iPhone Unlocking in Canada

[Doju]

Will I be able to unlock my iPhone 3G and use it with another carrier? The reason being is not because the prices, I find them superb. My only issue is that where I live Rogers/Fido does not work (next to zero reception!) so I'm unable to use my .. phone.. part of the iPhone, haha. (I'm sure most of Eastern Canada has an identical problem.)

Bell Aliant is a superb carrier, especially for Eastern Canada, so could I unlock it and go to them?

• How do I unlock it? Is it expensive/free?
• If I unlocked it, how would I install further firmware updates?
• Once unlocked, how would I switch the carrier?
• Any additional information I should know?

Much appreciated, guys!

 

[vanmacguy]

Will I be able to unlock my iPhone 3G and use it with another carrier? The reason being is not because the prices, I find them superb. My only issue is that where I live Rogers/Fido does not work (next to zero reception!) so I'm unable to use my .. phone.. part of the iPhone, haha. (I'm sure most of Eastern Canada has an identical problem.)

Bell Aliant is a superb carrier, especially for Eastern Canada, so could I unlock it and go to them?

• How do I unlock it? Is it expensive/free?
• If I unlocked it, how would I install further firmware updates?
• Once unlocked, how would I switch the carrier?
• Any additional information I should know?

Much appreciated, guys!

No-one knows yet how/if unlocking will be possible. The crackers won't have been able to work that out yet, and probably won't until it's out in the wild.

For firmware updates, I suspect that you'll be in the same boat as with the first gen iPhone, in that you'll have to hold off on installing any updates until they too have been cracked.

No-one even knows yet if the 3G iPhone will be crackable?

Good luck though.

Cheers.

 

[geeb]

Will I be able to unlock my iPhone 3G and use it with another carrier? The reason being is not because the prices, I find them superb. My only issue is that where I live Rogers/Fido does not work (next to zero reception!) so I'm unable to use my .. phone.. part of the iPhone, haha. (I'm sure most of Eastern Canada has an identical problem.)

Bell Aliant is a superb carrier, especially for Eastern Canada, so could I unlock it and go to them?

• How do I unlock it? Is it expensive/free?
• If I unlocked it, how would I install further firmware updates?
• Once unlocked, how would I switch the carrier?
• Any additional information I should know?

Much appreciated, guys!

You cant unlock it yet. 2.0 unlock is still in the works, although there are hintsof an imminent release http://blog.iphone-dev.org

Once unlocked you just put your sim in.
You cannot update the phone fw until it is unlocked by the dev team or whoever.

You lose visual voicemail.

 

[Phil A.]

you'd still have your Rogers contract though, so it would work out pretty expensive...

 

[Doju]

Thanks for the replies so far everyone!

you'd still have your Rogers contract though, so it would work out pretty expensive...

Care to elaborate? Not that I'd mind, as I'd use the lowest plan anyway, but would I activate it on Rogers, then call Bell Aliant? Why would I keep Rogers then?

 

[Tallest Skil]

Why would I keep Rogers then?

You get your phone taken away if you don't.

 

[philgilder]

Thanks for the replies so far everyone!


Care to elaborate? Not that I'd mind, as I'd use the lowest plan anyway, but would I activate it on Rogers, then call Bell Aliant? Why would I keep Rogers then?

you have to give the phone back if you cancel the rogers contract

 

[Shackler]

Thanks for the replies so far everyone!


Care to elaborate? Not that I'd mind, as I'd use the lowest plan anyway, but would I activate it on Rogers, then call Bell Aliant? Why would I keep Rogers then?

What he is saying is that you have to sign a 3 year contract to walk out off the store and is you switch to Bell Alient (i never heard of them but make sure its GSM provider) and have to pay an early cancellation fee to Rogers which i think maxes out at $200.

 

[Shackler]

You get your phone taken away if you don't.

Rogers will take your phone if you cancel the plan after i already bought and activated it?

 

[Raid]

<snip>where I live Rogers/Fido does not work (next to zero reception!) so I'm unable to use my .. phone.. part of the iPhone, haha.

Is that because there's no GSM coverage where you live? I'm not sure that even switching carriers would get you better reception (that is unless the iPhone can also use the CMDA network)... anybody know??

 

[Tallest Skil]

Rogers will take your phone if you cancel the plan after i already bought and activated it?

Yep. I'm pretty sure, at least. Welcome to freedom.

(that is unless the iPhone can also use the CMDA network)

No.

 

[Phil A.]

Rogers will take your phone if you cancel the plan after i already bought and activated it?

They'll either take it back, charge you an early termination fee, or make you pay the contract for the rest of the minimum period.
They (Rogers) are subsidizing the cost of the phone, and one of the conditions of that is that you take a contract for service. If you break that contract by canceling it, they have recourse as mentioned above.

 

[Doju]

What he is saying is that you have to sign a 3 year contract to walk out off the store and is you switch to Bell Alient (i never heard of them but make sure its GSM provider) and have to pay an early cancellation fee to Rogers which i think maxes out at $200.

http://www.aliant.ca/english/index.asp

So maximum $200? And then I still pay the normal from Rogers? Why do other companies allow this?

There is no Roger's where I live due to the fact there's only one Roger's tower which is ages away. Almost any other carrier works (except Fido, conveniently).

 

[JBaker122586]

You can't use it on anything other than Rogers or Fido, even if you do unlock it, because they are the only GSM carriers in Canada.

 

[skubish]

You can't use it on anything other than Rogers or Fido, even if you do unlock it, because they are the only GSM carriers in Canada.

Ah, case closed then. No Bell/Aliant. My guess is that GSM coverage in the OP's area is poor.