Originally Posted By: wfaulk
But if I buy a new one from Apple/AT&T, in addition to the cost of the phone, I'm also on the hook for something like three years of monthly service at something like $80 a month. And it's not as if Apple's going to be receptive to fixing it under warranty once you've hacked it, which is what they consider unlocking it to be.

24 months, and $70 a month, or less with a corporate discount plan.

Unlocking the 3G phones isn't quite as popular in the US as the first gen iPhone, mostly due to T-Mobile picking 1700mhz as one of their 3G frequencies. It's still usable, but backs down to the EDGE speeds.

As for my specific phone, it's still under warranty for a little longer, and can be extended via AppleCare if the buyer wants. Never jailbroke or unlocked it, though either process is generally reversable.