In a mere seven months, some customers will start to be out-of-contract with their first-generation iPhone purchases. In fact, some iPhone owners are already out-of-contract, due to the GoPhone Pick Your Plan offering (which was not continued over to iPhone 3G).

This is going to present a critical point for wireless policy in the United States. Both AT&T and T-Mobile agreed to let customers unlock their phones, once their contract has ended. However, AT&T and Apple are clearly colluding to prevent you from doing that with iPhone… AT&T points users to Apple (claiming they do not have the unlock codes), and Apple points you back to AT&T for the code. It’s a clear anti-competitive practice to keep all American iPhones on AT&T’s network.

We ask that you file an FCC complaint. We timed it, and the whole process only took us 10 minutes (including writing the letter, which we’ll give you). If one percent of iPhone owners sent in this complaint… there would be over 100,000 complaints on the FCC’s desk about this. Click read more for the process, and a sample letter which you can copy-and-paste.

If the FCC fails to investigate this issue, it could have dire consequences for open access to wireless networks. Each and every national carrier has agreed to let customers unlock their devices, after they have completed their contract. Without holding them to this commitment, these promises to customers may just as well be lip service.

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AT&T has launched a new color variant of the BlackBerry Pearl 8110 in a more feminine Sandstone Pink.

The device is otherwise unchanged with a QVGA display, quadband GSM/EDGE radio, integrated GPS transceiver, microSDHC expansion slot, media player, Bluetooth with stereo audio support, 2.0 megapixel camera with video recorder and zoom, as well as a loudspeaker.

It is now available from AT&T at $249.99 with no commitment, or $149.99 after new 2 year agreement before an additional $50 mail-in rebate via a prepaid Visa card, bringing the total to $99.99.

Pantech has now launched the long-awaited Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard update for the C810 Duo dual slider smart device.

The update adds the Windows Sliding Panel branded by AT&T, AT&T Navigation, threaded SMS, and various other bugfixes.

The update is now available directly from Pantech.

Buy an AT&T Pantech Duo in Red from Wirefly
Buy an AT&T Pantech Duo in Black from Wirefly

Multiple reviews of the final, production version of the T-Mobile G1 have leaked onto the web. The first was by former Engadget chief Ryan Block. And, the web site Android Community has posted a user review as well.

Because PhoneNews.com is unable to review the T-Mobile G1 at this time, we will continue to feed you each and every review that leaks out… until the minute one is available to us for a full, published review.

Ryan Block: T-Mobile G1 Review
Android Community: T-Mobile G1 Analysis with Q&A

I just bought 100 shares of Sprint for less than $400. It’s only fitting, considering that the company just launched the nation’s first 4G network. This crazy market condition could leave us with telecom bargains seen once in a generation… or it could leave our country stuck in 3G for the next decade. Read more to see why America’s wireless portfolio shouldn’t look like the guy on the right.

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Pricing and tentative launch details have surfaced on a new messaging device we previously reported on for AT&T.

The Knick will now be branded as the AT&T Quickfire with a tentative launch window scheduled for late this month at $99.99 after new 2 year agreement and applicable rebates.  

The specifications for the device are fixed at quadband GSM/EDGE, dualband UMTS/HSDPA, QWERTY keyboard, microSDHC expansion slot, sliding QVGA display, Bluetooth with stereo audio support, speakerphone, 1.3 megapixel camera with video recorder, voice control, GPS access through AT&T Navigator, Polaris HTML web browser, and the full suite of AT&T services (Mail, IM, XM Radio, eMusic, Napster Mobile, Cellular Video, and mobiTV).

Motorola has announced in a detailed press release that it will launch the MOTO Q11 smart device in December 2008.

The Motorola Q11 features a quadband GSM/EDGE radio, Wi-Fi radio with WPA encryption support, Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard, QVGA landscape display, QWERTY keyboard, microSDHC expansion slot, A-GPS support with Google Maps for Mobile, 3.0 megapixel camera with video recorder, and is one of the few devices with Bluetooth v2.1 and stereo audio support.

No pricing information is available at this time.

New information has surfaced on one Pantech model with the same dual keypad functionality as the Duo for a much more reasonable price, and the replacement for the Z750a in the W760a.

The W760a is the defacto replacement for the Z750a, and features a QVGA display, quadband GSM/EDGE and triband UMTS/HSDPA access, MemoryStick M2 expansion slot, Walkman media player, GPS support through AT&T Navigator, AT&T services (Mail, XM Radio, eMusic, Napster Music, Cellular Video, MobiTV, IM), speakerphone, 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus and video recorder, and Bluetooth with stereo audio support.

The Pantech Matrix features a dual-slide form factor identical to the more expensive Duo, but is otherwise targeted to heavy messaging users and features quadband GSM/EDGE, dual-band UMTS/HSDPA access, a 1.3 megapixel camera with video recorder and Video Share support, AT&T services (Mail, XM Radio, eMusic, Napster Music, Cellular Video, MobiTV, IM), GPS support with AT&T Navigator, microSDHC expansion slot, media player, speakerphone, and Bluetooth with stereo audio support.

Both phones are expected tomorrow, with the Matrix going for $79.99 and the W760a for $129.99 after new 2 year agreement and applicable rebates.

A forthcoming Samsung phone which we reported on previously has been confirmed by the manufacturer for launch on AT&T this quarter.

The specifications are in line with what was reported previously along with the confirmation that the phone will support HSDPA 3.6 as well as quadband GSM/EDGE, 1.3 megapixel camera with video recorder and Video Share support, media player, microSDHC expansion slot, the full suite of AT&T services (Mail, IM, XM Radio, Music, MobiTV and XM Radio), Bluetooth with stereo audio support, and GPS support with AT&T Navigator.

No pricing information is available at this time.

In separate press releases this morning RIM and Verizon Wireless have announced the pending launch of the BlackBerry 9530 which is now branded Storm.

The device is the first touch display BlackBerry in RIM’s lineup and features a new type of display technology known as ClickThrough that makes the entire glass-front display act like a button, ensuring positive feedback when making selections or typing. 

The device features a 3.0 inch 480×360 HVGA resolution display, tri-mode CDMA 1xEVDO Rev. A, quadband GSM/EDGE, and 2100MHz HSDPA radio with support for international roaming via Vodafone networks around the world, Bluetooth with stereo audio support, 3.5mm headphone jack, 1GB of internal memory with additional expansion possible through a microSDHC expansion slot, media player with iTunes sync capability, GPS transceiver, microUSB port, and a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus and video recorder.

The device is expected to be simultaneously available next month on Verizon and in Europe/Australia through Vodafone.