September 27, 2008 5:22 PM PDT
Apple selling unlocked iPhone 3G in Hong Kong
Apple has made an unlocked version of the iPhone 3G available in Hong Kong, letting consumers pick whichever carrier they so choose.
This is in sharp contrast to Apple's policy for almost everywhere else on the planet. Illegally unlocked iPhones are rampant worldwide, but that obviously isn't something that Apple has sanctioned.
Freedom doesn't come cheap. The 8GB version is available for about $695 (5,400 Hong Kong dollars), while the 16GB iPhone costs about $798 (6,200 HK dollars), according to Apple's site.
The "iPhone 3G purchased at the Apple Online Store can be activated with any wireless carrier," the site states. "Simply insert the SIM from your current phone into iPhone 3G and connect to iTunes 8 to complete activation."
Natalie Weinstein is an associate editor who works out of Austin, Texas. She spent a decade as a reporter and editor in the newspaper industry before joining the CNET News staff in 2000. E-mail Natalie. 
It's corporate policy furthered through government action. There is nothing wrong with the government except its undue influence by large corporations. I could go on, and on, and on. But let me put it this way for everyone to read.
85 billion dollars, to bail out the economy, to be given to corrupt institutions that played a direct hand in this mess. Not to the people. Even after taxes (30%), that money would amount to about 290,000 dollars per adult in the US. Seems to me an awful lot of mortgages would suddenly be covered. Yea, let's save the "economy" by bailing out the companies, but not foundation of this country ... it's people. Oy, but people will get all "excited" over a single payment of 300 dollars, or 1,000 dollars, and some politician just bought your vote for CHEAP!
There is a little problem with your math. Assuming there are 200 million adults in the US (out of 300 million people) that would only be $297.50 per person after a 30% tax. That's quite a few missing zeroes. And further more, if The United States of America is so bad feel free to move you and you family to another country. Like Tony Blair said, "The true measure of a country is view the number of people trying to get in." Last time I checked we are still at the top of that list.
Last month my bank sent me a new debit card; they had changed the last four digits of the card, for security reasons; the rest of the info remained the same - they only changed the debit card's number - not my bank account number.
Monthly debits, such as my ISP, gym membership etc., continued to get their money out of my bank account, but ATT was the only one that sent me a terse text message claiming that they could not process my last bill.
I called their Customer service (Ha!) number, and the agent said that since I had accrued a $230.00 credit, due to low usage with my current plan, I should switch to a different, less expensive plan. The plan would charge every call, but the monthly fees would be less, and ATT has a policy of KEEPING any accrued credit above $250.00.
This was the Friday before Labor Day, and the agent recommended that I wait until after the holiday to change my plan, so that I could have unlimited weekend minutes. I called the following business day, and the agent who took my called said that my $230.00 credit was now forfeit, because I had called one day late! I still had paid an additional month above the $230.00!!
I called a few days ago to find out the status of the $230.00 that I had accrued since October 2007, and they said that I had forfeited the entire amount. I tried to explain to them that I was caught in the middle of what my bank was doing - protecting my account and ATT making off with my accrued credit - to no avail!
Now I read this news, and you can imagine how angry I am!!
Apple; you're in a partnership with a company that is tarnishing your image!
BTW, stay away from the so-called TurboSIM hardware unlocked on the eBay for now, since that might mess up your phone....
Its a possibility.
Sue for what?
Since the air-time is somewhere around 0.088 dollar per minute nation-wide, it's really hard for Thais to be locked into a contract. The most expensive unlimited timeless plan is priced at 29 dollars per month.
Why is it that you can only get an iphone with a two year contract with ATT because apparently ATT subsidizes the phone. But after two years, when you fullfill your part of the contract, the phone is still not yours. You are still locked to ATT after you have paid the full price through the contract. That dishonest STEVE JOBS !!!!
Steve Jobs, you are a Tech NAZI !!!!!!!
Looking forward to improvements in the business world and also the world. :-)
on the fact that the phone is NOT being sold for $ 199, as advertised, then you should do it.
So all "models" cost the same. Please not that quoted the word 'model'. Your "case" is no longer.
Some countries don't lock anyone with any package at all, all free flowing. Pre- and post-paid. Other countries have companies offering people the options of either getting free or heavily discounted phones on a 2 year contract, or just buy out the phones at full price. But even if we get a free phone on a contract, it's NEVER locked. iPhones sold in Singapore come with various plans, but again, they're UNLOCKED. It's against the law to lock phones.
Pre-paid card's very cheap, and never any charge on incoming calls or texts. Some providers in Singapore even give the pre-paid customers free texts; for example, free 10 outgoing texts to any overseas numbers, after just sending 5 texts to any overseas numbers. In Indonesia, another example, all providers offer topping up a number with the lowest denomination of $1. Not enough for any talking, but for those school kids with fast fingers, they can sure send out 50 texts for that money!!
Competition is very fierce, providers must give the most and the best, otherwise people can easily change provider. Not uncommon for people to have 2-4 different phone numbers, for different purposes. Not to mention the ability to "choose" our own numbers, for those believing in "sets of lucky numbers". I myself carry 5 different phone numbers from 3 Southeast Asian countries. 2 on plans, 3 prepaid cards that have long expiry dates, to make sure that the next time I go back to that country my number is still working.
I used to live in the US, but now I just travel back and forth between the US and Asia, at least 3-4 times in a year. It's always so frustrating for me to be back in the US for the outdated mobile phone way of thinking. It's so territorial, many blank spots (meaning, poor or no receptions), and just not worth the price everyone has to pay. Not to mention... clunky looking, unsexy phones!
As to go back to this article, don't blame it on Apple, but rather, the phone companies. They've been the one burying their heads in the sand, not 'learning' from the fastest emerging market for telecommunication, which has been Asia.
Mobile phones don't have to be a luxury, but rather a necessity, helping everyone to communicate with each other, anytime. And that includes the neighboring countries, or faraway friends in other continents. Communication MUST be affordable!!
Looks like Steve Jobs has missed/messed out this one. The iPhone here in India is priced at $800!
Two companies have gone in for it, and they are charging a fantastic amount for connectivity.
Sales have been *********, and when negative press publicity added to their problems,
all three, Apple, Airtel and Vodafone came out with statements blaming Apple, who blamed the
phone companies, who blamed Apple...for the steep, unattractive price.
France, Grece, Italy, Hong Kong to name a few.
There is even an article somewhere that lists which countries sell it unlocked. The catch is hardware service for warranty repairs is only in the country it was purchased in.
Welcome to one of the freest market economy in the world.
I dont agree with you there, Steve Jobs is just as much to blame for ripping the US consumer as are the service providers... as are our law makers for sitting on their ***** all the time, not doing anything to protect consumers they supposedly represent.
Again: Steve Jobs is making the US consumer pay for the iphone device through the contract. If the consumer breaks the contract, there is a termination fee. If the consumer completes the contract, the consumer has paid for the device. Either way the consumer pays for the device. Yet the device is never totaly the consumers honest property because it has been intentionaly locked to one service provider.
STEVE JOBS did this for one and ONE reason only, he is taking advantage of the fact that service providers are ripping off the consumer by making sure he get's his cut of the consumer rip-off.
Imagine buying an Apple computer that works on one internet service provider. And if you leave that provider for whatever reason your iMac computer no longer works on the internet due to an lock incoporated into the computer by Apple to make sure it gets a profit cut of the internet service. That is exactly what this comes down to. It is dishonest, dishonerable - thievery!
All the mobile service providers are shafting the US consumers. That has long been known. Congresss is doing nothing to protect the consumer against this. And STEVE JOBS is just joining in on it instead of acting in the interest of people who would buy an apple device.
I like the iphone. But I wont buy it. NO THANKS.... STEVE THE THIEVE!!!! And I will keep persuading people I know not to buy it.
Hey STEVE JOBS how do you live with yourself being a con?
The iPhone, the contract is rubbish, the price of the phone, too high, and the marketing awful.
To be honest, the iPhone isnt what it seems to be, its a major flaw in what a great product could've been
- by September 28, 2008 6:52 AM PDT
- Re AT&T 'policy' of stealing money.
- Reply to this comment
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Showing 1 of 2 pages (46 Comments)Write them a letter pointing out that it is your policy to notify the police and the state AG when a company commits theft. Oh and their stupid attempt to avoid class action lawsuit status certainly would not cover them in this case and that they had better either credit your account immediately or issue a cheque for the amount owed or face some very expensive legal action that they will lose.