question for no contract iphone 4

deggie wrote:
Correct, but to fully answer the question it is only proper that there is no "official" way to unlock a US iPhone so you have to resort to an unauthorized hack that invalidates the warranty. Also, those who have done so and then updated to 3.1.3 end up with a useless iPhone.

I do not believe you are correct in this. If you jailbreak/hack your iPhone you cannot have it serviced with the jailbroken/hacked software installed. Restoring your iPhone makes it fully serviceable again. It doesn't seem possible for a software modification to void a warranty since, if for no other reason, the modification isn't detectable with a software restore.

More on the point of the question:
I have read two different prices:
iPhone 4 16GB - $499/$599 and 32GB - $599/$699

I haven't confirmed which one is accurate yet.

Restoring your iPhone makes it fully serviceable again.

Wrong. If the current 3.1.3 version is JB, it cannot be restored back to 3.1.3. I suspect the same with iPhone 4.

You must read AT&T's fine print about buying a phone w/ no commitment. All that means is that you can purchase the phone w/o locking into a full year. You have to still purchase a voice and data plan for the iphone with the no-commitment package - cheapest is 54.99 a month, plus whatever data package you choose. After 1 month, you can not renew that service.

Now, everyone who said that you can't use it in other countries is CORRECT. The phone is locked even with a no-commitment purchase. However, you can ILLEGALLY hack the phone and unlock it. With the 3GS, it took about 1 week after the phone release for websites offering this service. I am a US citizen, but have lived overseas now for 3 years. I was not about to pay $1000 for an unlocked Iphone overseas. I purchased a phone, and then illegaly hacked my phone. The software package cost me $29 for a year, which included ALL software upgrades. With that said, had I ever went onto Itunes and tried to upgrade my phone that way, it would not work, would become locked again, and I'd have to go through the entire hacking process over again.

I suspect that shortly after it's release, there will be plenty of sites and places that will hack your phone - but as others have said, you are taking a risk, and voiding your warranty on the phone.

This time around, since the country I live in does now support the Iphone and will offer it, I will probably just buy it from them instead of the US and hacking the phone.

Hope this helps clear up the arguement!

In the UK we have 'Unlimited Data Plans' which in the small print actually have limits.
If I was asked what data plan I was on I would say "I'm on an Unlimited Data Plan" as that is what it is called. It that a fact or not?

You're playing a game of semantics. The actual fact is, your plan is not unlimited, by your own admission. In the US, AT&T's unlimited data plan for the iphone, until the recent change that took effect 6/7, was truly unlimited, with no restrictions, nada, zero. Whereas, the other data plans for smartphones, like Verizon, had a 5GB cap.

It is not semantics.
I am simply pointing out that if you asked most people in the UK who have 'Unlimited Data Plans' they will genuinely think they are unlimited, because they don't read the small print.

It was actually taken to the Advertising Standards Authority and somehow the phone companies won!
They won on the premise that one could really expect a data plan to be unlimited even though it was sold as such...

Here is an example :-

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/245404/advertising-watchdog-250mb-is-unlimited

To answer your QUESTION... Because I live in china and Hong Kong. just wait and spend the 812usd for a iphone 4 in Hong Kong because its Factory Unlocked and you wont have to worry about any carrier issues. it will work on all GSM bands provided here.

Sad point. China Mobile 3G is a different GSM band then the 4 bands the iphone 4 has to offer. so if you want 3G service in China you need " China Unicomm" but if you dont care just use a prepaid sim from China mobile like i do , on my Factory Unlocked iphone. they are probably going to be the same price the 3Gs 32gb when it first came out (factory unlocked version ) 6,288 HKD.


- Rp4000
Shenzhen, China
Central, Hong Kong

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Ian,

Same sort of advertising here in the US, Verizon markets their data plan as "unlimited", when in actuality it has a 5GB limit. Since 98% of customers never get close to that limit, in their view they have an "unlimited" plan. I was merely trying to point out that while other carriers may market their plans as "unlimited", the fact is they are not. The old iphone data plan from AT&T, however, is truly unlimited. The are no caps, no restrictions, no anything.

The pricing scheme makes no sense.
I wanted to buy iPhone4 for $600 under the (incorrect) assumption that it was factory unlocked. Can someone explain why it is not factory unlocked even though I will have paid the full price?

Also - consider this scenario: $200 for iPhone with a new 2yr K. $325 Early Termination Fee. Suppose one buys the $200 with 2yr K, cancels immediately and eats the ETF, that would make it $525 plus misc. fees - isn't this still cheaper than buying it at $600?

Although the iPhone 4 is generally useless on TMO's 2g speeds, how is it justifiable that AT&T can deny my use of a full-price iPhone in other countries that I travel to?

The pricing scheme makes no sense.

It does to AT&T.

I wanted to buy iPhone4 for $600 under the (incorrect) assumption that it was factory unlocked. Can someone explain why it is not factory unlocked even though I will have paid the full price?

AT&T won't unlock it because it isn't to their benefit to do it. They would like you to pay huge roaming fees if you travel. Also, if another US carrier starts handling the iPhone, you are less likely to leave AT&T if you have to buy another phone.

Although the iPhone 4 is generally useless on TMO's 2g speeds, how is it justifiable that AT&T can deny my use of a full-price iPhone in other countries that I travel to?

Because they can. They will continue to do this until a law stops it. This is very unlikely, though, since legislation is controlled by large corporations.

Chazzarelli,

Where in the fine print does it say this? If I buy an iphone 4 without contract and don't activate it, how will they charge me 54.99?

Here is the press link release from ATT:

http://www.att.com/Common/aboutus/files/iphone/pricing_fact_sheetip4.pdf

No Commitment
Any customer who wants to purchase iPhone 4 without signing a new 2-year agreement may do so at the no commitment price. An eligible voice and data plan are required.

The 54.99 is just the Voice plan, you still have to purchase a Data plan. What happens is you must commit to buying at least 1 month of service in order for you to recieve the phone. It's like paying month to month where you can stop paying at anytime, but initially you MUST buy service.

Here is the link for the data plans available:

http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/plans/data-plans.jsp

The cheapest Data plan is $15 a month so in actuality, the initial payment for a locked, no commitment Iphone is $599 or $699 plus $54 for voice and $15 for data, plus sales tax.

Then if you wanted to illegally unlock it, expect to wait a few weeks and pay $25-40 for a service or program that does it. Not to mention then that whatever carrier you plan to use, you will need a new sim card, because they are not using the standard sim chip on these phones. Most likely, you will have to pay for that new sim card, plus whatever data and phone plan you plan to use. I am not sure the cost of a new micro-sim.

So the big question is, do you buy an official unlocked phone in Europe at full price (most likely to be around $1000 bucks, where you will have a Warranty, or spend $700 or $800 for one with/out the warranty - plus the price for a new sim and plan on a different carrier.

ChazZerelli,

Thanks for this info, very interesting indeed. In my case, my company pays my subscription for AT&T and doesn't allow iPhones. So I can't purchase one rough my company which is why I'm looking for a non-contract version. I'll simply switch sims.

I'm thinking the cheapest option at this point is to purchase the fully subsidized version $299 + tax, and pay the $325 ETF immediately. It saves both $75 up front plus the additional $400 of taxes.

Do you know if I cancel subscription on the very first day, do I still pay a whole month? Or is it subsidized?

Prorated... Not subsidized.

You'll be charged for the full month for both the voice and data plan, plus an activation and deactivation fee.

You do realize your company will be able to tell that you are using an iPhone?