Contract-Free iPhone 3G to cost $599 at AT&T

iphone 3g philippines Apparently, the iPhone can still be bought without the required 24-month contract with AT&T. A recent press release from AT& reveals the iPhone 3G to be priced at $599PHP 35,153INR 50,765EUR 570CNY 4,360 for the 8GB and $699PHP 41,021INR 59,240EUR 666CNY 5,088 for the 16GB. These contract-free prices seemed like the same prices when the first iPhone went out. Sold or not sold?

At the current pero-dollar exchange rate of Php45USD 0.77INR 65EUR 0.73CNY 6:$1PHP 59INR 85EUR 0.95CNY 7, that’s around Php27,000USD 460INR 39,004EUR 438CNY 3,351 for the 8GB and Php31,500USD 537INR 45,505EUR 511CNY 3,909 for the 16GB. Looks like I was close with the earlier price tag of Php34,000USD 579INR 49,116EUR 552CNY 4,219. Add to that additional factors such as tariffs and VAT, then we’re not very far away from the real figures once it rolls out of Globe’s corridors this August/September 2008.

Those rates are almost 200% more than what Steve Jobs announced during the WWDC (no more than $199PHP 11,678INR 16,865EUR 190CNY 1,448, eh?).

These prepaid units will still be locked with Globe Telecom (and AT&T) so people have to shell out an additional Php2,500USD 43INR 3,612EUR 41CNY 310 to Php4,000USD 68INR 5,778EUR 65CNY 496 if they want to insert SIM cards other than that of the official Apple iPhone distributor.

As for that Globe iPhone 3G Postpaid Plans speculated earlier, just check the existing Globe PostPaid Plans and look for phone units with prices in the vicinity of Php27k to Php32k and follow the prescribed postpaid rates.

AT&T should be able to release more details about these contract-free units. In that case, all hopes are up that I’d get myself an iPhone 3G from the US by July 15th. :D

Abe Olandres

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.

https://www.yugatech.com

13 Comments

BrianB says:

16 years ago

You forgot to mention, texting requires an additional plan. They will fleece people on the texting.
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Jeffrey says:

16 years ago

I like the traditional cellphone where the keypads is already in place. I dont like i have to click for the keypads to appear on the screen.

Well, if somebody gives me, then that would be a different story. :P
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Daniel Ted Feliciano says:

16 years ago

The iPhone is so overrated.
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Lyle, RN says:

16 years ago

I think Apple is gonna drop the price of the contract-free iPhone 3G in a few months just like what they did last year with the first-gen iPhone.
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vance says:

16 years ago

Well the 8Gb underground iphone should not reach 20K.. =P since the price for an iPhone (listed on apple.com) in the US would only be 199USD.

The pricing for the unit alone was a good move on Apple’s part since most basic smart phones cost the same.

If we convert the 199USD to pesos that would be about 9K (1USD = 45PHP)?

I might get one if the underground iPhones will only cost that much hehehe… or i might ask some to buy one for me from the US..
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Oracle says:

16 years ago

YES!

The iPhone is overrated
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bozz says:

16 years ago

just a question. i have some friends in the US who will be coming back here by August, and i’m having 2nd thoughts whether i should ask them to buy me one an iphone 3g unit or not. have you any ideas if it’s just fine for me to just have it purchased there and just activate and/or unlock it here? thanks
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Lexy says:

16 years ago

@bozz
1st – dev team or Zibri or anyone hasn’t release the unlocking software for a 2.0 OS or iphone 3g OS
but dev team already released it’s jailbreak though

2nd – activation of iphone 3g can only be done in stores

3rd – there’s a $30 mandatory activation fee that you have to pay every month besides the plan fee

4th – your friend has to sign a 2yr contract with AT&T first before getting the phone

5th – no contract iphone 3g is still not available

6th – if already an AT&T customer, but not eligible for the upgrade..iphone 3g will be sold at its retail price $399 -8gb and $499- 16gb +another 2yr contract

7th – If new customer, can avail the $199 or $299 iphone 3g +2yr contract plan + $30activation fee every month..if you want to cancel the plan but still wants to have the iphone..wait for 31days then cancel the contract and pay a $175 penalty fee
in that case you only paid like $575 for the phone ^^

Hmmm..so there’s a lot of things you have to think bout before buying one..
My advice, if you can’t wait until September-November for the iphone3g to be release in Phil..and you really want to have the iphone 3g without obligations..

Ask your friends to buy it for you in craigslist ^^
There’s a lot of people there who bought 2-3iphone 3gs so they can sell the extras for profit..

@TOPIC
yes Im planning to buy one this week
at first I was hesitant, but my mom told me to buy it so there won’t be regrets..cause she knows I was planning to buy the phone ever since Steve released it on media
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luigi says:

16 years ago

its official: the prepaid iphone 3g from globe is P41,000 (8gb) and P48900 (16gb); postpaid starts at 1600-5000…
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ladnar says:

16 years ago

I got my iphone 3G in the US, and considering to use it here in the Philippines. So what am I going to do inorder for me to activate this here?
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