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Editorial

Editorial - It's Time for the Promised, Unlocked iPhone 3Gs

Monday, December 8th, 2008 at 4:20 PM - by

Back in July, AT&T promised that they'd sell unlocked iPhone 3Gs at full price. A half year later, that promise has gone unfulfilled. It's time for AT&T to act.

Just before the iPhone 3G launched, AT&Ts CEO Randall Stephenson announced that it would sell 8 GB iPhone 3Gs unlocked for US$599 and the 16 GB model for $699.


Credit: Washington Post and Associated Press

While that's not a terribly attractive price for many, the fact is that there are many people who, for whatever reason, would like to have an iPhone 3G, but need to be with a different carrier.

Of course, Apple and AT&T would like to encourage as many people as possible to sign up for two year contracts before they allow potential customers to escape to another carrier. Even so, the promise was made.

iPO contacted AT&T spokesperson Mark Siegel about the matter, and the most he would say was an abbreviated: "We haven't announced a date yet."

It may be that there are potential customers yet to be seduced into a two year contract, especially those targeted by the rumors of a low-cost iPhone at Wal-Mart, but that has to be weighed against the needs of other Apple customers as well as corporate promises.

It's time for AT&T to fulfill its commitment.

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Tiger said:

member since 17 Jun 2003 with 1018 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Mon Dec 08, 2008 5:59 pm

Well, at 22 weeks, we're just a little more than half a pregnancy in terms of "delay," and considering Apple's track record on promises and delays just to get things in order, I think you're gonna be waiting another 8 weeks minimum...unless that's one of the big announcements at MWSF 09. Don't people realize that it's coming up and that's when SJ likes to make big announcements????????

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vasic said:

member since 09 Aug 2005 with 279 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:46 pm

I'm not suer if that Washington Post article quoted the AT&T people directly or just interpreted their announcements, but my recollection from that time is that AT&T promised an iPhone without a contract (i.e. on their Go-Phone plan). They didn't mention anything about unlocking. In other words, the iPhone will be sold locked (just like all other Go-Phone handsets), but if customer asked, they'd be able to get the unlocking instructions (much like they can for the phones under 2-year contract, of course, except for the iPhone). I know it's practically the same, but still; how many AT&T (or T-Mobile, the other GSM carrier) customers actually know that they can ask for an unlocking instructions for their phones?

I don't think this will have anything to do with MWSF, since this is solely AT&T's restriction and Apple has little influence.

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