Buying iPhone sim free in America

breeno

Hi I'm currently in California and the Apple store are doing the ip 4 for 599 dollars which works out at about 460 when tax is included. Is it possible to buy one to bring home for use in Ireland? If I got a gsm model would it work at home? Seems like a good deal as its 279 on my tariff on an 18 month contract at home.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

Johnmb

breeno wrote: »

Hi I'm currently in California and the Apple store are doing the ip 4 for 599 dollars which works out at about 460 when tax is included. Is it possible to buy one to bring home for use in Ireland? If I got a gsm model would it work at home? Seems like a good deal as its 279 on my tariff on an 18 month contract at home.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

They are usually locked to AT&T (the GSM models) so be wary. Even if it's not a contract phone, it's still locked, unless there has been a recent change in policy.

breeno

Ah, ok. Thanks for quick reply. Had a feeling it might be too good to be true! I'll look into that and see what they say. Has anybody else experience in bringing phones from the states? Do-able or am I barking up the wrong tree?!

Ejayb4

breeno wrote: »

Hi I'm currently in California and the Apple store are doing the ip 4 for 599 dollars which works out at about 460 when tax is included. Is it possible to buy one to bring home for use in Ireland? If I got a gsm model would it work at home? Seems like a good deal as its 279 on my tariff on an 18 month contract at home.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

Even if you get it unlocked... 3g wont work over here on it

randomer

Ejayb4 wrote: »

Even if you get it unlocked... 3g wont work over here on it

I am assuming that if they are selling it at $599 then it is unlocked already, like the phones sold in Ireland and the UK. On AT&T the phone costs $299.

If you buy the GSM version there is no reason why it wouldn't work in Ireland. I have an "Irish" factory unlocked iphone and it works fine in the US once I pop in a US sim card.

randomer

breeno wrote: »

Hi I'm currently in California and the Apple store are doing the ip 4 for 599 dollars which works out at about 460 when tax is included. Is it possible to buy one to bring home for use in Ireland? If I got a gsm model would it work at home? Seems like a good deal as its 279 on my tariff on an 18 month contract at home.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

Where have you seen the iphone 4 for sale at that price? I was in the Apple store in San Francisco earlier this week and didn't see any mention of it.

Johnmb

Ejayb4 wrote: »

Even if you get it unlocked... 3g wont work over here on it

If it's unlocked and is the AT&T (GSM) version, it will work just fine. There is no difference between that phone and an Irish one.

randomer wrote: »

I am assuming that if they are selling it at $599 then it is unlocked already, like the phones sold in Ireland and the UK. On AT&T the phone costs $299.

Unless they've changed policy since the Verizon phone was released, the US GSM phone has always been locked to AT&T. The extra charge is so that you aren't bound by a contract for 18 months, but you could still only use it on AT&T.

breeno

randomer wrote: »

Where have you seen the iphone 4 for sale at that price? I was in the Apple store in San Francisco earlier this week and didn't see any mention of it.

It was in an apple store in san Marcos, just outside san Diego. The 16gb was 599 and the 32gb 699 dollars. How much were they in san fran?

So what's the consensus here? Will it work fully back in the emerald isle?

Ejayb4

randomer wrote: »

I am assuming that if they are selling it at $599 then it is unlocked already, like the phones sold in Ireland and the UK. On AT&T the phone costs $299.

If you buy the GSM version there is no reason why it wouldn't work in Ireland. I have an "Irish" factory unlocked iphone and it works fine in the US once I pop in a US sim card.

Johnmb wrote: »

If it's unlocked and is the AT&T (GSM) version, it will work just fine. There is no difference between that phone and an Irish one.

Gprs and edge will work fine.

But If you buy a 3g phone from the states it wont work over in Ireland..

They run off different frequencies.

Kensington

Ejayb4 wrote: »

Gprs and edge will work fine.

But If you buy a 3g phone from the states it wont work over in Ireland..

They run off different frequencies.

There is no such thing as an "American model" iPhone - an iPhone bought there meets the same spec as one bought here. All iPhones support UMTS on 850MHz, 900MHz (GSM replacement bands - not operating here yet), 1900MHz (USA AT&T) and 2100MHz (Europe).

So 3G will work perfectly fine here on a US sourced iPhone 4.

Johnmb

Ejayb4 wrote: »

Gprs and edge will work fine.

But If you buy a 3g phone from the states it wont work over in Ireland..

They run off different frequencies.

No they don't. T-Mobile uses a frequency that is not supported by the iPhone, but AT&T use the standard frequencies that the Irish carriers use. There is only one GSM model worldwide, it doesn't matter where you buy it. The only problem is if it is locked to a specific carrier, but that has nothing to do with the GSM frequencies.

Johnmb

breeno wrote: »

It was in an apple store in san Marcos, just outside san Diego. The 16gb was 599 and the 32gb 699 dollars. How much were they in san fran?

So what's the consensus here? Will it work fully back in the emerald isle?

Just ask them in the store if it is unlocked or if it'll only work on AT&T. They should know, or be able to find out easily enough.

Creamy Goodness

nope you need a social security number to buy an iphone over in the states.

*EDIT* never mind didn't realise the apple stort are selling contract free iphones.