7 December 2007
Two in ten French consumers who have bought iPhones have opted for a deal which allows the phone to be unlocked, it has emerged.
Mobile phone provider Orange, who has held the rights to the gadget since its launch in France on November 29th, has stated that 20% of people buying the phone want to be able to use it with another network.
Orange is one of the only mobile providers to allow consumers to buy unlocked gadgets, although T-Mobile has recently been embroiled in a German court injunction forcing it to sell unlocked phones.
Consumers can buy an unlocked iPhone for €749, or one with a two-year contract for the cheaper price of €399 (£288).
Apple's exclusive agreements with mobile operators have created controversy in the UK and the rest of Europe.
Software circulating online claiming to unlock the iPhone has been in great demand, despite warnings from the Californian-based technology giant that hacking into the phone's software to unlock it could permanently damage the phone.
© 2008 Adfero Ltd
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