AT&T iPhone Unlocking Process Detailed, Successful for Some

zorinlynx said:

I wonder if someone can sniff the exchange between iTunes and Apple when the unlock is performed, and reverse engineer the unlock process so it can be used on in-contract phones?

If they can do it this easily it shouldn't be that hard to crack, right?

Click to expand...

Locked phones (of any brand, not just the iPhone) each have their own unique unlock code. This wouldn't work.

Not that you enter it on the iPhone -- it's a part of the communication with iTunes when you do the sync after your request. At best, you could uncover the code for your specific phone by sniffing the exchange.

zorinlynx said:

I wonder if someone can sniff the exchange between iTunes and Apple when the unlock is performed, and reverse engineer the unlock process so it can be used on in-contract phones?

If they can do it this easily it shouldn't be that hard to crack, right?

Click to expand...

Trouble is, you'd probably have to remember to repeat this trick each and every time you re-synched your iPhone to iTunes, because otherwise you'd probably find yourself with an iPhone that keeps on re-locking itself.

Ted13 said:

I went from the original iPhone (2G) to the 3GS to the 4S. Still have them all, including the original iPhone and the 3GS, so I want to unlock those two, but neither one has a SIM card, unless the old, dead AT&T SIM is still in the 3GS -- I need them unlocked for travel, so I'll be obtaining SIMS in countries we visit the next time we travel abroad, not now.

Can I still unlock them without having a (working) SIM?

And does anyone have the AT&T chat URL?

Click to expand...

You do have friends I guess, isn't there anybody in that friend group who has a different sim, doesn't take long to unlock.
Or ask around if anybody has a (non working)sim card from another provider or other country.
Or, you could just call them to get both your phones unlocked and then when you are abroad just put in a sim and sync, that is if you have a Laptop with you.

zorinlynx said:

I wonder if someone can sniff the exchange between iTunes and Apple when the unlock is performed, and reverse engineer the unlock process so it can be used on in-contract phones?

If they can do it this easily it shouldn't be that hard to crack, right?

Click to expand...

I'd be interested in some details that emerge from someone logging this, but I suspect if they use some sort of cryptographic signing, like they do for iOS updates, that this may not be so easy to pull off, especially on the 4S (since people have not even figured out how to downgrade iOS versions on the 4S once Apple stops signing them, even with the SHSH keys saved).

Looks like Apple's business model is very different in USA in relation to the rest of the world. Unlocking a phone is not an issue in Brazil. Actually, it's assured in law. You just have keep paying your carrier's monthly plan or pay a fine proportional to the debt if you want to break the contract.

Example 1: Suppose I get a 12-month contract which includes an iPhone; In the 3rd month, I decide to break the contract; Then I have to pay a fine proportional to 9 months (e.g. 9x the basic monthly bill).

Example 2: I want just to have my iPhone unlocked because I want to exchange SIM cards sometimes (in travels for example); Then I just have to ask the carrier for the unlock. The Oi carrier simply doesn't lock phone by default so it saves some call center work.

Ok here is a useful piece of info*

I called AT&T asking them to unlock my iPhone 4, I cancelled my service back in 2011 and paid termination fee. They told me I can't because they have a contact with apple not to unlock iPhones, that means the representative not reading whats going on around him, so I told him yes I can because they is a policy change.*
He looked around and found I was right. Then they transferred me to technical support, they told me I can't because I have to wait till June, also, the representative isn't reading, I told her yes I can because I paid termination fee.
So they did it and got the email right away.

Now here is the tricky part, they tell you to restore your iPhone, but I'm sure a lot of us hate that, so of you have a jailbroken iPhone u r in luck, just follow this to avoid restoring
I had SAM installed from cydia so I deactivated my iPhone using SAM, reboot and connect to iTunes.

Boooom
I got the "congratulation your iPhone is unlocked" now I'm enjoying my unlocked iPhone*
***

mhsoofi said:

Ok here is a useful piece of info*

...I had SAM installed from cydia so I deactivated my iPhone using SAM, reboot and connect to iTunes.

Boooom
I got the "congratulation your iPhone is unlocked" now I'm enjoying my unlocked iPhone*
***

Click to expand...

What's SAM?

is there anyway to pay the etf an get the unlock with the 4s

mhsoofi said:

Ok here is a useful piece of info*
I had SAM installed from cydia so I deactivated my iPhone using SAM, reboot and connect to iTunes.

Boooom
I got the "congratulation your iPhone is unlocked" now I'm enjoying my unlocked iPhone*
***

Click to expand...

SAM is not required. Once the unlock ticket was submitted (according to rep). All I did was uninstall ultras0w, reboot and connected my iPhone 4 to iTunes (with a foreign sim installed). I was presented with a setup screen for ios5 on my iPhone and after selecting my wifi network it activated my phone automatically.

Not sure what to make of this yet, but apparently I will be sent an unlock code by the 17th for my iphone 4 (still on contract).

Got a case number and everything

OK here is the logic that I don't understand.

If I am an AT&T user in good standing with a contract after buying the 4s I am either required to complete the contract or pay the ETF right?

So why not make us happy and unlock the phone now so that I can use it overseas with local sims, since even if I want to break the contract I will end up paying the ETF. There is no way AT&T won't get their subsidy money back for the iPhone.

The only reason to make this difficult is so that AT&T can continue to gouge us for international roaming.

I think it would have been better if they unlocked all users phones 90 days after buying the phone as long as the contract is in good standing - like verizon.

coolweirdo said:

is there anyway to pay the etf an get the unlock with the 4s

Click to expand...

Yes. Just pay it.

ghostface147 said:

Yes. Just pay it.

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if i pay the etf will i have to forfeit my att service

unlock confirmation

i called in early yesterday morning (EDT) and after put on hold for about 40 mins by level 1 rep, I finally got confirmation that my iPhone 4 will be unlocked, but the rep said it can take between 24 and 48 hours and I should get an email with instructions, but the email I got was instantaneous which instructs me to just restore with itunes to unlock.

I have been preserving my old baseband so I can unlock with JB and now I am excited and all but I want to be sure that the unlock went thru before i risk losing my old baseband.. is there any way I can verify the unlock without updating my baseband?

wassupdoc said:

The only reason to make this difficult is so that AT&T can continue to gouge us for international roaming.

Click to expand...

That's one reason that AT&T has this policy.

The other is that by the time you're out of contract, your iPhone 4S will likely be two generations old and less people are going to be bothered enough to unlock it and use it on a different network.

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zorinlynx said:

I wonder if someone can sniff the exchange between iTunes and Apple when the unlock is performed, and reverse engineer the unlock process so it can be used on in-contract phones?

If they can do it this easily it shouldn't be that hard to crack, right?

Click to expand...

People have been doing that since the iPhone launched (remember that the US is unusual in having single carrier locked iPhones for so long), but now that:

a) The iPhone can be unlocked by most carriers around the world for free or with a small charge
b) Several carriers now offer the iPhone in markets like the United States, not just one
c) Apple sells unlocked iPhones directly to consumers in most markets

People have stopped putting as much efforts into "software unlocks".

Why do my calls get routed to India? They have no idea what's going on.

I had an old iPhone 3G that is currently in use with my parents. I was able to get them to submit the unlock, although I don't know if they will actually complete the final step and backup & restore in iTunes. It was pretty painless, customer service verified the IMEI that was on my records, and transferred me to the unlock department.

Whole process took about 15 minutes, about 5 minutes later got the AT&T email. I had a fan discount, so that might be why I got bumped to the premier support line.

No issue at all that the phone is now being used on a separate account as well, although I didn't volunteer that fact.

Only info needed was the IMEI, and I obtained that by placing my pointer over an old backup in iTunes/preferences/devices, it pops up along with the serial number.

chat

Where exactly is the chat? I dont' seem to be able to bring up a chat sessions around.

Business Account

Has anybody had any luck with a business account? I called this morning and they have not heard anything about it. Lady had to google it. We got nowhere over the phone.

ricosuave said:

Has anybody had any luck with a business account? I called this morning and they have not heard anything about it. Lady had to google it. We got nowhere over the phone.

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Try the chat. I have an AT&T Enterprise Account.

AaronFromTexas said:

Try the chat. I have an AT&T Enterprise Account.

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I'm on with Enterprise chat now. So far so good! Just waiting for info...

coolpal said:

I have been preserving my old baseband so I can unlock with JB and now I am excited and all but I want to be sure that the unlock went thru before i risk losing my old baseband.. is there any way I can verify the unlock without updating my baseband?

Click to expand...

I read that instead of restoring you "Simply run Redsn0w or SAM and Deactivate, then plug into iTunes".

Anyone here get a confirmation number 24 hours or more ago and still not unlocked? I chatted with a representative yesterday, gave her my IMEI, and got a confirmation number. But so far I got no email back and my phone still isn't unlocked (I've tried to activate it with a foreign sim a few times).

joemc72 said:

I'm on with Enterprise chat now. So far so good! Just waiting for info...

Click to expand...

I'm wondering now. Been in chat for nearly 30 minutes and not even a 'Still working on it..." message from the person in chat...

I tried the chat first, but the wait time I got was 60 minutes. When I called, I chose Technical Support. After entering my wireless number, I got Enterprise Support even though I have a personal account. Probably because I get a FAN discount through work, so I'm considered an Enterprise Customer? The wait time was 4 minutes. After the first rep could not get the unlock process done, even though she said my 3GS was eligible, she transferred me to tech support. Hm, I thought I was calling tech support.

The real tech support rep was able to process the unlock, and I got the confirmation e-mail a few minutes later. I restored my 3GS, and when it was complete, got the "Congratulations, your iPhone has been unlocked." message in iTunes.

So make sure to choose Tech Support for any option.