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by Stephen Withers   
Tuesday, 06 May 2008
Various snippets of information and rumour have led to an expectation that the 3G iPhone won't be network locked. But today's announcement from Vodafone calls that into question.

Vodafone's terse statement, as reported by iTWire's Adam Turner, stated "Later this year, Vodafone customers in Australia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Italy, India, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey will be able to purchase the iPhone for use on the Vodafone network."

Let's examine those chicken entrails.

Given the way Vodafone promotes its 3G network in at least some of those countries, it seems reasonable that the company is talking about the 3G model, especially given the "later this year" clause.

But it is the last bit that caught my eye: "for use on the Vodafone network." My current phone carries Vodafone branding, but it wasn't locked and so I can use it with any carrier's SIM. (I've stayed with Vodafone as one of their legacy tariffs suits me to a T.)

There's also an implication that the iPhone will be usable on Vodafone's network in countries other than the place of purchase, but if anyone accused me of drawing a long bow, I'd have to admit they were right.

Perhaps the best we'll get is the iPhone being sold like any other phone: locked until the associated contract runs out or is paid out; until a certain amount of prepaid credits have been purchased (why should it be reserved for post-paid customers?); or on payment of an unlocking fee either as a separate item or built into the purchase price.


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Comments (5)Add Comment
...
written by TelcoGeek, May 06, 2008
> But it is the last bit that caught my eye: "for use on the Vodafone
> network." .... but if anyone accused me of drawing a long bow,
> I'd have to admit they were right.

Indeed. Vodafone are hardly going to issue a press release saying that the iPhone would be available for use on someone else's network.
...
written by unlocked hopefully, May 06, 2008
I thought locked phones weren't allowed by law in Australia, although I'm not sure. vodafone does offer a free unlock service, just go to www.vodafone.com.au/unlock if you have purchased a vodafone branded phone from a vodafone store in australia.

i guess we will see!
...
written by srhardy, May 07, 2008
iPhone 2.0 beta firmware has been hacked already so the new iPhone will be unlockable for free from day one anyway, so what?
...
written by Numbskull, May 07, 2008
srhardy - don't you think the typical phone user will be happier with an officially unlocked phone rather than having to mess around with software hacks?
...
written by stephen, May 07, 2008
TelcoGeek,

Given that it's so obvious that a carrier wouldn't sell a phone that couldn't be used on its own network, why did they bother adding that qualification? Perhaps they were embarrassed by the brevity of the announcement and wanted to pad it a bit.

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