SillyDog701

[Don_HH2K]

If I'm not mistaken, the current statistic is that 33% of sold iPhones were never reported by AT&T as activated. That means that either those 33% are expensive doorstops (unlikely), still in the process of being sold by third-party retailers (likely, but not in this sort of volume), or jailbroken and running on another carrier's network (likely). That would give Apple a reason to worry if they really want to lock the phone to the AT&T network.

Of course, I find this an interesting sign of how terrible AT&T's wireless service is. As a former AT&T and current T-Mobile customer, I'd gladly sacrifice the EDGE functionality of any phone, iPhone or not, to activate it on T-Mobile instead.

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[Antony]

I don't see a big issue that a mobile phone needs to be activated before using or at time of purchasing.

According to news reports (not rumour), both Vodafone and Optus will provide prepay plans for iPhone 3G in Australia. Users are not required to signed into contracts. [sdt=14773](related thread)[/sdt]

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[Don_HH2K]

I don't see a big issue that a mobile phone needs to be activated before using or at time of purchasing.

The problem comes when you want to use the phone on a different network. Often times, only one carrier stocks a particular model of a phone. This isn't iPhone-specific, there are quite a few manufactures that do so.

So let's say AT&T offers a phone I want, except I want to run that phone on T-Mobile instead. If activation isn't required, I can buy the phone from AT&T, jailbreak it, put a T-Mobile SIM card in, and use it normally on the T-Mobile network. If activation is required, then I need to activate the phone (often an activation fee is involved), wait a month, cancel my service at the end of the month and incur a large early termination fee, then jailbreak the phone and run it on T-Mobile.

For reference, my Motorola v60i is a jailbroken Cingular phone running on T-Mobile, except I got it pre-unlocked on eBay instead of unlocking it myself.

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[Antony]

I don't see a big issue that a mobile phone needs to be activated before using or at time of purchasing.

The problem comes when you want to use the phone on a different network. Often times, only one carrier stocks a particular model of a phone. This isn't iPhone-specific, there are quite a few manufactures that do so.

What I meant to say, locked to a single carrier is nothing new. (Not just iPhone as you mentioned.) And I really don't see that as a big issue.

If the phone is only from a single carrier, I might (1) switch the carrier or (2) don't get that particular mobile phone.

So let's say AT&T offers a phone I want, except I want to run that phone on T-Mobile instead. If activation isn't required, I can buy the phone from AT&T, jailbreak it, put a T-Mobile SIM card in, and use it normally on the T-Mobile network.

If I were you, I would judge if I really want that phone and if so, I would switch the carrier. Or don't bother getting that particular mobile phone.

In Australia, Optus and Vodafone will offer iPhone 3G, Telstra is said to follow. That's three out of four major carriers.

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[Don_HH2K]

The problem is, it becomes more costly and time-consuming to switch carriers if activation is required at the time of purchase. It'd be a complete shame to not get a phone I want just because a carrier doesn't offer it, even though the phone uses the exact same band and other communication specs.

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[Antony]

The problem is, it becomes more costly and time-consuming to switch carriers if activation is required at the time of purchase.

True, simply don't switch carriers while you are still in contract.

It'd be a complete shame to not get a phone I want just because a carrier doesn't offer it.

Before I bought the (current) Sony Ericsson K750i, I really liked another model, but it was only available with 3 (Hutchison 3G), and I was under contract with B Mobile. So I did not get that phone nor switch the network.

Later, I bought the K750i then switch myself Vodafone (prepay). The phone was bought outright unlocked.

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[Don_HH2K]

The problem is, it becomes more costly and time-consuming to switch carriers if activation is required at the time of purchase.

True, simply don't switch carriers while you are still in contract.

There's no way I'd stick with AT&T for two years ever again. Their website is a nightmare, their tech support is a nightmare, and their prepaid plans are expensive. T-Mobile's service is cheap, their website straightforward, and their phone support isn't outsourced to an offshore call center.

It'd be a complete shame to not get a phone I want just because a carrier doesn't offer it.

Before I bought the (current) Sony Ericsson K750i, I really liked another model, but it was only available with 3 (Hutchison 3G), and I was under contract with B Mobile. So I did not get that phone nor switch the network.

At the time, were you aware of the fact that the phone could have been unlocked and run on B Mobile?

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[Antony]

There's no way I'd stick with AT&T for two years ever again.

If you don't like a particular carrier, simply don't go with them.

At the time, were you aware of the fact that the phone could have been unlocked and run on B Mobile?

No, if my understanding was correct, that particular model was exclusive to 3.

Unlocking requires paying outright cost of the handset + unlocking fees, which making the phone far to expensive to own.

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[Don_HH2K]

There's no way I'd stick with AT&T for two years ever again.

If you don't like a particular carrier, simply don't go with them.

But that's what I'd need to do if I wanted to buy an iPhone 3G, except with Verizon instead of AT&T.

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[iJohnE]

Antony, in the US iPhones are only available with one carrier.

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[Edward]

I don't see a big issue that a mobile phone needs to be activated before using or at time of purchasing.

According to news reports (not rumour), both Vodafone and Optus will provide prepay plans for iPhone 3G in Australia. Users are not required to signed into contracts. [sdt=14773](related thread)[/sdt]

If you buy a prepay package which may or may not be at a discount, they would require the phone to be activated.

If someone paid full retail price for the original iPhone without a contract, they bought it, they own it and should not be forced to activate it. They can do with it as they please, in my opinion.

If the new model is being sold at a discount with a contract, then they would have to activate it on the carrier (AT&T in the U.S.).

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[Antony]

I had my iPhone 3G activated inside Apple Store, Sydney, where I bought it from. People buying from other mobile phone stores are also required to have the phone activated in store. I really don't see this is an issue, except for those who intend to export the iPhones to other countries.

Here in Australia, you can pay extra fee to have the iPhone unlocked (from a single mobile carrier) ‘officially’.

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