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"Congratulations your iPhone has been unlocked"

So, I just got my new ipHone 4S at full retail, did not have to give ATT acct details when buying but had to sign Apple and ATT terms of condition when paying on their little payment deveice at the Apple store, was this the case with all people who bought at full retail and found it was unlocked, also any advice on how to activate (with or without ATT SIM in the phone) would be appreciated. Just want to make sure before opening the box.
Thanks
 
Just want to report that I restored to 5.0.1 and iTunes still showed me the Congrats...Unlocked screen after the restore.

I had called AT&T to give them the IMEI to get the "4S" hsdpa+ plan and was slightly afraid of that would've locked the phone, but I just confirmed that it didn't.
 
a.y.n said:
Just want to report that I restored to 5.0.1 and iTunes still showed me the Congrats...Unlocked screen after the restore.

I had called AT&T to give them the IMEI to get the "4S" hsdpa+ plan and was slightly afraid of that would've locked the phone, but I just confirmed that it didn't.
Click to expand...

That's good to know. I have yet to call AT&T and update my IMEI. When I log in online, I have the option for the unlimited data for the iPhone 4 and the unlimited data for the iPhone 4S. Wonder if I can just change it there instead of calling?
 
scorpio1973 said:
That's good to know. I have yet to call AT&T and update my IMEI. When I log in online, I have the option for the unlimited data for the iPhone 4 and the unlimited data for the iPhone 4S. Wonder if I can just change it there instead of calling?
Click to expand...

You can't, if you try that it will give you a system error because the IMEI on your account is not a 4S, even though they know you're using a 4S. Just call and they will do it real quick, the latency is way better and speed is a little bit faster where I am. Def worth a phone call.
 
a.y.n said:
You can't, if you try that it will give you a system error because the IMEI on your account is not a 4S, even though they know you're using a 4S. Just call and they will do it real quick, the latency is way better and speed is a little bit faster where I am. Def worth a phone call.
Click to expand...

Ok, great! I will call them. Thanks for your help. :)
 
a.y.n said:
You can't, if you try that it will give you a system error because the IMEI on your account is not a 4S, even though they know you're using a 4S. Just call and they will do it real quick, the latency is way better and speed is a little bit faster where I am. Def worth a phone call.
Click to expand...

Like how fast? Speedtest? What's your market?
 
a.y.n said:
You can't, if you try that it will give you a system error because the IMEI on your account is not a 4S, even though they know you're using a 4S. Just call and they will do it real quick, the latency is way better and speed is a little bit faster where I am. Def worth a phone call.
Click to expand...

thanks for pointing this out: can I clarify something? I have upgraded with att, but will be selling my upgrade phone and use a off-contract phone I bought at full price. would I need to do anything? (supposely my account is registered as 4S, but the phone I am using will not be the IMEI they think I am using..
 
gb21 said:
thanks for pointing this out: can I clarify something? I have upgraded with att, but will be selling my upgrade phone and use a off-contract phone I bought at full price. would I need to do anything? (supposely my account is registered as 4S, but the phone I am using will not be the IMEI they think I am using..
Click to expand...

Just go online and see if you have the 4S data feature to make sure.
 
i've made a reservation to go into the apple store in pasadena , CA tomorrow.

has anyone been successfull in buying "device only" or "off contract" 4S from this store?

hate making a trip down there and leaving empty handed...
 
Tonight after trying 3 or 4 different times I waltzed into the Apple store and said: I want to buy an off contract phone. The child at the door said: you mean device only? I said: I want a phone that will work in europe with my 02 sim. He said: I've never had a problem with my device only phone in mexico. I said okay. Do you have 64GB? and voila. I've tried 3 or phone times live, and 3 or 4 times on the phone and failed but today I succeeded.
I restored with my Rogers sim in it and got the "congratulations your iPhone has been unlocked" message. YAY. Tmw i'll buy a tmobile pre-paid sim to double check it all. But it seems I'm finally unlocked.
 
Last edited:
ratbrain said:
i've made a reservation to go into the apple store in pasadena , CA tomorrow.

has anyone been successfull in buying "device only" or "off contract" 4S from this store?

hate making a trip down there and leaving empty handed...
Click to expand...


can't wait to find out. these cats turned me down twice already.
 
Not all Apple stores will sell "device only" or off contract phones.

In my area, I went to the usual store that I go to and they wouldnt sell that to me. Says they cant ring it up... whatever.

Went to another Apple store and bam, got it right away.

So the story is... if one Apple store doesnt sell to you "Device only", try other Apple stores.

Their store manager or whoever might have different policies, even though it is all Apple. Weird.

ilifecomputer said:
can't wait to find out. these cats turned me down twice already.
Click to expand...
 
ilifecomputer said:
can't wait to find out. these cats turned me down twice already.
Click to expand...

that doesnt sound very comforting. i guess i could go anyways as its only about 15 mins for me to get there...

not optimistic at this point, but will report back either way it goes...
 
Finally got the chance to purchase a TMobile microSIM and I can confirm that my 4S purchased as "device only" is unlocked.
 
So is the "device only" cost the same as the anticipated "unlocked" cost (849 for 64GB, in my case)?
 
Is it possible that these phones will be relocked?

Hey everyone, i bought an off contract 16gb 4s from an apple store while I was in the states and now I'm in Lebanon. I plugged the pHone in iTunes and I got the congratulations your iPhone is unlocked message. I am now using a local carrier (mtc touch) without a hiccup.
Now I only have one question(s): does AT&T have the power to relock the phone (as sprint eloquently plans to do in a subsequent update)? Isn't the relocking done at apples end? I mean wouldn't it be weird if AT&T told apple "hey relock these phones please"? Furthermore has a carrier ever "relocked" previously sold iPhones?
 
Nahhaso said:
Hey everyone, i bought an off contract 16gb 4s from an apple store while I was in the states and now I'm in Lebanon. I plugged the pHone in iTunes and I got the congratulations your iPhone is unlocked message. I am now using a local carrier (mtc touch) without a hiccup.
Now I only have one question(s): does AT&T have the power to relock the phone (as sprint eloquently plans to do in a subsequent update)? Isn't the relocking done at apples end? I mean wouldn't it be weird if AT&T told apple "hey relock these phones please"? Furthermore has a carrier ever "relocked" previously sold iPhones?
Click to expand...
prolly not cuz Apple tells carrier wat to do and not the other way around. This is the reason why you will never see an Iphone with an att or verizon logo on it make sense? Once unlocked its unlocked. Think about this way while back we had some companies that were offering an unlock solution for the att iphone 4 remember rite? So when apple found out about they just stop it, but didn't do anything about the iphone 4 that were already unlocked by those companies!
 
aziatiklover said:
prolly not cuz Apple tells carrier wat to do and not the other way around. This is the reason why you will never see an Iphone with an att or verizon logo on it make sense? Once unlocked its unlocked. Think about this way while back we had some companies that were offering an unlock solution for the att iphone 4 remember rite? So when apple found out about they just stop it, but didn't do anything about the iphone 4 that were already unlocked by those companies!
Click to expand...

That sounds reassuring aziatiklover. I also read online that you can backup your activation token in case apple relocks the IMEI! However the device needs to be jail broken so so much for that...
 
I guess il have to anxiously wait for the iOS 5.1 update to see if my phone will be relocked or not.
 
Help!

ok here is my problem i was visiting the states a few weeks ago and a buddy of mine helped me buy a verizon 32gb iphone 4S on ebay model number MD279LL running OS 5 with firmware 1.0.11 from my understanding at first i thought the phone was already unlocked since it was advertised as unlocked but it turns out that it isn't even so i thought i could unlock it and use it back in china... now i am back in shanghai and when i insert my sim card it says "phone has not been activated" and other such error codes when i plug into itunes or when i insert a prepaid sim card i buy here in china... the phone doesn't work... is there any way that i can unlock or jailbreak my phone for it to work? i've never had a service with verizon before and i have no plans to return to the states anytime soon
 
whatamop said:
ok here is my problem i was visiting the states a few weeks ago and a buddy of mine helped me buy a verizon 32gb iphone 4S on ebay model number MD279LL running OS 5 with firmware 1.0.11 from my understanding at first i thought the phone was already unlocked since it was advertised as unlocked but it turns out that it isn't even so i thought i could unlock it and use it back in china... now i am back in shanghai and when i insert my sim card it says "phone has not been activated" and other such error codes when i plug into itunes or when i insert a prepaid sim card i buy here in china... the phone doesn't work... is there any way that i can unlock or jailbreak my phone for it to work? i've never had a service with verizon before and i have no plans to return to the states anytime soon
Click to expand...

I think you may be out of luck, from what I understand the only unlocked phone is the one for AT&T when you buy it as device only, not the one for Verizon. It seems doubtful we'll get a software unlock anytime soon if at all, they seem to have given up on that especially now that you can get it officially unlocked in the US
 
pbateman said:
I think you may be out of luck, from what I understand the only unlocked phone is the one for AT&T when you buy it as device only, not the one for Verizon. It seems doubtful we'll get a software unlock form the DevTeam given the latest history..
Click to expand...

Tell your friend to call Verizon. If he has an account with them and is on "good-standing" with them he can request an iPhone unlock code and your problem should be solved.
Btw I have a golden rule: NEVER buy phones from eBay. Ever.
 
Nahhaso said:
Tell your friend to call Verizon. If he has an account with them and is on "good-standing" with them he can request an iPhone unlock code and your problem should be solved.
Btw I have a golden rule: NEVER buy phones from eBay. Ever.
Click to expand...

so if i have a friend in the states that uses verizon all he/she has to do is call verizon and ask for an iphone unlock code that i can punch into my phone like a cheat code in a video game and my iphone will become unlocked? or do i have to send my phone to a friend and go through a lot of hassle?

----------

the problem is that my iphone 4S is a verizon iphone 4S but it was never activated? or it was cancelled shortly after and the guy sold it to me through ebay? doesn't the phone have to be currently active on the verizon network for me to be able to unlock it?
 
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