Hello,

I plan on getting an Iphone 4 or a shinny Android phone for someone outside the US. Most of the phones comes with contracts in this country (locked to a particular carrier). Provided the signal bands overlap how easy to unlock a phone? What is required for this? A hardware hack or a soft modification?

Alternatively, can I leave GSM providers completely behind and just get a raw phone like N900? What are the options for this?

Thanks

Unlocking a phone is fairly trivial in my experience. You just need to get the unlock code from the carrier and enter it on the phone. I know Tmobile will give you the unlock code without much trouble if you are off contract.

Buying an unlocked handset may be your best choice. I don't really have any recommendations other than to make sure that it is GSM and the frequencies (both call and data) match the standard in the destination country. Something like the n8 - which is a pentaband phone - would have a high probability of working most places in the world.

I have a N900 and was in Europe during thanksgiving. The phone worked great. In fact I have not had any issues with my nokia phones when I have traveled abroad. I would just advise to make sure u have at least tri-band phones. And once again my experience has been with nokia's.

t-mo is generous giving the unlock code provided you're a subscriber for 30 days (ending the trial period and the conract starts) but at&t, it'll be hard and totally impossible for iphone for as they will never give it...

all phones that are quad band gsm will 100% work all over the world. no problem except slow internet. if you want 3g, only the nokia n8 covers all the 5 types 3g bands of the world...