Anyone Successfully Get AT&T to Unlock their iPhone

[inkhead]

GOOGLE IS YOUR FRIEND! When someone says "can't do that" their is ALWAYS A WAY… Use google to get started.

You can easily get your iPhone unlocked.
Google "unlock my iPhone" and about 12 sites will jump up that can TRULY unlock it for you.

I'm generally skeptical of this, but a friend and I decided to try with his iPhone and it's been unlocked ever since we paid $23.00.

Some offer to do it for $14.00
Pay to get it unlocked, they do have access to Apple and often they go through one of the foreign channels to do it.

You're probably worried that the unlock won't stick, however it WILL stick, Apple when they sold phones overseas had to provide the carriers (even the small shops that sell them in Europe) with tools to unlock the phones for customers, so they usually have a buddy in a shop who generates the codes for them:

see this google search, worst case you lose 20 bucks:
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=unlock+your+iphone+4&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Here's the URL that a different friend used (I can't vouch for them as I haven't used this site):
http://iphone-unlocker-pro.com/
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Also UltraSnow makes a carrier unlock tool for free, NO NOT a Jailbreak, but a simple tool that lets you use your phone on ANY carrier:

The downside if their software unlock is it requires you to jailbreak your phone, which means you might not be able to update over the air when iOS 5 comes out, because it might not work with the latest jailbreak

http://apcmag.com/unlock-your-iphone-4-to-use-it-on-any-network.htm
http://www.unlockit.co.nz/unlockit/?page_id=2

MAX of $30 = permanent unlock of your iPhone

 

[toiday]

Same phone, bud.

I know mine was a special case, but I'm just saying Apple does have the ability and will unlock your phone in some stances.

Have you verified if your phone is really un-locked or you just take their words for it?

 

[thewitt]

Apple when they sold phones overseas had to provide the carriers (even the small shops that sell them in Europe) with tools to unlock the phones for customers, so they usually have a buddy in a shop who generates the codes for them:

What does this have to do with anything. Phones sold overseas in countries where they are not locked to a carrier are never locked to begin with.

I checked with a local provider in Malaysia to see if they could unlock an AT&T iPhone and they said no.

-t

 

[toiday]

No one knows, and no.

The only software unlock for the iPhone 4 requires the 1.59 baseband. That was last available with 4.0.2, so if your device doesn't date back that far, or if it was updated since then without preserving that baseband, there is effectively no software unlock. You can research the Gevey SIM on this forum; it's your only option for the iPhone 4. And it doesn't work with iOS 5, so don't plan on upgrading if you decide to use it.

First, you don't just unlock you phone for fun. You unlock your phone because you need to. If you need to unlock you phone, the software solution required you to jailbreak your phone AND limited you to stay at 1.59 baseband. However, for about $20 or less, gevey sim (have to be ultra version) option, you don't need to jailbreak, (jailbreak only if you want the process to be automated). The current gevey sim works with the latest firmware (4.3.5 and iOS 5 beta). It may not work with iOS 5 but who knows, they may have a newer version of gevey shortly after iOS 5 is out.

Again, those options are for the people who needs to have it unlock. I wouldn't unlock my phone if I plan to stay on ATT network.

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What does this have to do with anything. Phones sold overseas in countries where they are not locked to a carrier are never locked to begin with.

I checked with a local provider in Malaysia to see if they could unlock an AT&T iPhone and they said no.

-t

I think the locking phone concept is only in US and Canada because the carriers subsidized the cost of the phone. In return, they lock you in a contract and you ends up with a phone at cheaper price (sometime free) but only works on their network. The people oversea on the other hand, they have to pay for their phones at much higher price, full price. Therefore, their phones are unlocked. And since all the carriers there are GSM, they can switch carriers by switching sim.

 

[Kyotoma]

First, you don't just unlock you phone for fun. You unlock your phone because you need to. If you need to unlock you phone, the software solution required you to jailbreak your phone AND limited you to stay at 1.59 baseband. However, for about $20 or less, gevey sim (have to be ultra version) option, you don't need to jailbreak, (jailbreak only if you want the process to be automated). The current gevey sim works with the latest firmware (4.3.5 and iOS 5 beta). It may not work with iOS 5 but who knows, they may have a newer version of gevey shortly after iOS 5 is out.

Again, those options are for the people who needs to have it unlock. I wouldn't unlock my phone if I plan to stay on ATT network.

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I think the locking phone concept is only in US and Canada because the carriers subsidized the cost of the phone. In return, they lock you in a contract and you ends up with a phone at cheaper price (sometime free) but only works on their network. The people oversea on the other hand, they have to pay for their phones at much higher price, full price. Therefore, their phones are unlocked. And since all the carriers there are GSM, they can switch carriers by switching sim.

Look up O2 UK. iPhone 4 free with a 24 month tariff, at $35.

 

[jav6454]

Just curious as I am thinking of going otu of the country for Vacation and I was wondering if they ever do this.

They won't unlock it, but they will allow you to buy one that's already unlocked.

 

[Daveoc64]

I think the locking phone concept is only in US and Canada because the carriers subsidized the cost of the phone. In return, they lock you in a contract and you ends up with a phone at cheaper price (sometime free) but only works on their network. The people oversea on the other hand, they have to pay for their phones at much higher price, full price. Therefore, their phones are unlocked. And since all the carriers there are GSM, they can switch carriers by switching sim.

Absolute rubbish.

You sign a contract with your carrier for x months and you must fulfil all of the terms of that contract for that period.

If your phone is unlocked that doesn't mean that you don't have to keep up your end of the deal. You still have that legally binding agreement to follow. If you stop paying the bill you'll get into legal trouble.

There is no link between a locked phone and a contract. It is merely down to carrier policy whether they sell unlocked phones or whether they offer an unlock (including whether or not you have to pay for it).

Many carriers all over the world sell subsidised mobile phones unlocked (not just the iPhone).

 

[McGiord]

So the unlocked iPhones sold in the Apple Stores will work anywhere in the world?
Can I for example put a Pay as you Go SIM in one of these unlocked iPhones, and AT&T will not bother or charge some extra stuff ?

 

[MaxBurn]

So the unlocked iPhones sold in the Apple Stores will work anywhere in the world?
Can I for example put a Pay as you Go SIM in one of these unlocked iPhones, and AT&T will not bother or charge some extra stuff ?

In the US they sell unlocked phones in apple stores. I don't know if that's true everywhere and it wasn't always true for the US.

You can use AT&T gophone in a locked AT&T iPhone like I am too.

 

[Daveoc64]

So the unlocked iPhones sold in the Apple Stores will work anywhere in the world?

Yes. They will accept any SIM that you put into the device. If you buy an unlocked iPhone in the United States it'll work in Europe.

The only problem you might run into is that the phone doesn't support the frequencies used by a specific carrier.

The iPhone doesn't currently support the frequency that T-Mobile USA uses for 3G. As such, you can only use an iPhone on T-Mobile USA's 2G network.

 

[McGiord]

In the US they sell unlocked phones in apple stores. I don't know if that's true everywhere and it wasn't always true for the US.

You can use AT&T gophone in a locked AT&T iPhone like I am too.

Good, and how you manage your data consumption? Does AT&T charges you something or you can live without the data plan? I mean pay only for calls.

 

[MaxBurn]

Good, and how you manage your data consumption? Does AT&T charges you something or you can live without the data plan? I mean pay only for calls.

You buy data the same way you buy txt messages on gophone. It's all laid out on their site, the only secret is they now allow allow iPhones on it where they didn't before but you might have to twist some arms to get them to admit it.