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Unlocked iPhone is now locked after restore! Please help

C

cdg2sfo

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 25, 2011
4
0
I had bought an iPhone 3GS in Belgium where they are unlocked (not connected to a given carrier). Paid the extra bucks for it! I just went through a restore and update after some problems with it. It is now telling me that the iPhone is locked and I have the wrong carrier SIM in it. How can I solve this?
Thanks
 
Crystal-RX

Crystal-RX

macrumors 68030
Dec 22, 2008
2,691
0
Seattle, WA USA
cdg2sfo said:
I had bought an iPhone 3GS in Belgium where they are unlocked (not connected to a given carrier). Paid the extra bucks for it! I just went through a restore and update after some problems with it. It is now telling me that the iPhone is locked and I have the wrong carrier SIM in it. How can I solve this?
Thanks
Click to expand...

You need to give us more info about your phone,

Firmware version.
Baseband.
 
C

cdg2sfo

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 25, 2011
4
0
Crystal-RX said:
You need to give us more info about your phone,

Firmware version.
Baseband.
Click to expand...

Initially the phone was not carier locked and was running a 3.x OS. When I had the problem and did a hard restore, I went into restore mode. iTunes updated the firmware to the latest 4.x available. Now, I cannot get passed the "connect to iTunes" screen so I have no idea what the baseband is. And in iTunes, it tells me to put a proper SIM in. I cannot get any information about it. Is there a way to get the information?
 
Crystal-RX

Crystal-RX

macrumors 68030
Dec 22, 2008
2,691
0
Seattle, WA USA
cdg2sfo said:
Initially the phone was not carier locked and was running a 3.x OS. When I had the problem and did a hard restore, I went into restore mode. iTunes updated the firmware to the latest 4.x available. Now, I cannot get passed the "connect to iTunes" screen so I have no idea what the baseband is. And in iTunes, it tells me to put a proper SIM in. I cannot get any information about it. Is there a way to get the information?
Click to expand...

Base on what you describe, you have bought an unlocked iPhone using software. Since you have update/restore it, it is now reset to factory setting as well as updating it's baseband passes 05.13 where you can't unlock it with Ultrasn0w.

There are 2 options you can do to pass this activation screen,
1. Using AT&T sim card to put into your phone, hook it to iTunes and it will bring your phone to home screen. The sim card does not need to be active. You can use old/inactive sim.
2. jailbreake and Hactivate it with Redsn0w. However, please note that it will be a tethered jailbreak because I believe your phone now have 4.3.5 firmware.

Also, even you pass by this screen, you can't unlock it what baseband you have it it now. You will need to install IPad baseband first, then jailbreak it with Ultrasnow.
 
D

Daveoc64

macrumors 601
Jan 16, 2008
4,074
92
Bristol, UK
Crystal-RX said:
You need to give us more info about your phone,

Firmware version.
Baseband.
Click to expand...

I don't see why.

That would only really be helpful if the unlock was achieved using a hack.

If you still have proof of purchase, any Apple Store should be able to investigate the issue - even if that store is in another country.
 
C

cdg2sfo

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 25, 2011
4
0
Crystal-RX said:
Base on what you describe, you have bought an unlocked iPhone using software. Since you have update/restore it, it is now reset to factory setting as well as updating it's baseband passes 05.13 where you can't unlock it with Ultrasn0w.

There are 2 options you can do to pass this activation screen,
1. Using AT&T sim card to put into your phone, hook it to iTunes and it will bring your phone to home screen. The sim card does not need to be active. You can use old/inactive sim.
2. jailbreake and Hactivate it with Redsn0w. However, please note that it will be a tethered jailbreak because I believe your phone now have 4.3.5 firmware.

Also, even you pass by this screen, you can't unlock it what baseband you have it it now. You will need to install IPad baseband first, then jailbreak it with Ultrasnow.
Click to expand...

Actually, I bought it brand new from an official store in Belgium. In Belgium, carriers are not allowed to subsidize phones so they are never locked. I paid full price for that. :(

----------
Daveoc64 said:
I don't see why.

That would only really be helpful if the unlock was achieved using a hack.

If you still have proof of purchase, any Apple Store should be able to investigate the issue - even if that store is in another country.
Click to expand...

Nope, unlock was not achieved with a hack. It was totally legal.
I don't have my receipt anymore but I will try my luck at an Apple Store.

thanks
 
Crystal-RX

Crystal-RX

macrumors 68030
Dec 22, 2008
2,691
0
Seattle, WA USA
Daveoc64 said:
I don't see why.

That would only really be helpful if the unlock was achieved using a hack.

If you still have proof of purchase, any Apple Store should be able to investigate the issue - even if that store is in another country.
Click to expand...

If the phone is factory unlocked, OP should be able to update/restore to latest firmware without loosing it's unlocked. So, it think the phone is hacked and unlocked by using software.
 
MaxBurn

MaxBurn

macrumors 65816
Nov 25, 2010
1,455
387
I'd say try restoring it again. As far as we know iTunes needs to check with apple to check the unlocked state and unlock it.

Make sure your hosts file doesn't have any apple entries in it that would keep it from reaching apple.
 
J

josetaerre

macrumors newbie
Apr 24, 2014
6
0
The same thing happened to me but with a iPhone4. I restored it to factory settings, since I had sold it, and when I tried to activate it using another operator's sim card, it wouldn't allow it. I have used this device in Barcelona, London, Panama and Venezuela and always with different phone companies. What can I do? Is there anything I can do to solve this problem?
 
PsstGreek

PsstGreek

macrumors 68040
Oct 21, 2010
3,776
59
Tampa Bay
josetaerre said:
The same thing happened to me but with a iPhone4. I restored it to factory settings, since I had sold it, and when I tried to activate it using another operator's sim card, it wouldn't allow it. I have used this device in Barcelona, London, Panama and Venezuela and always with different phone companies. What can I do? Is there anything I can do to solve this problem?
Click to expand...

Was it jailbroken unlocked? If so, now your only option would be a factory (imei) unlock.
 
J

josetaerre

macrumors newbie
Apr 24, 2014
6
0
No. It was factory unlocked. I got it in London, and then used it for 2 years this way over Barcelona, Panamá Venezuela and London back again.
 
J

josetaerre

macrumors newbie
Apr 24, 2014
6
0
Obviously. That is the problem dude. I can't activate it with another operator's sim card, 'cause it would not recognize it. I swich back to the original operator, and works fine.
 
N

nicholasss

macrumors regular
Apr 18, 2012
188
2
Usa
Unlocked iPhone is now locked after restore! Please help

According to a report, it's unlocked. It says it has been unlocked since 12/23/11. You don't always need the original sim after it's been unlocked. Some have had success just by turning the phone off, inserting the new sim and turning it back on.
 
J

Jiururuu88

macrumors newbie
Jul 19, 2017
1
0
Hi, same thing just happened to my iphone 6+, i wish to sell it thus reset it. Now it telling me sim card do not support.
Please help
 
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