Seriously, i don't get the reason why people would unlock the iPhone 3G and 3Gs. In the US, you can only use 3G with AT&T since T-Mobile uses AWS :\, and in Canada they only have ONE major 3Gsm network, which is Rogers...
And in Mexico and Latin America, the iPhone is available in multiple paying options and with multiple carriers (ex: in Mexico you can get it in prepaid and postpaid) while in El Salvador you can get the iPhone on prepaid and postpaid with 2 of the major GSM networks...
Asia is out considering the iPhone is not very popular over there to begin with and in Africa most countries only have one compatible GSM network
I didn't pay that much for the phone. I traded a laptop I repaired for a G1, and then traded the G1 for a scratched up 16GB iPhone. The touchscreen failed, and I took it to Apple and they swapped it for a refurb.
I use my 3g on t-mobile (granted it's with a horrible rebel-sim currently) and my edge data generally runs faster than most of the 3G AT&T iPhone's my friends have. Plus my plan is extremely cheaper than AT&T.
travel much? the best part of AT&T is that it is GSM-based, like most of the rest of the world. By unlocking my iPhone (which it is...) I can go to London to work for a month, and just pop in a prepaid o2 SIM card. By swapping SIMS in each country I work, I get a local phone with local rates. That's why you unlock phones. Not for T-Mobile in the US.
"Asia is out considering the iPhone is not very popular over there to begin with"
Yes you're missing something. Are you dumb? That's typical American ignorance. iPhone is probably more popular in Asia than at least one other continent.
What about Europe? All of the major providers support 3G over here- that seems like a very good reason as to why people will want to unlock the phone...
Just about every 2nd-hand cell phone shop around Thailand has iPhones on display. Albeit they are Chinese fakes, but people do like the form factor and the "coolness" of the iPhone here too.
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Seriously, i don't get the reason why people would unlock the iPhone 3G and 3Gs. In the US, you can only use 3G with AT&T since T-Mobile uses AWS :\, and in Canada they only have ONE major 3Gsm network, which is Rogers...
And in Mexico and Latin America, the iPhone is available in multiple paying options and with multiple carriers (ex: in Mexico you can get it in prepaid and postpaid) while in El Salvador you can get the iPhone on prepaid and postpaid with 2 of the major GSM networks...
Asia is out considering the iPhone is not very popular over there to begin with and in Africa most countries only have one compatible GSM network
Am i missing something?
I use the iPhone 3G on T-Mobile USA because of the GPS, and because I like the 3G hardware much more than the original.
hmm well maybe people dont want to use the ridiculous iphone plan, so instead unlock the phone and use the sim with their current cheaper plan
but then you have to pay $700-$900 for an unlocked iPhone 3G so you can only have GPS and a cheaper plan...o_O
not hating on the iPhone, but then why not go with a G1 or Behold if you want 3G and GPS?
I didn't pay that much for the phone. I traded a laptop I repaired for a G1, and then traded the G1 for a scratched up 16GB iPhone. The touchscreen failed, and I took it to Apple and they swapped it for a refurb.
I use my 3g on t-mobile (granted it's with a horrible rebel-sim currently) and my edge data generally runs faster than most of the 3G AT&T iPhone's my friends have. Plus my plan is extremely cheaper than AT&T.
travel much? the best part of AT&T is that it is GSM-based, like most of the rest of the world. By unlocking my iPhone (which it is...) I can go to London to work for a month, and just pop in a prepaid o2 SIM card. By swapping SIMS in each country I work, I get a local phone with local rates. That's why you unlock phones. Not for T-Mobile in the US.
I have two sim cards, one american and one asian, I like being able to use it in both Asia and America without having to pay ridiculous roaming fees.
You forgetting a small continent called Europe ;)
@Be Fearless
You're missing Europe. Here we have 3G networks covering most of the dry land, and by many more than just one carrier.
"Asia is out considering the iPhone is not very popular over there to begin with"
Yes you're missing something. Are you dumb? That's typical American ignorance. iPhone is probably more popular in Asia than at least one other continent.
ah.. Europe.
What about Europe? All of the major providers support 3G over here- that seems like a very good reason as to why people will want to unlock the phone...
Just about every 2nd-hand cell phone shop around Thailand has iPhones on display. Albeit they are Chinese fakes, but people do like the form factor and the "coolness" of the iPhone here too.