T-Mobile Germany to sell unlock iPhones without contract

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Deutsche Telekom mobile arm T-Mobile Germany said Wednesday it will temporarily comply with a court order by selling an unlocked version of Apple Inc.'s iPhone that will also not require customers to sign a two-year contract.



However, those customers who wish to opt out of a T-Mobile service contract will find themselves paying more than twice as much for the Apple handset.



Effective immediately, T-Mobile said it will begin offering the unlocked iPhone, which can function on other wireless networks, for 999 euros ($1,470). It will also continue to sell a version tied to its own network with a two year service contract for 399 euros ($590).



The move is meant to comply with a temporary injunction handed down by a Hamburg court on Monday after rival Vodafone Deutschland asked the court to review T-Mobile's exclusive marketing rights to the iPhone in Germany, which it believes are in breach of local laws.



T-Mobile, in conjunction with Apple, launched the touch-screen mobile handset and Internet communications device on November 9th. The deal between the two companies was meant to be exclusive, where T-Mobile would be the only German carrier to offer the device in return for handing over a portion of its service revenues to Apple.



As part of its decision to comply with the court's order, T-Mobile also said Wednesday that it will provide unlock codes free of charge to customers who had previously purchased an iPhone, allowing them to use their phone on other wireless networks.



T-Mobile plans to appeal the temporary injunction, but said it will abide by the court's ruling to open the iPhone until the legal situation is resolved.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 88
    Here it begins then..



    At around €1000 so £700 nice why not just bump it up to €1500 so it hits the £1000 mark so we can archive this Vodafone tantrum
  • Reply 2 of 88
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Deutsche Telekom mobile arm T-Mobile Germany said Wednesday it will temporarily comply with a court order by selling an unlocked version of Apple Inc.'s iPhone that will also not require customers to sign a two-year contract.



    However, those customers who wish to opt out of a T-Mobile service contract will find themselves paying more than twice as much for the Apple handset.



    Effective immediately, T-Mobile said it will begin offering the unlocked iPhone, which can function on rival wireless networks, for 999 euros ($1,470). It will also continue to sell a version tied to its own network with a two year service contract for 399 euros ($590).



    Developing...




    As I pointed out in my previous post T-Mobile goes one step further : All phone bought AFTER Nov. 19th with a T-Mobile contract will be unlocked free of charge as well. This actually offers quite some interesting perspectives :

    ie I buy a iPhone with a contract, get it de-SIM locked, use the SIM in a (say) N95 (as the data flatrate including the hotspots is actually quite attractive) and sell th iPhone unlocked on eBay.



    Or get the phone unlocked and then cancel the contract a few days later via a phony baloney reason.



    The pricepoint of 999 for the phone is -however- quite insulting (as everyone knows that part of the deal was "no subsidies".
  • Reply 3 of 88
    phizzphizz Posts: 142member
    I wonder if this, being the first ever Apple unlocked iPhone, will reveal anything to or help out the hackers.



    Still, as someone pointed out in another forum, €999 iPhone + no contract is overall much cheaper than €399 iPhone + 2 year contract... Still expensive though - I'd rather have a MacBook at that price.
  • Reply 4 of 88
    The most interesting thing about this article is that it suggests that unlock codes are available for these devices. How exactly is this unlocking done?
  • Reply 5 of 88
    I think this is great news.

    Even if it doesn't reveal anything to hackers, the software to unlock it legally will leak eventually.



    zaqarov
  • Reply 6 of 88
    ak1808ak1808 Posts: 108member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Phizz View Post


    I wonder if this, being the first ever Apple unlocked iPhone, will reveal anything to or help out the hackers.



    Still, as someone pointed out in another forum, €999 iPhone + no contract is overall much cheaper than €399 iPhone + 2 year contract... Still expensive though - I'd rather have a MacBook at that price.



    It's only cheaper if you don't intend to use it.
  • Reply 7 of 88
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Phizz View Post


    I wonder if this, being the first ever Apple unlocked iPhone, will reveal anything to or help out the hackers.



    France sells one unlocked already.
  • Reply 8 of 88
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Samnuva View Post


    France sells one unlocked already.



    They were going to be the first country to sell unlocked iPhones, but the iPhone will not be released in France until november 29.
  • Reply 9 of 88
    phizzphizz Posts: 142member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ak1808 View Post


    It's only cheaper if you don't intend to use it.



    Well, if you put in a pay-as-you-go sim and spent ?20 a month it would still work out cheaper.
  • Reply 10 of 88
    The Iphone is overpriced and under delivers paying €999 is ridiculous but also riculous is signing up to a 2 year contract and STILL having to pay €399.



    The thing is overpriced. Best wait till next year when no doubt the version 2 will come out with all the features europeans are used to like 3g, mms etc.
  • Reply 11 of 88
    s10s10 Posts: 107member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Saif270 View Post


    The Iphone is overpriced and under delivers paying ?999 is ridiculous but also riculous is signing up to a 2 year contract and STILL having to pay ?399.



    The thing is overpriced. Best wait till next year when no doubt the version 2 will come out with all the features europeans are used to like 3g, mms etc.



    No, it is not over priced, nor does it "under delivers". Nokia has unlocked models that are on sale for more, with less functions. like the new versions of the Nokia 8800.
  • Reply 12 of 88
    I'd love to see data on how many people use these supposedly essential features such as 3G and MMS... My guess is very, very few. It's totally possible to send multimedia messages on the iPhone, using email - and because it's email, it's free...
  • Reply 13 of 88
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Phizz View Post


    Still, as someone pointed out in another forum, ?999 iPhone + no contract is overall much cheaper than ?399 iPhone + 2 year contract... Still expensive though - I'd rather have a MacBook at that price.



    I just don't understand why the iPhone is the only phone out there that people insist on including the price of a 2-year contract when quoting the ownerships costs.



    When I bought a Palm Tre0 700P, with subsidy and mandatory 2-year contract on Verizon, the out of pocket cost on the phone itself was $399, and the 900 minute, unlimited data plan was $119 per month. I never once read an article, review, or forum post complaining about that.



    My iPhone, post-credit/rebate was $499, and the 900 minute, unlimited data plan is $79.99 per month. I spent $100 more upfront, and am saving $30 per month ($720 over contract), yet everyone wants to run up the ownership cost figures on the iPhone. What's the agenda.



    Granted this is an article about Germany, but in the US, any smart phone is going to be double the hardware cost without a contract; let's be consistent in our complaints, either compare out of pocket expense for the hardware with/without contract, or include the comparable voice/data plan in the cost of all.
  • Reply 14 of 88
    Cranking the price up to 999 euros is consumer rape. Seems more like a sidestep around the ruling, so they can say they are complying without taking any actual hit to their market share. For all practical purposes, you still have to go with their contract, unless you've got enough money that you just don't care. So the masses stay with T-Mobile.



    Ought to be illegal. Illegal not because it's a crappy thing to do, but because they've done it in an apparent effort to side-step the court order. That's just f-ing dishonest.



    C
  • Reply 15 of 88
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DistortedLoop View Post


    When I bought a Palm Tre0 700P, with subsidy and mandatory 2-year contract on Verizon, the out of pocket cost on the phone itself was $399 ... My iPhone, post-credit/rebate was $499, and the 900 minute, unlimited data plan is $79.99 per month. I spent $100 more upfront, and am saving $30 per month ($720 over contract), yet everyone wants to run up the ownership cost figures on the iPhone. What's the agenda.



    Absolutely correct.



    Carriers discount the phones with contracts, as an incentive to buy a contract. While raising the price by 150% seems a bit excessive, it's not that far off from what I've seen WRT smartphones from others sources.

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by freelander51 View Post


    The pricepoint of 999 for the phone is -however- quite insulting (as everyone knows that part of the deal was "no subsidies".



    Who said "no subsidies"? I saw a lot of journalists and bloggers say this. I saw a lot of people assume this, based solely on the iPhone's original $600 price point. I don't recall seeing anything of the sort being said by Apple or AT&T.



    How do you know ?1000 isn't a fair price, with the rest being covered by subsidies (or a percentage of monthly subscription fees.)? Wishful thinking and comparison with completely different products isn't proof.
  • Reply 16 of 88
    you still have to go with their contract

    C[/QUOTE]



    I still don't get it. Who says you have to do what? Do you guys have a free will over there?



    JR
  • Reply 17 of 88
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DistortedLoop View Post


    I just don't understand why the iPhone is the only phone out there that people insist on including the price of a 2-year contract when quoting the ownerships costs.



    When I bought a Palm Tre0 700P, with subsidy and mandatory 2-year contract on Verizon, the out of pocket cost on the phone itself was $399, and the 900 minute, unlimited data plan was $119 per month. I never once read an article, review, or forum post complaining about that.



    My iPhone, post-credit/rebate was $499, and the 900 minute, unlimited data plan is $79.99 per month. I spent $100 more upfront, and am saving $30 per month ($720 over contract), yet everyone wants to run up the ownership cost figures on the iPhone. What's the agenda.



    Granted this is an article about Germany, but in the US, any smart phone is going to be double the hardware cost without a contract; let's be consistent in our complaints, either compare out of pocket expense for the hardware with/without contract, or include the comparable voice/data plan in the cost of all.





    Yep. I've been saying that since they announced the rate plans in the US. I even built a little comparison (this is out of date as I still have the iPhone listed at 600 USD).
  • Reply 18 of 88
    vineavinea Posts: 5,585member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Celemourn View Post


    Cranking the price up to 999 euros is consumer rape. Seems more like a sidestep around the ruling, so they can say they are complying without taking any actual hit to their market share. For all practical purposes, you still have to go with their contract, unless you've got enough money that you just don't care. So the masses stay with T-Mobile.



    Ought to be illegal. Illegal not because it's a crappy thing to do, but because they've done it in an apparent effort to side-step the court order. That's just f-ing dishonest.



    C



    You want it to be illegal to obey a court order to the letter? How about not using the courts for sour grapes?



    And yeah...who said that 999 euros isn't a fair price for the phone? If its too high folks won't buy it.



    As far as the "masses"...the "masses" typically aren't going to fork over 399 euros for a phone either.



    Jeez...its not like its the only smart phone out there and using the term "rape" for something so unimportant as the price of a flipping luxury phone doesn't win you any brownie points.
  • Reply 19 of 88
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Saif270 View Post


    The Iphone .... under delivers .... Best wait till next year .....



    a) How do you know -- have you used one?



    b) You should definitely wait. But the rest of us can decide for ourselves.
  • Reply 20 of 88
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gee4orce View Post


    I'd love to see data on how many people use these supposedly essential features such as 3G and MMS... My guess is very, very few. It's totally possible to send multimedia messages on the iPhone, using email - and because it's email, it's free...



    That's exactly on target.



    Means of communicating such as SMS and MMS will seem clunky and archaic once you get used to an iPhone.
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