iPhone 4 being sold SIM free on Apple Store UK

3DataModem

From their FAQ

Costs £499 and £599


"FAQs
Back to top

• Does iPhone work with any SIM card or carrier worldwide?
  
  iPhone 3GS works with SIM cards and iPhone 4 works with micro-SIM cards from compatible carriers, including prepaid cards. Non-GSM carrier networks do not support iPhone. Availability of 3G data depends on carrier support for the radio frequencies used by iPhone.
• Where can I get a SIM or micro-SIM card?
  
  You can get a SIM or micro-SIM card from any carrier offering iPhone plans.
  View a list of carriers.
• How do I get started using iPhone to place and receive calls?
  
  First, insert an activated SIM or micro-SIM card from a compatible carrier. Then connect your iPhone to your computer and open iTunes to complete set up.
• Do I need an iPhone-specific service plan?
  
  iPhone may require large amounts of data usage. Please contact your carrier to ensure that you have an appropriate service plan to support iPhone.
• Do I need to commit to a long-term contract for my iPhone?
  
  Buying a SIM-free iPhone from the Apple Online Store allows you choose your own carrier and change carriers at any time. iPhone may also be available at a reduced initial price with a contract directly from your wireless carrier.
• Does iPhone support tethering?
  
  Yes. You can share the fast 3G connection on your iPhone with your Mac or PC and connect to the Internet from just about anywhere — no Wi-Fi required. Contact your carrier for details.

• Are iPhone 4 and iPad micro-SIM cards interchangeable?
  
  No. Your iPad micro-SIM card will not work with your iPhone.
• Will all iPhone features work with my carrier?
  
  Visual Voicemail requires carrier support and may not function on your carrier’s network. Please read this Support article or contact your carrier for more details.
• Why does the price of iPhone from the Apple Online Store differ from its price from a carrier?
  
  Carriers typically sell the iPhone with a contract that subsidizes the initial purchase price of the phone. By purchasing your iPhone without a contract, you can use any SIM or micro-SIM card from a compatible carrier, including your current one.
• Can I use my iPhone outside my home country?
  
  Yes. iPhone is enabled to work on carrier networks using GSM around the world. Because the iPhone sold by the Apple Online Store is SIM-free, you can purchase a SIM or micro-SIM card and service from a local carrier at your destination. Or check with your home carrier regarding international roaming charges.
• If I buy iPhone from this Apple Online Store, can I ship it to another country?
  
  No. Orders placed through this Apple Online Store can be shipped only within the country of purchase. You can also shop for friends and family in countries where iPhone is sold. Just visit the local store of the country where you want your products delivered. Or for fast, easy ordering and expert advice, just call an Apple Online Store specialist at 0800 048 0408."

Gumbo

no way!
hope this is true.......

hardCopy

But can you get a micro-sim
without an iPhone plan?

Gumbo

hardCopy wrote: »

But can you get a micro-sim
without an iPhone plan?

yes all the networks are stocking them to allow use with the iPad.

Jax Teller

Am I right in thinking we can order them and collect it in Belfast ?

mad muffin

We can't buy the sim free ones from Ireland on the Apple UK store .

bruce wayne

its true, the UK apple store will allow you to reserve one, and when you go through the motions there is a pop up selection screen which includes pay and go, pay monthly and a sim free option !!!

Johnmb

bruce wayne wrote: »

its true, the UK apple store will allow you to reserve one, and when you go through the motions there is a pop up selection screen which includes pay and go, pay monthly and a sim free option !!!

Yep, I just reserved one for collection in Belfast. I was going to wait and get one on contract down here, but just went on to the Apple Store to have a look and couldn't resist ordering!

mad muffin

Johnmb wrote: »

Yep, I just reserved one for collection in Belfast. I was going to wait and get one on contract down here, but just went on to the Apple Store to have a look and couldn't resist ordering!

Did you need a UK credit card?

Jax Teller

You pay at pick up sweet

mad muffin

keysersoze_88 wrote: »

You pay at pick up sweet

Sweet, the store seems to be down atm though

Johnmb

mad muffin wrote: »

Did you need a UK credit card?

I pay when I collect it, so I'm guessing no. They shouldn't be able to tell where my card is from once I'm paying in person. They did ask for my Apple ID, and I put in my mobileme one. That has an Irish address, but didn't flag up anything with them.

mad muffin

If you pre order to pick up in Belfast, there is no guarantee that they will have any for you to buy?

deano_rich

Johnmb wrote: »

Yep, I just reserved one for collection in Belfast. I was going to wait and get one on contract down here, but just went on to the Apple Store to have a look and couldn't resist ordering!

So you can reserve a sim free on in belfast on the UK store online, and pay in the shop?

How long will the shop hold them for you?

Sad Professor

The Irish store isn't fully back up yet. But it is listing the 3GS for €499. So maybe they'll offer the iPhone 4 when it arrives here as well.

deano_rich

Sad Professor wrote: »

The Irish store isn't fully back up yet. But it is listing the 3GS for €499. So maybe they'll offer the iPhone 4 when it arrives here as well.

as in offer it sim free here?

Johnmb

deano_rich wrote: »

How long will the shop hold them for you?

The confirmation email says they'll hold it until close of business on the 24th.

Dades

Johnmb wrote: »

The confirmation email says they'll hold it until close of business on the 24th.

I hope they run the whole "reservation" thing better than O2 last year.

Not taking a deposit could be a mistake - loads of people not taking up their iPhones and hoards of people in-store screaming for one.

Johnmb

deano_rich wrote: »

as in offer it sim free here?

Well the 3GS is now sim free, so I'd imagine the iPhone 4 will also be sim free. They've put up the same notes about being sim free and how to get it subsidised by buying from a carrier as the UK store has.

Elessar

Damnit I couldn't resist. Just pre-ordered sim-free it in Belfast (16GB) for Thursday week!

Don't even know if I have that kind of cash! I'll cancel it if the irish store turns out to be cheaper. €600 is a lot to pay for the 16GB version!

cojomo2

Just to note:

The confirmation email states:

'what to bring on the day'

when you click on that, it has 2 sections: pay and go, and bill pay.

Under 'pay and go' it states you must pay with a valid UK credit card...

Will this be a problem?

Elessar

What's the story with Microsims?

What carriers offer them down here? We won't be able to use our new iPhones without the microsims!

3DataModem

Elessar wrote: »

What's the story with Microsims?

What carriers offer them down here? We won't be able to use our new iPhones without the microsims!

Just chop up a normal SIM

cojomo2

just rang meteor..they don't do them, and have no info on if or when they will..

Danbo!

cojomo2 wrote: »

just rang meteor..they don't do them, and have no info on if or when they will..

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055908069

cojomo2

Stee wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055908069

Thanks for the link..they state they will be supplying micro sims with data plans for ipad...do you think its reasonable to assume they will also supply regular voice/data micro sims for use in iphone 4 too?

Also, regarding getting iphone 4 in Belfast, does anyone think there will be issues paying with an Irish credit card considering they state you must have a UK credit card?

deano_rich

cojomo2 wrote: »

Thanks for the link..they state they will be supplying micro sims with data plans for ipad...do you think its reasonable to assume they will also supply regular voice/data micro sims for use in iphone 4 too?

Also, regarding getting iphone 4 in Belfast, does anyone think there will be issues paying with an Irish credit card considering they state you must have a UK credit card?

just pay cash

justsomebloke

deano_rich wrote: »

just pay cash

if I was you I would ring up and confirm they will actually take cash before going up if you are planning to do this

cojomo2

Joe the Santa wrote: »

if I was you I would ring up and confirm they will actually take cash before going up if you are planning to do this

+1

It doesn't even mention about paying with a UK credit card, it just says you must have 1...this could be to stop an influx of Irish buying up all the stock in Belfast!

How would the staff know though? I mean they will assume you are Irish with the accent and all, so when you hand the credit card over, if they ask ''is this a UK credit card sir''..and you say 'yes, ofcourse:p' will they know any different?

Do the uk have the same chip and pin system as us?

edit, crap! my card say 'bank of ireland all over it'!

MuhammadUmar

I have a British Visa debit card and will head up to the North next thursday to get a 32gb God Willing !

Danbo!

The irish store is back up and the 8Gb 3Gs is available for 499, I assume sim free.

Johnmb

cojomo2 wrote: »

+1edit, crap! my card say 'bank of ireland all over it'!

Bank of Ireland are one of the main banks up north, even getting to print their own money, so that shouldn't be a problem. Would they really go to the bother of checking though? I mean, fair enough if you are going with a UK carrier as the carrier would need to know your details, but if you are going sim free, what's the point, especially if there's a queue behind you!

mad muffin

Just pre ordered through here:

http://reserve.apple.com/WebObjects/ProductReservation.woa/wa/reserveAnotherProduct?lang=en&country=GB&store=R226

It tells you in what to bring, that you need a uk credit card for PAYG and contract. It says nothing about the sim free ones.

Jax Teller

Irish apple website selling sim free 3gs

mad muffin

On the UK site the 3GS 8GB is £415 wich is €499 so I would expect the iPhone 4 to be the same price as they are selling in the UK atm.

Pulse8

mad muffin wrote: »

On the UK site the 3GS 8GB is £415 wich is €499 so I would expect the iPhone 4 to be the same price as they are selling in the UK atm.

€720 for a 32gb or thereabouts so

I had a look through the reservation process, seems only black is available?
Or was white on there earlier?

Jax Teller

Pulse8 wrote: »

€720 for a 32gb or thereabouts so

I had a look through the reservation process, seems only black is available?
Or was white on there earlier?

white is delayed http://appadvice.com/appnn/2010/06/iphone-4-white-edition-delayed/

Pulse8

Looks like I'll be waiting so...holding out for a white 32gb

Sad Professor

It's great that we'll have the choice to buy sim-free direct from Apple. I bought my PAYG 3GS in the Carphone Warehouse. No, I don't want a contract, no, I don't want insurance, just give me the f**kin phone, you pricks. Never again!

bdogg

mad muffin wrote: »

Just pre ordered through here:

http://reserve.apple.com/WebObjects/ProductReservation.woa/wa/reserveAnotherProduct?lang=en&country=GB&store=R226

It tells you in what to bring, that you need a uk credit card for PAYG and contract. It says nothing about the sim free ones.

Cheers for the link! Gonna do the same myself - I don't imagine that buying a SIM free model will require any proof of ID or address. The PAYG and Bill Pay options would obviously require the carrier to know who you are and if you're good for the money/contract. Plus, the standard apple 1yr warrantee will still apply to the iPhone 4 regardless of where it was bought I'd imagine.

Re: MicroSIM's here is a link on how to jimmy your own one:
http://www.techradar.com/news/computing/apple/how-to-make-your-own-ipad-micro-sim-681020

I'm sure the irish carriers will have them in the next month.

Lawstud

Excuse my ignorance. I understand that the iphone 4 is a micro sim card phone. If you can purchase the iphone 4 sim free where do you get your micro sim card and how much does it cost?

Im I right in thinking that this means we can now order the iphone 4 from England designate a vodafone shop in Belfast to collect it. Head up pay in cash. Then get back down to Dublin and go into any carrier we like and choose whatever pay plan that suits?

Thanks!

ironclaw

I've paid in Belfast with an Irish Credit Card before (MasterCard and a Visa) The one they may not accept is a Maestro (Laser) card. They caused problems for me with them.

bdogg

Lawstud wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance. I understand that the iphone 4 is a micro sim card phone. If you can purchase the iphone 4 sim free where do you get your micro sim card and how much does it cost?

Im I right in thinking that this means we can now order the iphone 4 from England designate a vodafone shop in Belfast to collect it. Head up pay in cash. Then get back down to Dublin and go into any carrier we like and choose whatever pay plan that suits?

Thanks!

Yes, obviously you're going to be paying for the whole cost of the iPhone up front so you're free to shop around for a carrier down south. Usually SIM cards are free from every carrier. Make sure you get a data-add on for your new plan down south - you'll be rinsed if you don't have a data allowance on it. I found that a €7.50 250mb data add on for a €20/m tarrif with 02 was enough for my 3Gs. However, with iPhone4 you might need a bit more if you plan on doing a lot of video uploading etc...

Minto

Anyone else having trouble reserving from online store? When it asks to select store, I choose Victoria Square from the dropdown menu and hit next and then it comes up "please select a store" in red.

Could the store just be overwhelmed at the min?

datk

If you're buying it sim free and get a micro sim down here - can you keep you're old number or is this only an option if you're willing to change number?

bkehoe

I just reserved a sim free iphone 4 in Belfast using my Irish MobileMe account, no issues so far. Wanna take any bets as to whether there'll be more people from the south of the border than the north in the Apple store in Belfast next Thursday???

wez99950

it's what i'm planning on doing. i reserved using my itunes account and no problems....so far.....

Creamy Goodness

took me ages to find the reserve link but found it in the end.

for anyone who is as asstarded as me and couldn't find it here's direct link

http://reserve.apple.com/WebObjects/ProductReservation.woa/wa/ProductDetailAction/goToProductPage?id=ewoJInByaW1hcnlLZXkiID0gewoJCSJwcm9kdWN0SUQiID0gIjMyNCI7Cgl9OwoJImVudGl0eU5hbWUiID0gIkhvbGlkYXlQcm9kdWN0IjsKfQ%3D%3D&skuPage=IPhonePage&product=iPhone&isPreLaunch=Y

Minto

I just did it on my soon to be ex-iPhone and it worked fine! Now I just gotta get up there next Thursday!

Creamy Goodness

also FYI i had no problem buying a 3G S on an irish mastercard in the states on launch day so if you're worried they may not take the card then that should ease your worry.

jamieh

I just reserved a 16gb iPhone.

I reserved using my iTunes username, I presume they don't charge your card that is linked to the account before you pick it up? (just a thought)