Update 8/21: The iphone has been fully unlocked, but there is still some work to do before it becomes practical
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Original Post:
The iPhone is currently locked up tight, which means that people are stuck with using it on AT&T’s network. However, even if someone clever found a way to unlock them, you still wouldn’t be able to get the full iPhone experience. I wrote about this in my very first entry, but it’s aged off the front page, so I guess it’s time for an update with a few more details.
- First off, it’s only a GSM/EDGE phone. In the US, I’m pretty sure that means that tMobile is your only possible option (other than some regional GSM providers). No chance to use Verizon or Sprint.
- Second, because it’s a US phone, you won’t have much luck with it in Europe.
even though GSM is prevelant there because they use different transmission frequencies.Also, Europe pretty much skipped over EDGE for real 3G datarates. (Update: the iPhone is quad-band, so frequencies shouldn’t be an issue). - Third, some of the phone features, the Visual Voicemail and Push IMAP in particular, are dependent on new, non-standard, cellular infrastructure. Also, some people have suggested that unlocked phones, in the US, at least, are denied access to a carriers mobile data infrastructure, which would pretty much make the iPhone suck, unless you had a usable WiFi signal.
That does still leave you with the internet features, but only in theory, because, once again, the iPhone isn’t unlocked, and probably won’t be anytime soon, though some people are holding out hope.
This blog is optimistically dedicated to the time when the iPhone is fully unlocked so it can be used in full featured form with a range of carriers, and so 3rd party developers can create installable apps.
Note: Some people are selling “unlocked iphones,” but all they really mean is that it doesn’t have a service plan yet. Big deal, since you only have one choice for service right now (and probably for the next 6 months, at least), and that is AT&T.
Update 8/21: The iphone has been fully unlocked, but there is still some work to do before it becomes practical
Okay, so I am with T-Mobile right now. If there is a way to unlock the iPhone, you are saying that I will get all the features to work, if I put my SIM card in it!? I am waiting to hear about a real unlocking of an iPhone and also a video, and then I will think about getting an iPhone and then use my T-Mobile card in it!
just wanted to know if this was possible!?
Nope, you are out of luck. It only works with locked AT&T sims with the appropriate iTunes friendly account. Even if you could get it to work with Tmobile, visual voicemail and proably push IMAP wouldn’t work. In fact, the mobile internet access over the EDGE network might not even work.
We’ll see what ultimately happens. People might be able to get everything but the visual voicemail and push IMAP working on TMobile, but it will probably break the next time a system update comes out.
i hope you can hack the antenna. the only time i get a full signal at home is when it is in the cradle. i would love to be able to turn it up even though i give up battery life. i will be happy to give a donation. thanks, chris
Some inaccuracies.
GSM (including GPRS and EDGE) is definitely available in most of the world, including Europe. The iPhone supports both the 850/1900 MHz frequencies used in the USA, and the 900/1800 MHz frequencies used internationally.
UMTS (a.k.a. 3GSM) is another story though. This requires a separate chipset (manufactured under license from Qualcom, the owner of the (W)CDMA patents), something which Steve Jobs has indicated was the primary reason for not supporting 3G - this other chipset drains the battery much faster. If the iPhone ever DOES get UMTS hardware, look for 850/1900MHz bands for use with Cingular, 1700MHz for T-Mobile (limited deployment at this point), and 2100MHz in Europe and Asia.
Second, although it is true the at Visual Voicemail is a new AT&T feature developed specifically for the iPhone, it is not true that unlocked (actually I suspect you mean unbranded) phones, “in the US, at least, are denied access to a carriers mobile data infrastructure”. That’s pure BS. I have been using a unlocked/unbranded Motorola A1200 (which is not even offered by a US carrier) on Cingular’s network without any problem. You do need some additional information to set it up (i.e. voicemail dial-in number, GPRS APN, etc..) - but these are readily available under the “Support” section on the Cingular web page.
Verizon, Sprint and Nextel do not use GSM or UMTS at all - so with these carriers any “unlocked” phone (something which really pertains only to GSM/UMTS phones) will not work. You are essentially stuck with the options they offer. (OTH, it seems they have better real-world speeds for their EV-DO 3G network, compared to Cingular’s UMTS/HSDPA networks..)
Tor, thanks for the clarification!