had a nightmare trying to rectify the problem. The stock phrase "but you signed the contract" got boring and it wasn't until I started involving legal assistance that they finally started moving. These companies run very close to illegal trading and rely on flannel, bullying and customer ignorance to hard sell.

[brodit]

Yes, that would be one of the common uses of an unlocked phone. If you kept your non-US SIM card installed while you visited the US, you'd most likely be hit with massive roaming fees on top of your regular calling tariffs.

You can do exactly that with the any-network card. All you do is place it inbetween your simcard and the iphone 3g and hay presto its unlocked. I use one when im traveling . i just by a prepay sim from the country im in and everytime its worked. i got mine direct from

www.any-network.com

be carefull as there are alot of copies around where you have to cut your simcard first.