profhoff

Greetings FT'ers:

I am going to Cologne, Berlin and Munich soon. I have a locked iPhone 3G and a laptop without a 3G card.

I need to use my laptop to get online and I need to make intra-Germany phone calls. I would like to be able to use my iPhone 3G for voice and data but I have read that is cost prohibitive for anything but wifi. I'm not sure how to use the laptop for wireless broadband access in Germany.

The research I have done so far is so confusing my head hurts. Can any experts out there outline the best solutions or point me to the idiot FAQs so I can find my way? If my iPhone 3G is not part of the solution, fine.

My bare minimum needs are a phone for intra-Germany voice calls, plus a way to use my laptop with a German wireless broadband network.

My main concern is that I could probably punt once I got there, but, if there is some good cost-effective solution I need to set up here in the US first before I go, I would hate to miss out.

I appreciate the advice.

roadwarrior365

I have bought an o2 prepaid surfstick which i used on a couple of trips and it works fine for me . It probably doesnt make sense for you to get it if this is your only trip there in the near future. You can order it online or go into any o2 shop in germany.They also sell sim cards and prepaid phones but i dont know much about that.

http://www.o2online.de/nw/active/pre...surfstick.html


There are also plently of internet cafes in the major cities.

UALOneKPlus

Jailbreak and unlock your iPhone, if you're not on the latest iPhone firmware.

If you're 3.1.2 or older, using blackra1n to jail break, and then bootneuter to unlock, is trivial. Even a 5 year old could do it.

star_world

I've said this before this is not a practical solution for somebody taking one trip to Germany. What if they happen to want a warranty on their phone?

3G pay as you go USB stick, either use Skype for international calls back to US from laptop, or from Wifi hotspot with iPhone, or buy the cheapest pre-paid GSM phone you can find and use a calling card service. This is by far the best option for this set of circumstances.

mrcamp

What about getting a cheap unlocked phone and use a local sim in it. Then just use the Iphone when there is WiFi.

star_world

^

UALOneKPlus

Seriously, are you kidding? Yes I've read what you said before, they make zero sense to me.

Jailbreaking an iPhone is a trivial operation. If someone can plan and take a trip to Germany, they can certainly easily jailbreak & unlock the iPhone.

I don't know why you keep that tired argument of warranty. For warranty purposes it is very hard to brick an iPhone. The iPhone can be easily restored to factory condition with iTunes.

Folks, the iPhone is the easiest phone to jailbreak / unlock, of almost any GSM phone. Why this tired old argument keeps getting thrown is beyond me.

UALOneKPlus

Why carry multiple devices and chargers when a single one will do?

Seriously, this caution about jailbreaking / unlocking iphones is getting a bit ridiculous.

profhoff

Thanks. Gives me a good start to research. I know I can jailbreak the iPhone, but this is unpalatable. I like the idea of the pre-paid phone and the usb stick. This is good stuff - thanks so much!

UALOneKPlus

Why is jailbreaking unpalatable? Are you easily scared by the rumors started by a few others here?

I have owned a jailbroken iPhone for over a year, I see no downside to it. It's so easy to jailbreak.

Jharper3

This may be a stupid question, but if you jailbreak and unlock an iPhone to go overseas, can you lock it back easily when you get back home in the US? I really want a smart phone for a 3month trip to the UK and i need to know all the pros and cons. thanks!

star_world

Jailbreaking an iPhone for a regular, non-geeky user is just as bad an idea now as it was last year, despite the arrogant posts you read above.

You can't easily re-lock a phone afterwards. Undoing jailbreaking, if your phone still works, is easier but not foolproof. I would advise getting an unlocked Android-based phone on eBay or similar (cheaper than unlocked iphones) and using this while you're in the UK, or going to any UK phone shop and getting the cheapest pay as you go smartphone you can get while you're there.

mrcamp

I agree. Get a basic unlocked Android or even Nokia phone on ebay, amazon, etc. And you are set. My Iphone4 is locked to AT&T, however I also have and HTC inspire (that AT&T gave the unlock code after 3 months upon request) that I can use when I travel.