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goffredo

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 28, 2009
37
5
Hey gang,

I was planning to get my wife a GEVEY SIM unlock for her birthday, so that she can use her AT&T iPhone 4 in Europe. It's running OS 4.3.5 and has one of those damnable modem basebands that is impervious to unlock attempts; I believe it's 4.10.01. Why oh why didn't I turn off her auto-upgrade checkbox in iTunes when she got the phone? Sigh.

So anyway I searched around for 45 minutes to find what I assume to be the "real" GEVEY people, a company called "Applenberry", having read of a gazillion-and-one fake GEVEYs. Sure enough, they sell the GEVEY Ultra for GSM iPhone 4, about $23 dollars.

But then I was poking around on their website (mostly to make sure all the links worked and it seemed like a 'real' company), and saw they have an AT&T iPhone IMEI Unlock, for $150, that works for "all AT&T iPhone models." This would allow her to upgrade her phone to her heart's content without ever having to worry about losing the unlock, just like a real AT&T SIM unlock.

Apparently you supply your IMEI and serial number, and a fat stack of cash, and they do some magic, and then you just need to sync your iPhone with iTunes and you should see the unlock screen. This is, as I understand it, the same process that AT&T will do for free if you are no longer under their 1- or 2-year service plan. Unfortunately, my wife still has 9 months on her 2-year plan, and the early termination fee is something like $335. That's a lot more than $150.

So I'm curious, has anyone tried this service yet? I'm a little hesitant to send $150 to a company I know nothing about (other than they are located in the Chinatown part of Oakland, which doesn't give me warm-fuzzies). I'll probably do a little more due diligence like call them, speak with support, check Better Business Bureau ... but if it ends well to unlock her iPhone, then the frequency of support tickets my wife files against me will drop markedly, which is damned well worth $150!
 

Mal

macrumors 603
Jan 6, 2002
6,252
18
Orlando
Are you in the US? Couldn't tell for sure from your post, but if you are, why not call AT&T and just ask them to unlock the phone? They'll unlock any phone that was on an AT&T account in good standing, even if it's not used for an AT&T line anymore. May have to go into a store, actually, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

jW
 

scaredpoet

macrumors 604
Apr 6, 2007
6,627
342
If an AT&T line is still under contract, AT&T will not unlock the phone. It also appears you can't even offer to pay the ETF to get an unlock. You'd have to completely cancel and lose your line. Which shows you the silliness in AT&T's reasoning: they can't in any way fathom that an iPhone user would want an unlocked iPhone (i.e. to travel overseas) but stay with AT&T.
 

jrz

macrumors member
Jul 12, 2012
33
0
Try This- I did a couple of weeks ago...

http://www.officialiphoneunlock.co.uk/

Yes, they are in the UK… but I paid about $65 to have an at&t phone unlocked (they do it remotely). It is like magic honestly. I put in my order, & 6 hours later my phone was unlocked. Read reviews- they have an amazing approval rating… and like I said, I used them and would not hesitate to recommend to anyone…
 

goffredo

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 28, 2009
37
5
Oh crap I just realized I should have posted this in "iOS Hacks" forum. I don't' see any tool to move this thread over, so I must face the shame of posting to a slightly inappropriate forum. Gods, forgive me.

Are you in the US? Couldn't tell for sure from your post, but if you are, why not call AT&T and just ask them to unlock the phone

Yes, but it's still under contract. That's why I mentioned $335 to pay the ETF so that it's no longer on-contract. Then I thought I could then call them to SIM-unlock it, but ...

It also appears you can't even offer to pay the ETF to get an unlock.

So much for going through the legitimate, AT&T-sanctioned channel.

Some folks pointed out other unlocking services. Looks like I have some research to do. The service in the UK is a lot less than $150, that's for sure.
 
Last edited:

alexander25

macrumors regular
Jul 17, 2012
212
0
http://www.officialiphoneunlock.co.uk/

Yes, they are in the UK… but I paid about $65 to have an at&t phone unlocked (they do it remotely). It is like magic honestly. I put in my order, & 6 hours later my phone was unlocked. Read reviews- they have an amazing approval rating… and like I said, I used them and would not hesitate to recommend to anyone…

i hope these methods leak out so we don't have to pay stupid prices to have our phones unlocked. they should be unlocked from the beginning.
 

quietstormSD

macrumors 65816
Mar 2, 2010
1,217
575
San Diego, CA
I don't think it will be 325 to pay the ETF.

It's $325 minus $10 for each month of completed service commitment. So if she was under a 2 year contract, and she has 9 months left, I'm assuming she has completed 15 months of her contract. So that would mean her ETF is now, $175 ($325 - $150). I may just pay the extra $25 to AT&T than you would have to to Applenberry so you can get an official unlock and have no worries what so ever.

http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/articles-resources/early-term-fees.jsp
 

SAD*FACED*CLOWN

macrumors 65816
Apr 5, 2010
1,342
1
Houston, TX
AT&T can and will relock any phone caught romaing on it's network that should rightfully be locked...consider this before attempting the unsacntioned locking methods...this occurs through software updates
 

viperGTS

macrumors 68000
Nov 15, 2010
1,560
941
AT&T can and will relock any phone caught romaing on it's network that should rightfully be locked...consider this before attempting the unsacntioned locking methods...this occurs through software updates

Doesn't apple control what phones are locked/unlocked?
 

lordofthereef

macrumors G5
Nov 29, 2011
13,161
3,720
Boston, MA
AT&T can and will relock any phone caught romaing on it's network that should rightfully be locked...consider this before attempting the unsacntioned locking methods...this occurs through software updates

Not saying you are wrong, but are there documented cases of this actually happening?
 

RetiredInFl

macrumors 68020
Jul 7, 2008
2,420
237
FORMERLY NJ now FL
Hey gang,

I was planning to get my wife a GEVEY SIM unlock for her birthday, so that she can use her AT&T iPhone 4 in Europe. It's running OS 4.3.5 and has one of those damnable modem basebands that is impervious to unlock attempts; I believe it's 4.10.01. Why oh why didn't I turn off her auto-upgrade checkbox in iTunes when she got the phone? Sigh.

So anyway I searched around for 45 minutes to find what I assume to be the "real" GEVEY people, a company called "Applenberry", having read of a gazillion-and-one fake GEVEYs. Sure enough, they sell the GEVEY Ultra for GSM iPhone 4, about $23 dollars.

But then I was poking around on their website (mostly to make sure all the links worked and it seemed like a 'real' company), and saw they have an AT&T iPhone IMEI Unlock, for $150, that works for "all AT&T iPhone models." This would allow her to upgrade her phone to her heart's content without ever having to worry about losing the unlock, just like a real AT&T SIM unlock.

Apparently you supply your IMEI and serial number, and a fat stack of cash, and they do some magic, and then you just need to sync your iPhone with iTunes and you should see the unlock screen. This is, as I understand it, the same process that AT&T will do for free if you are no longer under their 1- or 2-year service plan. Unfortunately, my wife still has 9 months on her 2-year plan, and the early termination fee is something like $335. That's a lot more than $150.

So I'm curious, has anyone tried this service yet? I'm a little hesitant to send $150 to a company I know nothing about (other than they are located in the Chinatown part of Oakland, which doesn't give me warm-fuzzies). I'll probably do a little more due diligence like call them, speak with support, check Better Business Bureau ... but if it ends well to unlock her iPhone, then the frequency of support tickets my wife files against me will drop markedly, which is damned well worth $150!

$150!!!!!!!!!! Seriously? I just had it done for $55 from a place on eBay and there are many others for way way less than the $150. 2 hours later it was unlocked and working on T-Mobile pre-paid for my wife. If you're worried about being ripped off PayPal has you covered.

----------

AT&T can and will relock any phone caught romaing on it's network that should rightfully be locked...consider this before attempting the unsacntioned locking methods...this occurs through software updates
Never going to happen. You can do what you want with your phone as long as it isn't stolen (and even then, they probably don't care). If you're still under contract why should they care as long as you keep paying your bill? If you cancel your contract they charge you an ETF so either way it's a "no lose" for them.
 

SAD*FACED*CLOWN

macrumors 65816
Apr 5, 2010
1,342
1
Houston, TX
Not saying you are wrong, but are there documented cases of this actually happening?

this has happened a lot...documented? I can't say...but what ensures your official unlock through AT&T is the restore process...something AT&T does keeps your phone from re locking

----------

$150!!!!!!!!!! Seriously? I just had it done for $55 from a place on eBay and there are many others for way way less than the $150. 2 hours later it was unlocked and working on T-Mobile pre-paid for my wife. If you're worried about being ripped off PayPal has you covered.

----------

Never going to happen. You can do what you want with your phone as long as it isn't stolen (and even then, they probably don't care). If you're still under contract why should they care as long as you keep paying your bill? If you cancel your contract they charge you an ETF so either way it's a "no lose" for them.

never? you're already wrong...I have several friends who unlocked outside of AT&T's guidlines and they are now re locked...there's two layers to the unlock process; AT&T unlocking your profile and then sending the confirmation to apple...

----------

Doesn't apple control what phones are locked/unlocked?

no, AT&T controls it Apple just provides the method of unlocking via iTunes restore
 

lordofthereef

macrumors G5
Nov 29, 2011
13,161
3,720
Boston, MA
this has happened a lot...documented? I can't say...but what ensures your official unlock through AT&T is the restore process...something AT&T does keeps your phone from re locking

You say this has happened a lot... that is what I am asking; how do you know that this is happening? And how do you know that it is happening in the way that you say it is (AT&T scanning phones that are unofficially unlocked and then relocking them)?
 

Daveoc64

macrumors 601
Jan 16, 2008
4,074
92
Bristol, UK
no, AT&T controls it Apple just provides the method of unlocking via iTunes restore

You don't understand the iPhone locking/unlocking process.

Apple maintains the sole database that determines whether a specific iPhone is locked or unlocked.

A carrier (like AT&T) submits a request to Apple to unlock the device, and the database is updated.

I'd imagine that Apple would "re-lock" a device if they were told by the carrier that the unlock was unauthorised (although that would then lead Apple to question how the unauthorised lock was processed in the first place - this implies that a carrier or Apple has had a serious security breach).

I have never read a single case of this happening though, and the other posters here haven't either - hence why we're asking for some proof.

If it did happen, it certainly wouldn't happen during a software update.
 

quietstormSD

macrumors 65816
Mar 2, 2010
1,217
575
San Diego, CA
never? you're already wrong...I have several friends who unlocked outside of AT&T's guidlines and they are now re locked...there's two layers to the unlock process; AT&T unlocking your profile and then sending the confirmation to apple...

I think you may be thinking of the unlock process that requires a jail break, like through Ultrasnow. If it's done that way and someone updates there baseband through a software update, then the phone is "re-locked." It's a completely different process than what Applenberry is offering.
 

PeteDin206

macrumors member
Jul 23, 2012
47
42
I got my phone unlocked w/o issue and I'm on contract until next May (2013). Not sure why it would be an issue. Call AT&T and plead you case.
 

vistadude

macrumors 65816
Jan 3, 2010
1,423
1
Your iphone 4 is very likely near the end of contract. Call at&t and tell them you will be traveling to europe and want an unlock. When they ask where you bought the phone, or if you are still under contract, tell them you got the phone as a gift and "think" it was more than 2 years ago.

If it doesn't work on the first try, go through chat and try your case again. Usually someone at at&t will give it to you without charge.
 

goffredo

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 28, 2009
37
5
Your iphone 4 is very likely near the end of contract. Call at&t and tell them you will be traveling to europe and want an unlock. When they ask where you bought the phone, or if you are still under contract, tell them you got the phone as a gift and "think" it was more than 2 years ago.

If it doesn't work on the first try, go through chat and try your case again. Usually someone at at&t will give it to you without charge.

Ahh, I like this philosophy! Maybe they will just be cool about it. If not, it sounds like there are myriad methods cheaper than what I originally posted about, which is great to know. Good stuff.
 

RetiredInFl

macrumors 68020
Jul 7, 2008
2,420
237
FORMERLY NJ now FL
never? you're already wrong...I have several friends who unlocked outside of AT&T's guidlines and they are now re locked...there's two layers to the unlock process; AT&T unlocking your profile and then sending the confirmation to apple...
"Several friends" .... sorry, I don't buy it. If you alone have "several friends" who got relocked by AT&T I would have to extrapolate that to mean there would be thousands around the country who did as well and if that were the case it would be all over the forums. Had you said "I know of someone" I might have accepted that. You must have a lot of unlucky "friends."
 
Last edited by a moderator:

SAD*FACED*CLOWN

macrumors 65816
Apr 5, 2010
1,342
1
Houston, TX
"Several friends" .... sorry, I don't buy it. If you alone have "several friends" who got relocked by AT&T I would have to extrapolate that to mean there would be thousands around the country who did as well and if that were the case it would be all over the forums. Had you said "I know of someone" I might have accepted that. You must have a lot of unlucky "friends."

you need not believe anything...just know that if you unlock illegally AT&T can re lock you and then deny you any future unlocks don't believe? me get caught

----------

no, the method is done through Apple's servers. stop posting if you don't know what you're talking about

wow so much ignorance....you need AT&T's approval to be unlocked if you don't agree call Apple and ask for an unlock and see that they don't refer you to AT&T...stop posting if YOU don't know what you're talking about
 
Last edited by a moderator:

mrbrown

macrumors 6502a
Mar 27, 2004
562
240
Springfield, Missouri
you need not believe anything...just know that if you unlock illegally AT&T can re lock you and then deny you any future unlocks don't believe? me get caught


There's nothing "illegal" about it. And as others have said, AT&T does not have control over the unlocked phone database maintained by APPLE.

wow so much ignorance....you need AT&T's approval to be unlocked if you don't agree call Apple and ask for an unlock and see that they don't refer you to AT&T...stop posting if YOU don't know what you're talking about

Apple is not going to unlock an iPhone without authorization from the carrier. But that doesn't mean Apple doesn't control the database.

And secondly, you clearly have no clue what you're talking about, so please stop posting.
 

SAD*FACED*CLOWN

macrumors 65816
Apr 5, 2010
1,342
1
Houston, TX
There's nothing "illegal" about it. And as others have said, AT&T does not have control over the unlocked phone database maintained by APPLE.



Apple is not going to unlock an iPhone without authorization from the carrier. But that doesn't mean Apple doesn't control the database.

And secondly, you clearly have no clue what you're talking about, so please stop posting.

Apple controls the restore through iTunes...but without AT&T Apple won't do anything
 
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