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T-Mobile Sells Apple iPhone without Contract for $1500.

Category: Mobile

by Anton Shilov

[ 11/23/2007 | 03:14 PM ]

The German court ordered T-Mobile to start selling Apple iPhone without a contract, which will allow customers to get the device and use it in whatever network in whatever country that has GSM/EDGE networks. But the device will cost its owner €999, or nearly $1500, the cost that users have to pay for premium-class stylish mobiles.

Vodafone’s German unit was behind the action to stop T-Mobile from capitalizing on its exclusive deal with Apple, reports News Factor web-site. The company petitioned the court to block sales of the iPhone in Germany until its complaints about an exclusive agreement between Apple and T-Mobile are addressed. But even though the device can be acquired without a contract, hardly a lot of those, who can afford a €1000 cell phone, actually get the iPhone.

Earlier customers who wanted to obtain Apple iPhone in Germany had to sign a contract with T-Mobile and pay a certain sum of money every month in the course of many months while using services provided by the operator. On the other hand, customers had to pay €399, which is a lot for a mobile phone in Europe and which is much more than the price customers have to pay for the iPhone in the U.S.

German customers who obtained Apple iPhone after the court’s ruling can have their phones unlocked to work with any other network carrier, however, many of the functions will only be available to T-Mobile clients only with the complete tariff package, the company is reported to have said.

Apple iPhone combines digital media player, phone, Web browser and personal digital assistant’s features. The device is equipped with 3.5” touch-screen instead of keypad, includes support for quad-band GSM, EDGE, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.0 EDR wireless technologies. The iPhone also features a 2 megapixel (2MP) camera along with a photo management application.