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Orange to Offer Unlocked iPhone in France
Wednesday, October 17th, 2007 at 10:35 AM - by
When Apple's combination iPod and smart phone goes on sale in France on November 29, customers will have one option that isn't available in other countries: an unlocked iPhone. The standard locked model will be available, just as it is in the U.S., but an unlocked model that can be used on other wireless networks will also be available, according to the International Herald Tribune.
The option to purchase an unlocked iPhone is most likely a concession to French law that requires customers have the option to buy a cell phone and use it with the carrier of their choice. In other countries, however, the iPhone will still be sold in its locked-only form.
In the United States, Apple has an exclusive deal with AT&T, O2 in the United Kingdom, and T-Mobile in Germany. Since unlocked iPhones are not legitimately available in those countries, hackers have taken to finding ways to break through the handheld's built-in protection and unlock the phone on their own -- a process that has left many iPhone owners with expensive paper weights.
Apple and Orange will sell locked iPhones in France for €399 (about US$566.58). Neither company has stated how much the unlocked version will cost.
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