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Get the iPhone UNLOCKED now in the UK for LESS than £262/£236!
bargaindoctor
Posts: 158 Forumite
From http://iphoneexperts.blogspot.com/
When I heard on the news today that the iPhone is being released in the UK, I was overwhelmed and excited. However being on the vodafone network I was slightly disappointed by the announcement that it would only be released on O2... and for a hefty £269, not bearing the LONG 18 month contract in addition to the £35/month charge AND having to wait around for a few months!
As they announced on the news, the iPhone took so long to be released in the UK because they hoped that there would be a '3G' version of it. Unfortunately, this is not going to happen, so we're resorting back to the same version being sold in the US - the normal GPRS / EDGE 8 GB iphone.
So essentially we're talking not much of a difference in buying the UK vs US version of the iphone. So why wait until Nov 9, when you can get it quicker, faster, cheaper, and UNLOCKED?
Having done some research, we here are iPhone Experts formulated a nifty little strategy for you guys to get the iPhone for less than the £260 contract price, unlocked and all... note that these are just our own experiences and we will not be held liable for any issues you face along the way!
Here are the steps to start enjoying your new iPhone in the UK on ANY network for less money:
1. The iPhone in the US is currently priced at £399 (£199.75). You can get this price directly from Apple.Com. Go there and check out an iphone.
2. Ok... now the problem is that you're supposed to supply an American credit card and an American shipping address. Being in the UK or the EU this kind of defeats the purpose. But no avail! In my case I just got an American friend to order it for me and I paypaled him the money. If you don't know anyone in the States, there are services that can provide shipping at a very small charge. I read someone who used a service called 'FromUS2EU.com' where you can just paypal or bank transfer the money + have it redelivered to you. The total price including fees and iphone come to $453.95 (£226.85) - cheaper than getting contracted in the UK!
3. Now here's the tricky part. You need it to be re-shipped to you in the UK. General advice is to AVOID UPS / DHL etc. Instead, get it shipped by USPS (United States Postal Service). They will not charge a flat brokerage fee like the other couriers. Plus while you are liable for VAT for anything over £18, in this case you have a high chance of not getting charged duty. Note that I am NOT advocating you to make any adjustments to the value or to lie about it, it's just an observation based on what others have said. IF on the other hand, you DO have to end up paying VAT, we are talking around $490 ($245). The shipping charge by USPS should be approximately $25 and should arrive in a week/10 days. You can pay more if you want it faster.
PRICE TALLY: (If charged VAT): iPhone + USPS + VAT = $523.75 (£261.89).
PRICE TALLY: (if not charged VAT): iPhone + USPS = $473.95 (£236.97).
So even in the WORST case scenario (when yo uget charged VAT), the iphone will still be £10 CHEAPER than o2, and you have NO 18 month contract!
And don't forget you'll get it like a whole month before anyone else gets their hands on one...
4. Ok, now you ask, you have this phone which requires an AT&T sim card. How can you get it to work with your UK network?? All you have to do is to follow this guide, which is pretty straightforward. I am sure you can also google search for newer unlock methods by the time you get your phone. The most complicated thing you will have to do is type a username and password in or create a folder on your computer. http://www.hackint0sh.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=127
5. Replace the phone with your UK sim card and now you've got an unlocked iphone a whole month before it's released in the UK with the same specs announced for the Nov 9 launch! Awesome! You've also now got a fully unlocked iPhone! No contract obligation either! And less than you would have to pay for in the UK!
ENJOY!
:beer:
When I heard on the news today that the iPhone is being released in the UK, I was overwhelmed and excited. However being on the vodafone network I was slightly disappointed by the announcement that it would only be released on O2... and for a hefty £269, not bearing the LONG 18 month contract in addition to the £35/month charge AND having to wait around for a few months!
As they announced on the news, the iPhone took so long to be released in the UK because they hoped that there would be a '3G' version of it. Unfortunately, this is not going to happen, so we're resorting back to the same version being sold in the US - the normal GPRS / EDGE 8 GB iphone.
So essentially we're talking not much of a difference in buying the UK vs US version of the iphone. So why wait until Nov 9, when you can get it quicker, faster, cheaper, and UNLOCKED?
Having done some research, we here are iPhone Experts formulated a nifty little strategy for you guys to get the iPhone for less than the £260 contract price, unlocked and all... note that these are just our own experiences and we will not be held liable for any issues you face along the way!
Here are the steps to start enjoying your new iPhone in the UK on ANY network for less money:
1. The iPhone in the US is currently priced at £399 (£199.75). You can get this price directly from Apple.Com. Go there and check out an iphone.
2. Ok... now the problem is that you're supposed to supply an American credit card and an American shipping address. Being in the UK or the EU this kind of defeats the purpose. But no avail! In my case I just got an American friend to order it for me and I paypaled him the money. If you don't know anyone in the States, there are services that can provide shipping at a very small charge. I read someone who used a service called 'FromUS2EU.com' where you can just paypal or bank transfer the money + have it redelivered to you. The total price including fees and iphone come to $453.95 (£226.85) - cheaper than getting contracted in the UK!
3. Now here's the tricky part. You need it to be re-shipped to you in the UK. General advice is to AVOID UPS / DHL etc. Instead, get it shipped by USPS (United States Postal Service). They will not charge a flat brokerage fee like the other couriers. Plus while you are liable for VAT for anything over £18, in this case you have a high chance of not getting charged duty. Note that I am NOT advocating you to make any adjustments to the value or to lie about it, it's just an observation based on what others have said. IF on the other hand, you DO have to end up paying VAT, we are talking around $490 ($245). The shipping charge by USPS should be approximately $25 and should arrive in a week/10 days. You can pay more if you want it faster.
PRICE TALLY: (If charged VAT): iPhone + USPS + VAT = $523.75 (£261.89).
PRICE TALLY: (if not charged VAT): iPhone + USPS = $473.95 (£236.97).
So even in the WORST case scenario (when yo uget charged VAT), the iphone will still be £10 CHEAPER than o2, and you have NO 18 month contract!
And don't forget you'll get it like a whole month before anyone else gets their hands on one...
4. Ok, now you ask, you have this phone which requires an AT&T sim card. How can you get it to work with your UK network?? All you have to do is to follow this guide, which is pretty straightforward. I am sure you can also google search for newer unlock methods by the time you get your phone. The most complicated thing you will have to do is type a username and password in or create a folder on your computer. http://www.hackint0sh.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=127
5. Replace the phone with your UK sim card and now you've got an unlocked iphone a whole month before it's released in the UK with the same specs announced for the Nov 9 launch! Awesome! You've also now got a fully unlocked iPhone! No contract obligation either! And less than you would have to pay for in the UK!
ENJOY!
:beer: 0
Comments
-
I do not like the idea of ....'FromUS2EU.com'
apart from that im looking to do as you have done to get a iphone....0 -
There's quite a discussion going on on another forum about this. Basically, you can import from the US for £262 (if you get charged all the taxes), or you can wait till November 9th and get it for £269. If you wait, you'll get the full UK warranty and not actually pay that much more.
If you buy an iPhone in the UK, you can 'hack' it just like the US ones. That is, the UK one can be bought for £269 without a contract and hacked just like the US one can (it's a different way of buying a phone to normal).
So ... the summary:
1) Import a US phone now: £262 (max)
2) Wait till November 9th for UK phone: £269
If you really want a phone, then import one by all means. However, just bear in mind things like the warranty etc. If you can wait a month and a half, then you might as well get the UK version for almost the same price.
Al0 -
how do you get around the AT&T 2 year contract?0
-
ok you lot are all mad i have family in NY and i got one off ebay USA for roughly £218 8gb version. Now everytime you get a new firmware upgrade your phone becomes locked again!!!!! so the only way to get it unlocked for good is to do a hardware hack which voids any warranty involves two wires and solder! best thing to avoid hassle is to get it from the apple shop unlocked already now apple have said you can get one unlocked from the shop (brent cross london) so just wait till than..............great kit but not really worth that amount i could have got a better phone for that price but boy does it get looks good ones and bad!0
-
As always the people from the Far East come to the rescue of those who would like an Iphone but don't have the cash.
Search the auction sites for CECT P168 and you will find a sim free any network phone produced by a proper mobile telephone manufacturer which has very similar looks and functionality to the Iphone for about a third of the price.
There are many others due to appear from China and some are recieving very nice reviews on the mobile phone sites.0 -
Just don't do the firmware upgrade then.Now everytime you get a new firmware upgrade your phone becomes locked again!!!!!
Are you sure about this. So you are saying that Apple themselves are selling unlocked iPhones?best thing to avoid hassle is to get it from the apple shop unlocked already now apple have said you can get one unlocked from the shop0 -
Apple wont sell unlocked phones0
-
I don't think Apple will be selling unlocked phones (certainly they aren't in the US, so I don't know why the UK would be different).
They will be selling locked phones in Apple stores and online for £269. To use these locked phones, you either need to take out a contract with O2, or hack them. What is weird is that you buy the phone without a contract ... it is only when you come to activate it that you take out a contract.
Al0 -
There's quite a discussion going on on another forum about this. Basically, you can import from the US for £262 (if you get charged all the taxes), or you can wait till November 9th and get it for £269. If you wait, you'll get the full UK warranty and not actually pay that much more.
If you buy an iPhone in the UK, you can 'hack' it just like the US ones. That is, the UK one can be bought for £269 without a contract and hacked just like the US one can (it's a different way of buying a phone to normal).
So ... the summary:
1) Import a US phone now: £262 (max)
2) Wait till November 9th for UK phone: £269
If you really want a phone, then import one by all means. However, just bear in mind things like the warranty etc. If you can wait a month and a half, then you might as well get the UK version for almost the same price.
Al
the basic cost of the phone is allmost the same price..but as the op said you pay that price and get tied into an 18mnth contract with 02 at at least 35quid a month as well,as if you can get a us version and get it unlocked..all you need is payg sim card0 -
apple will be selling a 3g version in the early new year- hang on!0
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