Airtel ties up with Apple to launch iPhone

New Delhi, May 12: India's largest mobile operator Bharti Airtel on Monday announced a tie-up with US-based Apple Inc to bring the popular GSM-based iPhone in the country.
"Bharti Airtel has signed a deal with Apple to bring the iPhone to India later this year," the telco said in a statement.
Sources, however, said that Airtel may start offering iPhones around Diwali festival to its over 65 million GSM-based subscribers.
Asked about the prices, they declined to give any details about the agreement, the company entered into with Apple Inc. But in the grey market the devices are available in the range of 500 to 600 dollars (about Rs 25,000), sources said, adding that these handsets procured from the grey market need to be unlocked.
Airtel's announcement comes on the heels of world's largest mobile phone operator Vodafone announcing last week to distribute iPhones worldwide including India.
iPhone is a mobile phone that allows its users to make calls by simply tapping a name or number in the address book.
It leads the customers to select and listen to voice-mail messages in whatever order the consumer wants.

Apple iPhone in India: Now on Airtel!

Recently Vodafone confirmed rumors that they were going to sell Apple iPhones in India, now Bharti Airtel, a top Indian telecom player has revealed plans to sell iPhone on their network in India.
Bharti Airtel released a press release that they “had signed a deal with Apple to bring the iPhone to India, later this year”. That surely heats up the race to sell Apple iPhones in India, since Airtel is India’s leading integrated telecom services provider with over 60 million customers!
Last year Apple iPhone premiered at Apple Retail Stores in US and instantly topped the most wanted gadgets lists worldwide. Now Indians can become proud owners of Apple iPhone thanks to Airtel and Vodafone.
You can buy an unlocked iPhone in India from the gray market for Rs.25000 ($600 approx), but soon you can buy iphones legally and flaunt it to your friends. Apple crashed the iphone prices by $200 last year and recently Apple doubled the memory, so a 8GB iphone is now available for $399 at Apple stores. Lets await the pricing in India with the call service pack…

Proof of Unlocked Iphone running on Airtel and Steps to Unlock Iphone

One of our readers Mac Kalvin has successfully run his Iphone mobile on Airtel India’s network after unlocking it. He has also compiled a step by step procedure to unlock the Iphone. Here are also some photos showing proof of the Iphone working on Airtel, the photos have been taken by Mac Kalvin. All these things are being posted here with permission from him.

In case you encounter any problem, you can clarify it with him, feel free to call him, IM him or email him (he says).

Airtel Network being received by Iphone

Airtel Customer Care being called on 121

Airtel Symbol and Edge Symbol on the Iphone

You may also download the PDF detailing the step by step unlocking of the Iphone from this link (external)

Iphone Unlock PDF (Updated)

How to unlock the iPhone using the anySIM program (New !!!)

Disclaimer :: Unlocking the Apple Iphone might void your warranty of the Apple Iphone, furthermore proceed with unlocking at your own risk, we will not be responsible for any damage caused as a result of you trying to unlock your Iphone.

And in the end, if you unlock your phone, please shoot a small video of the unlocked phone and send it to us.

Also the Iphone after being unlocked properly will run on Hutch, Airtel, Idea etc. and all other Indian GSM networks.

You may visit Mac Kalvin on his site at mackalvin.com

Also do not buy the iPhone from indiatimes or other such shops, they are selling it for 45000 rupees, you can get an iphone for Rs.16000 only and you can unlock it yourself for free.