3GWeek - Asia’s Mobile News

Quite different with the usual iPhone plan in many countries, iPhone in Taiwan via Chunghwa Telecom (it should be launched on Dec 13) will not be locked (and there will be no contract). Thus, leave option to switch provider or using local SIM card when traveling.

Prior to the launch last weekend, representatives from CHT and its retailers had said that iPhones bought in Taiwan would only work on its own network. However, when early adopters actually tried switching SIM cards they discovered that the phones operated fine on the other carriers’ networks, with the only limitation being they could not access CHT’s Hami value added web services.

I guess this will be a better option since of course it wasn’t easy to prevent any jailbreaking in East Asia region. In consequences, there will be extra price to pay. Most likely, the unlocked version will have more expensive package than those with contract.

Taiwan sourced iPhones are likely to carry a high premium. The retail cost of an 8GB iPhone 3G without a contract is NT$ 26,600 (US$ 800) while 16GB models cost NT$ 29,900 (US$ 900). Buyers willing to sign a two-year contract are able to get the handset at a reduced cost, but in these cases CHT is requiring a refundable deposit ranging up to NT$24,000.

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