Apple's iPhone functioning with Vodafone?

Here's an interesting one. While just about every citizen in Europe twiddles their thumbs and awaits an iPhone announcement for their side of the pond, more than a few impatient souls have been looking for ways to utilize the device in their homeland right away. Most recently, however, is an intriguing report that a US-sourced iPhone is functioning fine (save for the lack of visual voicemail) on Vodafone after a user swapped an AT&T SIM card into an O2 XDA, had the carrier add it to his current contract, and then stuffed the now-Vodafone-compliant AT&T SIM back into the iPhone. Interestingly, hordes of IRC participants are balking at the story, suggesting that SIM numbers are network specific and that Vodafone should not have been able to pull off the aforementioned feat of magic. Hmm, we wonder if Vodafone's bubbling excitement to get ahold of Apple's handset could have anything to do with it?

Read - US iPhone works with Vodafone
Read - Vodafone "looks forward" to 3G iPhone

[BoZs13 @ Jul 19th 2007 4:36PM]

Vodafone....Verizon? There's a difference?

[Ryhan @ Jul 19th 2007 4:47PM]

Amateurs... At&T? There's a difference?

[halfeatenfish @ Jul 19th 2007 6:07PM]

Can somebody please tell me what's the big deal with ringtones? I couldn't give a sh*t less about ringtones, as long as the thing rings, buzzes, shocks or otherwise lets me know that it needs my attention.

I don't want to come off as a bitter old man, but I just don't get it. Please, really... somebody... tell me what's the big deal.

[I.M. Yerpappy @ Jul 19th 2007 7:16PM]

Argot, what's your problem. Nobody except you buys a cellphone just because it matches the size of their prick or IQ. That teeny thing was designed for midgets and little old ladies that can't lift an iPhone. That little piss-phone is just a effin half-pint wannabe iPhone. One good squeeze would turn a Neonode into bits of plastic. We'll see how many people are buying Neonodes. You and a few male hair-stylists won't add up to very many.
So what if a cellphone doesn't have customizable ringtones. Nobody wants to hear your stupid phone playing "I'm a bad mama jama." at 90 decibels at a funeral. You should just get it to silently vibrate on your private parts and you'd enjoy it much more and the rest of us can relax in peace. Shee-it.
Wow, no MMS on the iPhone yet. I guess you want to send your male buddies your picture. Well, strike a pose, chump. You think everyone needs that feature or they'll die. I doubt it.
The iPhone is flawed and so is every other phone. Get over it.
A couple of years from now when the iPhone is declared the cellphone of the decade, the Neonodes of this world will be a tiny, tiny footnote in cellphone history as: The effin little handset that slips through your sweaty fingers.

[Paul Chan @ Jul 19th 2007 7:53PM]

I.M. Yerpappy u really have no idea do u? neonode pioneered the idea of touchscreen without a stylus. so u can actualy say apple copied their idea, oh and before u say the iphone came out first, the original neonode came out a few years ago. They are doing a pretty damn good job for a small company, apple is a million dollar coperation of course they will out compete neonode.

[Miles @ Jul 20th 2007 12:18AM]

No, neonode came out after iPhone was announced, they didn't even say they were going to do that until AFTER Apple said that was a feature.

[Paul Chan @ Jul 20th 2007 4:53AM]

you are all idiots, notice the current neonode is called the N2?? do u wonder why?? the N1 came out years ago in 2004, the first ipod with a colour screen came out in 2005, iphone wasn't even a concept back then.
even the main focus of the neonode N1 was a touch screen interface that was user friendly without the need of a stylus and can be used with just your fingers!
considering the company just consists of about 30 employees I say they're doing a damn good job, considering they have a got a few patients too.
suck on that

[AirStrike X2 @ Jul 19th 2007 4:52PM]

Enough with iPhone news/rumors already man..

[Jonhimslf @ Jul 19th 2007 4:59PM]

What's this iPhone you speak of?

[Argot @ Jul 19th 2007 5:19PM]

Why would you buy a iPhone brick that don't even allow you to send MMS or use your own ring tones?

Neonode FTW

The huge thing on the left is the iPhone btw... :)

http://i15.tinypic.com/4oq0lf8.jpg

[AirStrike X2 @ Jul 19th 2007 10:13PM]

@ Jonhimslf

Apple iPhone, obviously

[blackfeather @ Jul 19th 2007 4:56PM]

Either that, or they've been making some REALLY long distance calls on AT&T.

[ark_v2 @ Jul 19th 2007 5:00PM]

The fact that you were twiddling your thumbs awaiting for the iPhone to be released doesn't mean just about every European citizen is, engadget staff.

PS: before ranking me low, Europe has an estimated population of 709,608,850 people (as for 2002).

[TVGenius @ Jul 19th 2007 6:25PM]

Hey, at least you knew you were going to get tanked in the ratings...

[Ben Schiendelman @ Jul 19th 2007 5:08PM]

The word is in so far that what they did, the networks don't even support, so I think it should be noted that this is significantly suspect.

[Grmbl @ Jul 19th 2007 5:20PM]

Every SIM card has a unique number called IMSI. What is interesting about this number - every operator has his own range of this numbers, which are supported in the network.

Various operator's systems (network inventory, billing system / prepaid platform) have these numbers' ranges defined. And they never add ranges of IMSIs from other operators.

You do not "add that other SIM to your contract" (whatever this means). It's too much headache for operator to support.

This article sounds like bullshit to me.

[Frankenstein Black @ Jul 19th 2007 6:56PM]

Exactly! I too call BS on this one...

[Brian @ Jul 20th 2007 4:14AM]

Right, can you say "MCC/MNC mismatch"?

Putting an AT&T USIM in a Vodafone device does nothing. The provider doesn't care what your IMEI is when they are activating your USIM, they care what your IMSI is.

[Ratspilf @ Jul 19th 2007 5:38PM]

Looks like #iphone is going to be even more pissed after another big site blogs this.

[MC @ Jul 19th 2007 5:49PM]

Was wondering, since the user still has the AT&T Sim card and added Vodafone to the network list of the device.

Would it be an At&T account roaming under Vodafone network? Just like when I travel overseas and foreign companies providing service to me when they have an agreement with my home cellular service provider in regards to charges and service.

[Wonderkid @ Jul 19th 2007 5:57PM]

Righteo fellow Engadgetons. a) I am on Vodafone and having been on all 4 major UK networks and with ZERO connection with the company can say confidently that their coverage, pricing plans and customer service is excellent. They are, with O2 close behind, ideal for the power user and business professional. And here in the UK where style and mobile music is vital and part of our culture, the iPhone will be massive. O2 are good value but their coverage is NOT as good as Vodafone. I know, I was with O2. b) I know first hand that Vodafone will be getting the iPhone here in the UK. And I plan to buy one. Or may be two, because it's the first phone that is Mum proof too. :-)

[?? @ Jul 20th 2007 7:25AM]

So, you have zero connection with the company; yet you know 'for a fact' that iPhone is coming to Voda? Wow, you must know Steve Jobs personally then...

[luke @ Jul 19th 2007 5:58PM]

I was just using a friends iphone in amsterdam, holland. The phone was displaying itself as on vodaphone's network.

[t-bone @ Jul 19th 2007 8:17PM]

If you go to an area that doesn't have AT&T coverage it will display the name of whatever service it can find and use. It isn't anything special.

[Frankenstein Black @ Jul 19th 2007 8:33PM]

Um, ya. AT&T has roaming deals with Vodofone in EU, sooo?

[MR @ Jul 19th 2007 7:44PM]

iphone is all hyped. i was in the same boat and all to get one but decided that it wasn't worth the dime. i have an ipod 60 gig and my pocket pc does the same thing and better cause it is customizable and works with office which is very helpful, now add GPS to that iphone then it's worth a buy.

[Paul Chan @ Jul 19th 2007 7:45PM]

this is totally a fake, there's no way he can transfer a US number to a UK sim card. and he took his O2 XDA down to the vodafone store? highly unlikely vodafone will do anything, and he added his AT&T service to his UK voda sim card? bullshit, his story doesn't even make any sense.

[Jamar @ Jul 20th 2007 2:02AM]

And how about SIM cloning? Does each physical chip have its own IMSI or is it allocated to a given set of data on a SIM card?

I've seen some people transfer the contents of a Softbank/Vodafone USIM to a foreign SIM to fool people into thinking that their 904SHes are unlocked.

[Paul Chan @ Jul 20th 2007 4:53AM]

sim cloning is possible, but is not legitimate, vodafone will not do it for you.since he claims vodafone did it for him.
a USA number on the UK sim card and vise versa is impossible.

[Babau @ Jul 20th 2007 12:06AM]

Yeah this is complete BS. Even if you ignore the fact that the IMSI would be out of range, SIM card numbers themselves are allocated to certain countries and carriers. Every SIM has a 2 digit country prefix, then a prefix for the carrier, then the unique SIM number.

My 2c says that this guy is roaming and is too dumb to realise it.

[paul timmermans @ Jul 21st 2007 12:30PM]

I thought the iPhone lacked a SIM-card...which would be the big difference with the upcoming European version. What's the deal? Does or doesn't the US iPhone have a SIM-card?