How to buy iphone as tourist

An iPhone purchased in the USA can only be used with an AT&T SIM. You cannot place the SIM of another network in it. It will not work. The price of $199 for the 16GB iPhone 3G S and $299 for the 32GB version is with a 2 year contract with AT&T.

You will be better served purchasing the phone in Italy where it would be available to be used with a SIM from any network.

See the following page which identifies the different countries, whether the phone is locked to the carrier and whether it can be unlocked.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1937

Do not buy an iPhone in the US unless you live here. You can buy an iPhone without a contract, but it will still have to be activated with AT&T which will require a phone plan of some sort (pay-as-you-go or two-year) and will not be usable until it is activated. In addition, the iPhone would not be supported outside of the US.

Wait until you get back to your home country and buy your iPhone there.

Message was edited by: Dave Sawyer

You cannot do this. They require activation here and are carrier locked to AT&T in the U.S.

And the price now is...?

http://store.apple.com