A small number of Irish iPhone owners have hacked the devices (which combine the iPod with features of a high-end mobile phone) to get them working on Irish telephone networks, months before they are expected to be for sale in the Republic.
In the last week, two Waterford-based programmers, Paul Watson and Jason Madigan, have managed to get US-sourced iPhones to operate on O2 Ireland's network.
Mr Watson confirmed yesterday all of the features of the iPhone were operating, with the exception of visual voicemail, which allows voice messages to be managed using an e-mail-like interface.
It was reported earlier in the week that Apple has signed contracts with O2 in the UK, Orange in France, and T-Mobile in Germany to exclusively launch the combined mobile phone, music player and internet access device in advance of the lucrative Christmas market.
Other countries in Europe will have to wait until 2008 for an official iPhone launch, when it will also be released on the Asian market.
It is believed the operators have agreed to a revenue share with Apple, something they have previously resisted giving to handset manufacturers.
When asked if O2 would be interested in launching the iPhone on the Irish market, a spokesman declined to comment. With regard to the use of hacked iPhones on its network, the Telefonica-owned operator said in a statement, "O2's customer terms and conditions do not prohibit the use of devices on the O2 network that may have been initially or previously used on another network."
The hack used by the Irish programmers is highly technical, as it involves cutting up a mobile phone Sim card and editing complex configuration files on the iPhone. Information on how to to do this is published on the internet.
It also requires purchasing a Turbo Sim card from Bladox for €59 and installing this in parallel with the operator Sim card. Mr Watson said a software-only system which would be easier for non-technical users to implement is being developed.