Unlocked iPhone from eBay

[jreif]

I am a current Cingular user with no current contract. I am looking at getting an iPhone. I see them on ebay for a little less than in the stores. Some are unlocked and some are not. What happens if I buy an unlocked iPhone?

[macgirl]

i wouldn't trust any of those auctions. no one has been able to unlock the iphone yet (the closest i've heard about is sim-modification that makes the iphone think the sim in it is an at&t one when it's not). keep an eye out on the news here or at hackintosh to see if/when the iphone is really and truly unlocked to allow any gsm sim card...

what auctions are you looking at? this one is deceptive - they say it's unlocked, but then say later that you can't use the phone/data/text/email but you can use the ipod and other functions that need data via wifi. somehow that means unlocked to them but don't be fooled by those...

[ahaxton]

Even when it will be unlocked you won't be able to use everything. Just wait it out to come for your provider lol or get AT&T. The phone is an expensive investment, surely you can switch over.

[lectioneer]

As I told the folks at the Apple Store at The Woodlands, TX the iPhone is great, the biggest weakness is AT&T. Numbers through acquisition don't prove much except that someone is making money rather than providing good service. Where I live T-Mobile provides great service. AT&T does much less. If you want the phone you have to put up with the service or lack of whichever the case may be. Not everyone lives in the city.

[ahaxton]

Even when im out in deep metro atlanta (considered metro atlanta, but not really), I have full bars while friends on tmobile and sprint have a hard time using their phone indoors. AT&T does have a superior network.