iPhone received official ATT unlock, but want to stay @ 5.1.1

[golgo1313]

so my 2 year contract is up on my iphone 4, and i received the official unlock from ATT. i have to restore it on itunes to get the official unlock.

but

i want to stay at 5.1.1. i have the shsh blob saved so i know i can get it signed on the saurik's server, but will it unlock the phone? do i *need* to get it signed by the apple server in order to get the unlock? i'm not sure how this unlock thing actually works...

or do i have to go to ios6, get it signed by apple, then downgrade to ios 5.1.1? this sounds like a nightmare to me...

any thoughts/comments are appreciated.

 

[LandonDonovan]

You will need to plug your iPhone into iTunes to activate the unlock. You have the option of using a 3rd-party SIM like Simple Mobile/T-Mobile to test it or just your normal AT&T SIM. If you are successful, your iPhone will immediately revert to the activation/setup screen. No restore is necessary.

 

[TriJetHero]

If you are jailbroken you can install SAM from repo.bingner.com
Deactivate the phone in SAM, close SAM and connect to iTunes, the unlock wil than attach.

 

[golgo1313]

thanks for the quick responses! i'll try it tonight and report back.

 

[LandonDonovan]

If you are jailbroken you can install SAM from repo.bingner.com
Deactivate the phone in SAM, close SAM and connect to iTunes, the unlock wil than attach.

Not sure SAM is needed anymore. The iPhone should deactivate without it once the unlock is processed.

 

[TriJetHero]

Not unless Apple changed that with iTunes 10.7

----------

from the apple website:

"To unlock your iPhone, check with your carrier to ensure that they offer unlocking and that you meet the requirements to obtain an unlock. If both those requirements are met, ask your carrier to unlock your iPhone, then follow these instructions:

Ensure that you've waited the recommended wait period provided by your carrier.
Back up your iPhone.
Erase the contents of your iPhone.
Swap the old SIM card with the one for the new carrier.
Complete the setup assistant and restore your backup.
Additional Information
Follow the steps below if you experience issues or receive the following error message displayed in iTunes or on your device:

"The SIM card inserted in this iPhone does not appear to be supported. Only compatible SIM cards from a supported carrier may be used to activate iPhone. Please insert the SIM card that came with your iPhone or visit a supported carrier store."

Restore your iPhone.
Contact your carrier to verify that the unlock was applied in your carrier's system."

If you are jailbroken you can't erase all settings, so likely you will get the SIM not supported message.

Than a restore is required, which you can avoid by using the SAM method.

 

[dhlizard]

I recommend this procedure, no need to erase the phone (doesn't work anyway on jailbroken phones) or risk a restore.

There is a way to apply the unlock without restoring.
http://www.bingner.com/SAM.html

Install SAM, under Utilities, de-activate, then kill SAM in Task Manager
Put the sim in the phone and hook it back up to iTunes, re-activate it

 

[romeo0119]

Or use redsnow to deactivate the phone, and the just plug it into iTunes and activate it again, I've done this many time

 

[golgo1313]

thanks guys for all your help! the SAM method worked great! the only thing extra that i needed to do to get the "congratulations, your phone is unlocked" is to quit itunes before plugging in the de-activated iphone.

awesome! no restore either!

anyone want to buy a used gevey ultra?

 

[TriJetHero]

glad it worked!

 

[jayhawk1]

I am in the same boat as the OP except I can't find my SHSH blobs so I apparently do not have them. I received my unlock email for my iPhone 4 (5.1.1) from AT&T and when I went to backup and restore, I realized the error of my ways. I guess my question is (and it probably isn't possible), if I performed the jailbreak on 5.1.1 and then did the SAM app in Cydia, would that allow me to unlock without restoring my phone?

Sorry if this doesn't make sense, I'm just trying to avoid upgrading to iOS 6 until it works better.

 

[TriJetHero]

Yes that is possible.

Jailbreak with absinthe 2.04 install SAM and your go the SAM route