With the revelation that Iphones can now be unlocked, many people are starting to buy them. When these fun phones first came out most people were excited about getting the technology. However, when it became apparent that you have to use a specific cell phone company many were disappointed. After all, most people sign two year contracts when purchasing cell phone service. Therefore, most people are reluctant to buy out their contract just so they can have a specific phone. Now that unlock Iphone programs are available, anyone can buy one.

Use the Iphone with Any Service, Almost

After downloading an Iphone unlock program you can pick and choose the cell carrier you want to use. Well, at least in most cases. There are still two main carriers that don’t yet have the technology available for Iphones. However, for those carriers that work with an Iphone you can enjoy all the benefits without signing a new contract or commiting long term to a company you don’t want. This gives you the freedom to shop around and find the cell phone plan you prefer. You simply download the program and swap out you sim card and you are set to go.

Make Sure the Company Provides Updates

While most consumers are happy that Iphone unlock technology is available, the company that made the phones is not. They are continuously releasing firmware updates that can relock an Iphone. When choosing an unlock program you will want to make sure they offer updates as well. A good unlock program will offer updates that continue to unlock phones even when the company relocks them. This requires the company to have an inside track of what the original company is doing and how to get around the code being released. In reality not all unlock programs can do this.

Why Not Get Something Free With Purchase?

You will also find that many Iphone unlock programs are packaged with free items. These programs may include free ringtones, wallpapers, or music. If you are going to spend the money to unlock your Iphone you might as well get additional freebies while you are at it. Look for an all inclusive program that updates, unlocks, and offers something free just for making a purchase. Shop around and you will find you can get a great deal.

Get What You Pay For

While there are many benefits that come with Iphone unlock programs you have to watch for things that sound too good to be true. Some companies are promising to unlock an Iphone for less than twenty dollars. Your Iphone is a very expensive piece of equipment. You wouldn’t trust your laptop or personal computer to a software program that costs twenty dollars. Therefore you shouldn’t trust your Iphone to cheaply made products either. Be wary of any program that sounds like it offers more than it should. It should cost a reasonable amount of money to unlock your phone and receive updates for the life of your phone.



By: Edward L. Alston

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Apple entered into an agreement with AT&T so that AT&T is the official and exclusive provider of cell phone service for Apple’s highly coveted iPhone. If you happen to be Apple or AT&T this is a great thing. Apple makes money off of the sale of every iPhone and it collects royalties from AT&T for every cell phone contract sold to an iPhone user. Not a bad deal for Apple. AT&T profits because in theory every Apple iPhone sold will have to activate an AT&T cell phone agreement. Nice piece of the cell phone service pie for AT&T. As far as these two companies go, there is a lot of money to be made from this agreement. Furthermore, it saves Apple the hassle of having to make different phones or different SIM cards for all of the major cell phone service providers. From the perspective of Apple and AT&T this is a great arrangement. However, this agreement of the Apple iPhone and AT&T has opened up the door to a massive hacking movement. I am not sure that this is such a bad thing for Apple, although they claim different. Owning and using an unlocked phone is a status symbol in itself. A way of “sticking it” to corporate America. Apple may just be selling more phones because of this. It is free and effective advertising resulting in sales for Apple. I’m sure AT&T does not appreciate the hacking, as they have nothing to gain from it. This is the corporate end of the Apple iPhone and AT&T equation.

What does the exclusive agreement with the Apple iPhone and AT&T mean to the consumer? It means that there is a limited way of acquiring this phone. If you already have a relationship with a cell phone service provider other than AT&T and do not wish to change, then owning an iPhone is going to be difficult. What if you love the iPhone’s music and content features but do not want to use it as a cell phone. The Apple iPod does not offer internet access. One of the main selling points of the iPhone is internet abilities and music functionality. If you love MP3′s, videos, TV shows, and movies then the iPhone is a dream come true. However as soon as you go to open up your iTunes account and plug your phone into your computer you will be asked to sign up for AT&T’s cell phone service with your credit card. If you do not pass their credit check or if you do not want to use AT&T this limits you and actually excludes you from using the iPhone. In this scenario the Apple iPhone and AT&T agreement is bad for consumers because it limits free and open competition in the marketplace. AT&T has no incentive to offer any deals on cell phone service to iPhone customers.

However, no one likes to be excluded not even once. Stating you have an exclusive agreement is an open invitation to every hacker on earth to prove your agreement is not exclusive and they will find a work around. This is exactly what has happened and in this case the consumer may have a partial victory. There are free unlocks available for your iPhone on YouTube for versions of their firmware up to 1.1.3. There are software programs available for under $100 that will unlock your iPhone in seconds, with just a few clicks. An unlocked phone will work with T-Mobile and AT&T in the US or on any other standard GSM cell phone network. All you will need ids the correct SIM card. In addition, with the unlocks available, you do not have to use the cell phone service at all. You will still be able to download content to your phone either via your computer or via WiFi. Furthermore, you can get Skype VOIP service for your iPhone and get around the whole cell phone issue entirely. This is how the Apple iPhone and AT&T agreement has ended up. It looks like in the long run AT&T could be the loser.



By: Erie Capipe

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