China Telecom hacks CDMA iPhone, deal with Apple near?

A new report indicates that a group of China Telecom employees have hacked the CDMA version of the iPhone 4 to allow for use on its network, while an analyst suggests the company is nearing a deal with Apple to carry the handset. The Wall Street Journal, citing a Sina Weibo post, reports that employees of China Telecom’s Guangdong branch have said the “CDMA iPhone 4 has made its first call in China” without issue. According to a China Telecom official, the test call was done by individuals within the company and does not represent an official action. Ticonderoga Securities analyst Brian White, meanwhile, has suggested Apple is close to reaching a deal with China Telecom to carry the iPhone. Citing material posted to NetEase’s website that a branch of the carrier was accepting pre-orders for the CDMA iPhone 4, White said, “The key takeaway is that the relationship between Apple and China Telecom is clearly moving in the right direction, and we believe that a deal will eventually be announced this year.”