Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

"Congratulations your iPhone has been unlocked"

B

BFW122083

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 17, 2009
373
0
Atl
Hey all,

I decided to restore my 4s this morning and set up as a new phone instead of restoring from backup like I did yesterday. When the phone finished restoring iTunes said "Congratulations your iPhone has been unlocked". I have never seen this before when doing a restore. This is a 4s on At&t. Is there any way to test if it is really unlocked without putting another carrier sim in it?
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)

BFW122083 said:
Hey all,

I decided to restore my 4s this morning and set up as a new phone instead of restoring from backup like I did yesterday. When the phone finished restoring iTunes said "Congratulations your iPhone has been unlocked". I have never seen this before when doing a restore. This is a 4s on At&t. Is there any way to test if it is really unlocked without putting another carrier sim in it?
Click to expand...

When you turn on your iPhone 4s if the lock icon is not there on the top were the time shows up then it's unlocked .
 
  • Like
Reactions: abdomany
maceleven said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)



When you turn on your iPhone 4s if the lock icon is not there on the top were the time shows up then it's unlocked .
Click to expand...

That just means the screen is locked with a passcode?
 
BFW122083 said:
Hey all,

I decided to restore my 4s this morning and set up as a new phone instead of restoring from backup like I did yesterday. When the phone finished restoring iTunes said "Congratulations your iPhone has been unlocked". I have never seen this before when doing a restore. This is a 4s on At&t. Is there any way to test if it is really unlocked without putting another carrier sim in it?
Click to expand...
WHOA. This is huge news. There are a few threads dedicated to figuring out how to get that screen on Sprint and Verizon iPhones (here and here)...but AT&T iPhones with iTunes-unlocked SIMs are unheard of.

I mean, we've known that some carriers do this, but to see one on AT&T is really surprising. I'm very curious as to how that happened.

There likely is an MCC or MNC country/network lock to prevent T-Mobile SIMs but if you try a foreign SIM it should work.
 
It really surprised me. I have never been one to care much about having an unlocked phone. I just decided to do a restore and bam there it was. Should have taken a screen shot....
 
I am confused. How did you get an unlocked iphone 4s on AT&T?????

AT&T NEVER UNLOCKS THEIR IPHONES!!
 
WannaGoMac said:
I am confused. How did you get an unlocked iphone 4s on AT&T?????

AT&T NEVER UNLOCKS THEIR IPHONES!!
Click to expand...

I really have no idea. Part of me thinks it was some kind of glitch. The only thing I can think of is that a paid full price and didn't extend my contract. I ordered through Apple too. I wish there was a way I could confirm it, but I don't have any T Mobile or foreign sims laying around lol
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)

The same thing appeared on mine when I did a restore... I am wondering if it came like this from the factory because I paid the full $849.99 for a 64 GB because my AT&T contract was not eligible for an upgrade...
 
mjcxp said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)

The same thing appeared on mine when I did a restore... I am wondering if it came like this from the factory because I paid the full $849.99 for a 64 GB because my AT&T contract was not eligible for an upgrade...
Click to expand...

So we are both in the same boat...I thought Apple said unlocked phones were not for sale until November? Well if we truly do have unlocked phones thats a pretty sweet bonus :)
 
Man if you guys got unlocked phones because you paid full price I am not going to wait till November and just buy one now.
 
BFW122083 said:
I decided to restore my 4s this morning and set up as a new phone instead of restoring from backup like I did yesterday. When the phone finished restoring iTunes said "Congratulations your iPhone has been unlocked". I have never seen this before when doing a restore. This is a 4s on At&t. Is there any way to test if it is really unlocked without putting another carrier sim in it?
Click to expand...

BFW122083, did you pay full price for your iPhone, or did you get it subsidized with a contract? mjcxp mentioned paying full price, but you didn't mention that.

I was going to wait until November, but it would be great if I could buy one at the store sooner.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)

Factory unlocked phones do give the "Congratulations, your iPhone is unlocked" message everytims you restore.
 
I believe since you guys paid full price. It's pretty much a factory unlocked iphone! Now I'm guessing why wait until November to get the unlocked when the full price AT&T one just does the samething! BTW AT&T iPhone and factory unlocked are the same. It just about how the iPhone IMEI is store in Apple server black or white list. :D

----------
reclusive46 said:
I don't think its that. Factory unlocked iPhones don't give any message that their unlocked at all.
Click to expand...

Wrong! Factory unlocked iPhones do give you that message everytime you restore, and it won't matter which sim card you have in the iPhone to activate it! However, on a locked iPhone you need the actual carrier sim card to activate the iPhone.

----------
 
Sneakz said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)

Factory unlocked phones do give the "Congratulations, your iPhone is unlocked" message everytims you restore.
Click to expand...

Actually, factory unlocked phones only sometimes give that message. I bought my iPhone 4 factory unlocked in Canada last year, and I've used it with 4 different carriers when traveling. However, I never see that message when I restore. The true test is to try a different carrier SIM card.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)

Anyone else try this & can confirm? Just curious if this is a new policy & not a one-off "error" by iTunes.
 
Chupa Chupa said:
Anyone else try this & can confirm? Just curious if this is a new policy & not a one-off "error" by iTunes.
Click to expand...

I'll try it today and report back if my local Apple Store has any left. I'm pretty sure they have a 30 day return policy with no restocking fee in case I need to return it and get one in November.
 
Now I gotta try this. I paid full price too since I wasn't eligible for upgrade. I wonder if it's just the 64GB since it's new...mines the 32 GB...Restoring right now and we'll see if it works.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back