iphone

[anita67]

Hi

Does anyone know if it is possible buy an iphone without having to pay for an 18 month contract with o2?

Thanks

[poinsy]

Not as far as I am aware unfortunately. ? I have heard of people importing them from France, but do not know the details.

[Whickerman]

O2 have the exclusive contract. It's a shame and poor for competition, but if you decode the phone to use it on any network I've heard a software update renders the phone unusable.

These guys seem to think differently though:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20 070913221833AA2FUTN

http://mobilementalism.com/2007/11/22/vodafone -forces-t-mobile-forced-to-unlock-iphone/

Thing is, at such a high price, do you want to be the one to find out it doesn't work?

[fo3nix]

Official answer: no, O2 have the monopoly, and you need to pay the contract for use.

Unofficial (worked in America so far, will work in UK too): you can find iPhone unlocking websites (google those words) that have either software or hardware systems to change the firmware of the iPhone, removing the lock etc. Beware though, this isn't supported by Apple (obviously). If you have any issues with it, or if the process goes wrong, you've just bought yourself an expensive and not very good brick. Also, Apple will be periodically updating the software on the iPhone. This may well not work with your hacked iPhone, and if you try it it may "brick" it (turn it into a brick, but not Apple's fault).

Possible alternative: I've yet to hear of too many people doing this, but due to French law and a court case in Germany, you can pick up unlocked iPhones (properly unlocked, by T-Mobile Germany or Orange France), for an increased price. However, this increased price doesn't seem to be too different to buying a phone from O2 and paying the contract all in one go.