Crossing the border for an iPhone

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People travel to Canada for cheap generic drugs and maple syrup. And they cross into Mexico for affordable dental care and plastic surgery. Now there’s another reason to head to Tijuana: The new iPhone will be far less expensive there when it goes on sale Friday.

Mexican wireless carrier America Movil SAB said today it would sell the iPhone 3G for 773 pesos, or about $75, with a two-year service plan, according to a story from Bloomberg. In the U.S., a low-end version of the iPhone 3G -- a new version of the Apple gadget that runs on faster wireless networks -- will cost you $199 with a two-year contract with AT&T.

But wait, before you pack your bags: As is true in the U.S., iPhone buyers must register for a wireless service plan at the time of purchase. America Movil offers three such plans with the incentive that if you sign up for the more expensive plan, you’ll get a price discount on the phone.

The complications should curtail iPhone trafficking except for a few hardy souls.

-- Michelle Quinn

Photo: From left, Mexican President Vicente Fox, U.S. President George W. Bush and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper at Chichen Itza, Mexico.

Credit: Tom Hanson / Canadian Press