Other carriers?

walter2508,

The iPhone is currently sold in the U.S. as carrier locked to AT&T. That means it won't work with other carriers unless it is unlocked. There is no supported way to do so in the U.S., and the methods that might be used could void your warranty and support coverage, and may have potential to damage the iPhone.

Hope this helps,

Nathan C.

What other carriers will the iphone work with?

The iPhone is sold in the U.S. as carrier locked with at&t only. The iPhone is a GSM phone, which can work with GSM network providers only. GSM is the worldwide standard, and dominates the overall worldwide market by a very significant margin.

The only way to use an iPhone with another GSM network provider in the U.S. (the only other major GSM network provider in the U.S. that comes close to at&t in terms of size and coverage is T-Mobile), is by hacking the iPhone. This is against Apple's license agreement for the iPhone, is not supported by Apple, voids the warranty, and will prevent you from installing future iPhone updates when made available.

AT&T is the exclusive carrier for iphone.

No, AT&T is the exclusive carrier and signed carrier to Apple. Thus, there is NO other carriers. However, local countries with the iPhone (Example: Germany with T-Mobile Telekom, UK O2) can do it, but as long as the phone is bought from that country.

I don't understand this. I think the iPhone is an incredibly cool device, and the iPhone 3G simply rocks. But there is simply no way that I will get a contract with T-Mobile in Germany just to get my iPhone. So that means I'll stay with Nokia for now, and Apple has lost quite a bit of my appreciation...

I had hoped that Apple had learned from selling only around 70.000 devices in Germany. I mean the reason is obvious: Why would you go through a carrier that is known to have a really bad reputation in the country you want to sell to. I'm sure 500.000 or maybe even 1.000.000 would be easy to achieve in Germany if Apple didn't try to force people to get T-Mobile contracts to get their iPhones in Germany. Just for the record: I do know a few people here in Germany that own iPhones - but none of them bought them from T-Mobile (and none of them would even consider doing that). So basically, Apple is forcing people to either not get the iPhone at all, or break the EULA (which renders the EULA kind of useless).

Well... those contracts Apple has with the carriers are in place, I hope they don't last too long, and I hope Apple will learn its lessons...

Apple wins some and loses some.

Breaking Apple's license agreement for the iPhone does not make the license agreement kind of useless. Doing so eliminates any support from Apple, voids the warranty, and prevents the user from installing iPhone updates when made available, or at least difficult, and the same when needing or wanting to restore their iPhone with iTunes.

T-Mobile in the U.S. isn't as large as at&t, but they have a very good reputation here for competitive rates and customer service.

Apple is putting a irritating restriction on potential users by locking the ipone. Mobile numbers are important for business people, so many are hacking the phone and using with old carriers. Apple should appreciate their consumers needs first and should not create monopoly in the market.

Don't forget that even you have a valid contract from AT&T, if you travel abroad, you can only use expensive roaming. You can not use a local prepaid sim card! Everyone else can. So if you go to a country with no roaming with AT&T, you are simply dead.

Isn't that ironic? T-Mobile has a good reputation in the US - but you can't get an iPhone with T-Mobile there. In Germany, T-Mobile has a "somewhat bad reputation", but you can get the iPhone exclusively through T-Mobile. Might be that AT&T has about the image in the US that T-Mobile has in Germany (big & bad 😉 ).

To me, that does say something about Apple, and that's unfortunate... The solution is so simple: Stop exclusive contracts and make a lot more money by selling a lot more devices. Remember the iPod-success story?


Concerning the license agreement: This practice of exclusive marketing through T-Mobile in Germany has been challenged legally, see:

T-Mobile to offer 999 euro pre-pay iPhone
And will be forced to unlock handsets already sold on contract
http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/11394/12418/T-Mobile-offers-999-eur o-iPhone.phtml

"T-Mobile said customers can now have the so-called SIM lock on their phone removed -- including those who have already purchased the iPhone. This decision sets a dangerous precedent as iPhone is set to launch in France on November 29 and a rumored 3G version to launch in Spain sometime in May of 2008. Local laws in Europe may be the one hack Apple is unable to foil. Doh!" (from http://www.iphonesavior.com/2007/11/iphone-unlocked.html)

http://www.comnetslash.com/2007/11/20/vodafone-stops-t-mobile-from-selling-the-i phone-in-germany/

This did generate a little storm (use Google with keywords: vodafone iphone t-mobile restraining).

Today on quick look, I didn't find the "unlocked model" at the T-Mobile store, so it seems that T-Mobile / Apple got away with it (but maybe they just don't make it easy to find). But anyways: The iPhone to a significant part is about coolness. Locking such a cool device to a carrier that can simply by no means be considered "cool" obviously is not a good idea. I don't mind giving my money to Apple - but there's no way I'll give my money to T-Mobile in Germany (i.e. I wouldn't even buy an unlocked version from T-Mobile, even though I would immediately get an iPhone if I could get it through the Apple store - and I'm aware that the price would be quite different). I'd still get the iPhone through o2 or E-Plus, but Vodafone and T-Mobile simply are companies that I don't want to support with my money (it's ironic that it was Vodafone who challenged T-Mobile 😉 ).

Could be T-Mobile has the greatest market share in Germany - but maybe those people are not the ones interested in iPhones? 😉 If Microsoft offered a phone exclusively through T-Mobile no one would be particularly suprised, but Apple doing that?

Oh no...

Well, time will tell if Apple is willing to listen. I do like Apple and Mac a lot - but with practices like that, I do consider moving back "to the dark side". After all, from the technology perspective, the difference is not that great. These days, I guess it's more about image...

When this first happened with the iPhone, I thought: "Well, everyone makes mistakes, give Apple their second chance." But with the iPhone 3G, this was the second chance.

Now I'm starting to get really worried...

Just want to say a few things on the subject, Ravi fine Fab, I'm not picking on you, but i'm still using your post as my launch pad, nothing personal,


1) Understand, the iPhone is a HUGE technological advancement. Nothing on the market is close to the iPhones interface, capabilities, or potential. Creating this technology has a HUGE undertaking which undoubtedly translates into millions in research alone. These exclusive contracts represents investments, without which the iPhone would be probably priced in the thousands of dollars. at&t, uTube, Yahoo, and others have shared the startup costs making iphone more affordable.

2) Not all carriers are equally capable. example, a friend of mine has Version wireless. when she went on vacation on the east coast, there would be days where she would be on roaming. How you feel if you dropped $499 on a phone that wouldn't work on your vacation without incurring fees?

3) Not all cellular providers have a network that is equal to 3g. why spend $400 on a phone, resign a new 2 year contract, and miss out of one, two, or most of it's features? You would of basically of just bought an overpriced ipod touch in this situation.

The only other option is purchase an iphone from another country that is compatible with your current network, and use a hack to activate it, but again, not all features will be supported, and your warranty will be voided.