Hi,

I'm aware that if I was to buy an iPhone from the States when they're released, certain functions wouldn't work, but would I be able to whack my SIM card in and use it with standard phone functionality here in Australia?

Cheers

No. The iPhones released in the US will be locked and will only work on the Cingular network.

The phone is quad band GSM meaning that theoredically it should have no network difficulties.

That's up in the air right now. There's a few hurdles;
1. Will it be avalible without a contract?
2. Is the SIM card attached to the main board?
3. Is it locked to Cingular's network?

If you found a phone on eBay which was unlocked and we gather that the SIM card can be swaped, I can't see why it couldn't be poped on to a Telstra plan.

You could always sign up to Cingular and roam in Aus! $$$$$

If its locked to Cingular which it would be then No.

If a way to unlock the phone is found and you're willing to risk doing it then you would probably be able to connect it to Telstra which network features EDGE to allow the data traffic.

I believe that the Cingular-exclusivity thing means that they'll only be sold on a Cingular contract, TO Cingluar, and locked to the network. Presumably until the end of the contract.

No you can't actually. You have to be living in an area that is serviced by Cingular, and if you don't return to that area every now and then, Cingular will cancel your service. (I think that's how it goes, anyway)

I don't think Apple/Cingular would even offer an unlocking service.

Becuase they have their special deal going between them, and a couple of the features will only work with Cingular, I really doubt that an unlocking service will be available.

In the US the iPhone will work exclusively on the Cingular network (see here and here). That means it will be locked, otherwise people could just pop in a SIM card from another US mobile network.

After its release in the US it will likely be release in Canada. Current info suggests that there Rogers Wireless will be the sole provider (i.e. those phones will be locked to the Rogers network).

That likely means the European releases will be locked to specific networks in Europe - to stop people in the US getting hold of unlocked phones and using them on networks other than Cingulars. Which in turn likely means we won't be able to get the phone in Australia until Apple have done a deal with a network here (presumably when the phone reaches Asian distribution in 2008).

Well that just sucks balls. Pfffft... looks like I'll have to move to America then

Wait until the phones go to europe... that'll probably mean 3G and they'll be easier to unlock (I think).

A lot of the time, when a handset is locked to a network, it is country specific. Example would be the big trade of second hand phones out of Australia due to our networks having IMEI and sim blocking. As such, taking it out of the country of origin may make it alright to use.

Even if it is sim locked, how long do you think it will take before non-locked phones start to appear on ebay? Even if you were to unlock the handset, would this result in the handset being out of warranty? Obviously Apple is trying to be very controlling in this whole endevour, but to what extent can they afford to piss of customers?

Check this out - Garry Barker reckons Telstra is testing the iPhone, and neither company is commenting - sounds promising! Also means that the US iPhones may work in Australia, subject to any further technical limitations put on them.

The iPhony, as it currently stands (do remember it is a good six months away from public purchase even in the US) only does GSM+EDGE. Telstra are the only carrier here with EDGE.

It is assumed that the additional six months on the australian & European release of the iPhony is to allow Apple and their chosen carriers to implement CDMA or 3G.

Patience, grasshopper

B.

SEE!@%!?!? SEE WHAT I SAID!? Nobody ever listens to me Its special when Garry Barker says it but when I say it (here, and in more depth here), its meaningless!@ I'm gonna go eat some worms now :cry:

The fact that Rogers Wireless in Canada is getting it is even MORE weight to my initial claim (made right back in the inital hype-phase of the iPhoe release). Cingular - HSDPA 3G850MHz network. Rogers Wireless - HSDPA 3G850MHz network. Telstra - HSDPA 3G850MHz. These are the only three carriers in the world to operate these networks, and Apple have already stated that they're working on a 3G version. With these carriers already in-bed with them, they would be screaming for Apple to use the 850MHz spectrum.

Case in point, Telstra will get it here.