Is ATT bricking jailbroken phones?

[mykrowyre]

I know, this sounds like paranoia, but I went with a friend of mine to the ATT store so he could ask when he would be eligible for upgrading his 3G to a 3GS. The girl asked for his phone and casually said "oh, I've never seen that screen before, that's cool, is this jailbroken?"

To which he replied, "maybe" and winked. She then sent a text to apple from his phone which replied normally with the available date for his upgrade.... all seemed normal.

Except a few hours later, we were hanging out, and BLIP his backlight goes out!

We tried rebooting the phone, still no backlight. Reset to defaults, still not backlight. He was convinced his backlight just died... hardware problem.

I was suspicious and told him to reset his phone and erase all content and then restore.

After doing this, the backlight is working again!

He is NOT using the "flashlight app" everyone blames this on...

Weird huh? Coincidence?

 

[alent1234]

there was that SMS bug that Apple fixed a few months ago. maybe they are using it to brick JB'd phones?

 

[-aggie-]

Coincidence. AT&T couldn't care less that you are jailbroke. Apple is another story.

 

[Applejuiced]

I think AT&T wouldnt like Jailbraking either since users can internet tether for free using a JB iphone or go around app restrictions by using apps like 3G unrestrictor etc....

AT&T couldn't care less that you are jailbroke. Apple is another story.

 

[jmann]

That sounds like a fluke. They can't remotely "brick" your phone. That would only happen if the hardware failed. It's obviously working just fine right now. And also the SMS exploit was patched up in 3.0.1.

 

[mykrowyre]

Actually they could do it pretty easily... all the phone would have to do is look for a text from a particular number and then set a timer... after X amount of time it disables the backlight permanently (well via software so not so permanent).

This could have been added by apple during any of the most recent updates...

I know it seems silly, but I am considering trying it with my phone to see if she asks me the same question. Mine is not jail broken but I'll say it is just to see what happens.

 

[-aggie-]

I think AT&T wouldnt like Jailbraking either since users can internet tether for free using a JB iphone or go around app restrictions by using apps like 3G unrestrictor etc....

I tether and I'm not jailbroke.

As far as apps go, AT&T doesn't care about that either. Again, Apple would care.


Edit: Just saw latest post by OP. Tin hats, anyone?

 

[Applejuiced]

I think they care for their bandwith use, if they didnt they wouldnt block apps like Sling and others to only use WIFI but there isnt much they can do besides complain to Apple.

 

[bruinsrme]

*639# allows the user to check their upgrade eligibility.

nothing more nothing less.

If there was an sms that ATT is using to brick phones we would have heard about it. secrets like that don't escape BoyGeniusReports and other resources.

 

[Wild-Bill]

AT&T can't even provide reliable phone service without dropping calls left and right. I highly doubt they possess the technical ability to brick JB phones.

 

[bruinsrme]

AT&T can't even provide reliable phone service without dropping calls left and right. I highly doubt they possess the technical ability to brick JB phones.

perhaps they stumbled upon a method due to their own incompetence

 

[Applejuiced]

I really doubt they could do anything like that. They're a phone company not a software company that writes code to break/damage jailbroken phones.
First Apple wouldnt allow or give them any controll like that and 2nd it could bring alot of legal trouble to them for causing property damage to many JB iphone owners.
Its not going to happen, trust me.

Actually they could do it pretty easily... all the phone would have to do is look for a text from a particular number and then set a timer... after X amount of time it disables the backlight permanently (well via software so not so permanent).

This could have been added by apple during any of the most recent updates...

I know it seems silly, but I am considering trying it with my phone to see if she asks me the same question. Mine is not jail broken but I'll say it is just to see what happens.

 

[DiScO197]

My 1st gen iphone that was sim unlocked and working fine got locked this afternoon over the air. My wife was using it with a t-mobile sim for months and out of the blue it says connect to itunes and when I did it said invalid sim but it still works with my 3g 02 sim. This proves they can do it, and I can't say I'm particularly happy about it. At least 02 will officially unlock the phones now though so I'm not so bothered. Be warned all!

Cheers.

 

[Applejuiced]

Theres many other reasons why an iphone can display the connect to itunes logo.
This no proof of anything.
So what you're saying is 02 locked your wifes iphone that had a tmobile sim inside and somehow without even beeing connected to 02 network it hacked into the iphone thru tmobiles network and disabled her phone.
Tell me another one

My 1st gen iphone that was sim unlocked and working fine got locked this afternoon over the air. My wife was using it with a t-mobile sim for months and out of the blue it says connect to itunes and when I did it said invalid sim but it still works with my 3g 02 sim. This proves they can do it, and I can't say I'm particularly happy about it. At least 02 will officially unlock the phones now though so I'm not so bothered. Be warned all!

Cheers.

 

[DiScO197]

So why would all of the sudden a phone that was working flawlessly for several months with a t-mobile sim suddenly stop working and tell me the sim is invalid? Something got changed and not by me. I was texting her from my 3G iphone (on 02) when it happened, so who knows? I have no reason to lie.

 

[bruinsrme]

I was standing in Line at best buy waiting for the 3gs. I pressed the mail icon On my 3G and in the middle of fetching mail is showed the spinning wheel then shortly there after the iTunes/USB screen. No idea why it happened but it did.

 

[Applejuiced]

It also Happens to iphones that are not unlocked/jailbroken. Its a software issue that needs a restore.
Not a wild conspiracy to deter people using iphones on different networks.

So why would all of the sudden a phone that was working flawlessly for several months with a t-mobile sim suddenly stop working and tell me the sim is invalid? Something got changed and not by me. I was texting her from my 3G iphone (on 02) when it happened, so who knows? I have no reason to lie.

 

[mykrowyre]

Well... talked to my buddy again today and his backlight is now flickering on and off sporadically. So, we have determined it's a hardware problem after all and have deemed it completely safe to remove our tin foil hats.

Those of you who are also wearing hats may now remove them.