iPhone briefly appears on T-Mobile Germany's website

Ruh roh. Looks like someone just got caught red handed. According to a number of sources who had their screencap fingers ready to rock, T-Mobile Germany will soon be offering up the iPhone in Deutschland. Apparently, the carrier actually had an iPhone-specific page hosted momentarily yesterday, and while it has since been yanked, evidence is everywhere. C'mon T-Mobile, you honestly thought you could trial the iPhone page without one of the 57,000 interested customers taking notice?

[Via Inquirer]

[BoZs13 @ Jul 17th 2007 11:11AM]

HELL YES! This is what I need for all my overseas travelling. And I love T-Mob in Europe.

[BoZs13 @ Jul 17th 2007 11:14AM]

Yes! This is what I need for my travels. I love T-Mobile in Europe. They're great.

[Jonathan Keim @ Jul 17th 2007 11:20AM]

"Ruh roh"

Anyone else think of scubidoo?

[byaah @ Jul 17th 2007 11:36AM]

I did, but I'm fairly sure thats what Engadget was going for..

[A Nonie Mouse @ Jul 17th 2007 11:38AM]

No

[Daniel P. Brown @ Jul 17th 2007 4:58PM]

Scooby-Dooby-Doooooo!!!!

However, it could've also been a reference to Astro from The Jetsons.

Rut-roh, Reorge!

[04e46conv @ Jul 17th 2007 12:03PM]

So if they release an ipohone over there locked to t-mobile then we can buy it and use it with t-mobile here right... thats is if its even locked...most european companys dont even lock the phones...

[geezer @ Jul 17th 2007 1:01PM]

you wish.

[Jamar @ Jul 17th 2007 2:37PM]

Actually, you can. T-Mobile only locks their phones to the T-Mobile network, not distinguishing between regions. So you can save on roaming and not bother unlocking your phone if you're going somewhere with T-Mobile. Pop in the T-Mobile UK/DE/NL/wherever and you're good to go.

This also means that if they ditch the activation system for Europe the same thing applies- pop in your T-Mobile USA card and you're off. It's worked on loads of other Euro T-Mobile phones.

[Ryan @ Jul 20th 2007 10:11AM]

Jamar,

The iPhone, as I understand it, does not open and does not contain a sim card as we are used to seeing on regular GSM phones. Good luck. Apple is the best at keeping their hardware and software on lock down. Don't count on them risking a breach of their exclusive contract with AT&T in the US buy building an iPhone for Germany that can be brought to the states and used here.

Ryan

[jilie @ Jul 17th 2007 12:07PM]

someone has to try sell it

[jilie @ Jul 17th 2007 12:08PM]

someone has to try sell it

[Khargan @ Jul 17th 2007 12:25PM]

Would make sense with T-Mobile being the only german carrier with an Edge-Network.

[Constable Odo @ Jul 17th 2007 1:27PM]

I'm sure it caused a mild panic. All the potential German iPhone buyers probably flooded the T-Mobile phone lines, drooling for an iPhone. Oh well, chalk up another couple of million iPhones sold when it actually becomes available. As another guy on this forum likes to say. Dude, it's like totally uber. Heil iPhone.

[Andy @ Jul 17th 2007 2:03PM]

I am curious as to whether or not a U.S. T-Mobile customer would be able to use a European T-Mobile phone. What are the rules to this?

[Jamar @ Jul 17th 2007 2:51PM]

Something interesting about the way T-Mobile locks their phones means that any T-Mobile phone will work with any T-Mobile SIM, even if the phone and SIM are from different countries. Of course, this relies on Apple not using the activation scheme for Europe (which, let's face it, they won't- activation servers will be broken all over again).

[geezer @ Jul 17th 2007 2:24PM]

try to search for "iphone" at the German T-Mobile website, it'll change it correctly to iPhone...seems like a wet pink dream to come true...

btw. I never really understood why we call mobile phones "handy"...

[JMR @ Jul 17th 2007 5:05PM]

check out the wiktionary: http://de.wiktionary.org/wiki/Handy
- looks like Philips is responsable for "Handy"

[Andrew @ Jul 17th 2007 2:38PM]

so when they come out with it the could i buy 1 and use it for tmobile here?

[iphonevoter @ Jul 17th 2007 3:33PM]

Well, it may be one tiny step closer to wider availability in the U.S. We're trying to rally support for getting iPhone on other carriers here: http://iphonevote.com

Only takes 2 seconds and maybe we can turn the tide.

[chris @ Jul 17th 2007 3:40PM]

Go spam up somebody else's website.

[Christi @ Jul 17th 2007 5:12PM]

Of course, even if it does work here in the U.S., will visual voicemail work? From what I understand, AT&T had to rework their voicemail system to support the iphone feature.

[NickP @ Jul 17th 2007 5:24PM]

Visual Voicemail and other data features are simply data roaming (GPRS/EDGE roaming). UMTS uses the same methodology as GPRS for data roaming. So a 3G German customer on T-Mobile Germany can roam on T-Mobile USA using EDGE without any issues. All in Germany country features are available while on the network.

The Visual Voicemail is nothing more than a data driven application service sitting on a GPRS APN (which also works on EDGE or UMTS).

What does this mean? T-Mobile Germany Visual Voicemail (once they do launch iPhone) will work perfectly on T-Mobile USA with a T-Mobile Germany SIM and a provisioned activated iPhone. If T-Mobile is allowed to keep this phone carrier open as they normally do -meaning T-Mobile networks allow ANY T-Mobile phone to work with other T-Mobile SIM cards from other T-Mobile networks then T-Mobile US users are set. HOWEVER T-Mobile USA does NOT support visual voicemail for THEIR users. So even if the SIM lock allows T-Mobile USA SIM's Visual voicemail will NOT be available - as T-Mobile USA doesn't offer the service.

I would suspect though that Apple may require T-Mobile Germany to only allow SIM access to T-Mobile networks in Europe as I'm sure Apple not knowing the score likely gave AT&T a clause that non-USA handsets won't be SIM unlocked or allow SIM use from competing US networks. If that is the case then DON'T cry to T-Mobile - go after AT&T and Apple for limiting users ability to use an UNSUBSIDIZED device.

BTW: Some European Countries by LAW don't allow SIM locking of any phones sold in their countries. I wonder how that will play out with iPhone. Such countries generally don't subsidize handsets either.

[Peter Moore @ Jul 17th 2007 5:43PM]

Not all features are going to work here in the states. Like another poster said, AT&T had to do some reworking to get certain features to work.

So keep dreaming T-Mobile users. You might be able to at least make phone calls on it, haha!

[Jamar @ Jul 17th 2007 5:46PM]

I don't think that Germany's one of those countries. Not completely, anyway. I think they require carriers to unlock phones at the end of the contract term (if there is one) though. Of course Apple will try to force activation on T-Mobile, but I have a feeling that Germans won't take it as well as the Americans did (remarkable patience in the face of the iPhone launch activation fiasco).

[RC @ Jul 20th 2007 9:43PM]

Jamar, the iPhone does have a SIM card in it, and it can be taken out. Once an iPhone is activated, it will not work with any other SIM card, even another AT&T SIM card unless you send the phone back to Apple - that's their security measure apparently. You can, however, use your AT&T iPhone SIM card in another AT&T/Cingular phone, or any other unlocked phone.

Also in regards to T-Mobile and locking the iPhone...

I'm pretty sure it will be locked to only T-Mobile Germany customers, so T-Mobile USA customers wouldn't be able to buy one. Apple wants to do things their way, and if they can't get it done their way, then they won't do business with a potential carrier. It seems harsh and...well, bitchy, but if they were able to get AT&T to cave into their demands, then what's to stop them from thinking they can't get other carriers to do so?

[Manuel Martensen @ Sep 18th 2007 9:52PM]

Just to let you know, as to be seen in the screenshot, there is the word "Sansibar" and "indexing test", which is (Sansibar) probably the most popular restaurant here on the island where i live (and maybe even germany) with all the celebs germany has to offer, and since it's owner is good friend with the t-mobile/t-systems high flyers, i would absolutly not be surprised if he (or one of the execs who are having dinner there) is already running around with one. Why the name on that site, i don't know, but in a weird way, it makes sense to me. I was not surprised to see that name there.