Comments on: GSM Palm Pre Phones Due for Europe October 13

O2 PreUpdated:Good news, European Palm fans! Palm Inc. and O2 have today announced details about pricing and availability for the GSM Palm Pre in Europe: it's coming to Germany on October 13 and the United Kingdom and Ireland on 16 October, with a starting price of 'free'.

Bad news, European Palm fans! Let's just get the inevitable question out of the way now for my fellow English-speaking readers: an unlocked UK/Irish model is not going to be available. However, it is a world phone (supporting GSM bands 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 and UMTS/HSDPA bands 850 / 1900 / 2100) and the Irish model will be offered in an off-contract pre-paid version, so we can cling to the hope that once a hack-around is discovered (and it will be discovered, as inevitably as the sun will rise) we can safely purchase one for the relatively reasonable price of €420 ($620 USD). Palm Infocenter has contacted O2's UK press office for further information on potential unlocked availability and will update once/if we receive it. O2 has confirmed the sad news. A spokesperson has informed us that "the Palm Pre will only be available with an O2 contract at launch" - which does, however, leave open the possibility that this will change after a set period of exclusivity.

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Good ole' USA?

LiveFaith @ 9/24/2009 10:06:04 AM # Q
Please excuse my UMTS ignorance. But are these the same UMTS 3G frequencies that ATT & T-Mobile use in the USA?

More to the point. If I buy a new phone on ATT with 2yr contract, dump the NIB phone on eBAY and use the proceeds to buy a Euro Pre, can I get er done?

Still evaluating this phone, but ready to make the jump to 3G soon. I would love for it to be Palm, but going backward on important features vs my 2.5yr old Treo 680 is not that exciting.
Pat Horne

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Yes, NA comaptible

HandyMan @ 9/24/2009 10:40:45 AM # Q
AT&T uses the 850 / 1900 band for UMTS, so yes, you will be able to use an unlocked version on ST&T 3G. On T-Mobile it will just be 2G GSM.

In Canada, you will be able to use it on Fido, Rogers, and soon Bell and Telus. None of the new carriers (WIND, DAVE, Videotron, Public Mobile) will be compatible.

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850mhz?

sungod @ 9/24/2009 5:37:09 PM # M Q
This can't be right.
They arn't guna work v well in Eu if they don't support 900mhz.
Wasn't there suposed to be seperate 850 & 900 models?
This is bad news for the Aus Vodafone rumers & more evedence it will be a Telstra exclusive.
On that note give us some more Ozzy roumers.
RE: 850mhz?
freakout @ 9/24/2009 6:23:23 PM # M Q
I'd love to, sungod... but the rumour mill is very quiet. Believe me, I'm on the hunt! I'd like to not have to import a German. :)

Your post gives me an idea for an infodump tonight, though...

RE: 850mhz?
sungod @ 9/24/2009 8:12:59 PM # M Q
Sorry my post was verry dot-point-ish I was posting on my LifeDrive @ the end of my tea break.
Now that Eu is official we might see some "leaks" about other markets. I need info to shut my brother up. I talked him out of buying an iPhone & now he keeps buging me about when the pre is coming out.
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