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Traveling to Italy Next Month. Best Way to Use iPhone 4?

E

El3ctronics

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Mar 30, 2011
1,017
40
NYC
So I'm traveling to Italy next month and I'm trying to figure out the best way to use my iPhone 4 while I'm abroad. I'm currently on AT&T and my device is updated to the latest version of iOS. Am I correct in my understanding that the current version cannot be unlocked? If so, should I just get the international plan or are there any apps that will let me make cheap calls?

I have talkatone and I believe I can make wifi calls with the apps using my Google Voice account but will that work in Italy? Any other recommendations or things I should know before I go? Thanks.
 
The cheapest option will be to ONLY use the phone on WiFi with your Google Voice number.

You could get an international plan but that would be much more expensive.
 
El3ctronics said:
So I'm traveling to Italy next month and I'm trying to figure out the best way to use my iPhone 4 while I'm abroad. I'm currently on AT&T and my device is updated to the latest version of iOS. Am I correct in my understanding that the current version cannot be unlocked? If so, should I just get the international plan or are there any apps that will let me make cheap calls?

I have talkatone and I believe I can make wifi calls with the apps using my Google Voice account but will that work in Italy? Any other recommendations or things I should know before I go? Thanks.
Click to expand...

There is a hardware unlock called Geyey sim. The official website to buy it from is applenberry.com
It will allow you to use it with any GSM SIM Card. Here's a video; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgTRXs4_u9c&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
 
Certainly you need to be aware of roaming charges or be prepared to donate a kidney to pay for them.... I still marvel that governments worldwide haven't slammed international roaming charges.
 
El3ctronics said:
Interesting! Can anyone comment on this from experience and confirm it works for the most update version of iOS? Also will I be able to find a local Micro SIM in Italy or are they hard to find?
Click to expand...

Well it works for all iOS versions. It's easier to cut a regular sim (like in a iPhone 3G) to the size of a micro-sim for international use.
 
El3ctronics said:
Interesting! Can anyone comment on this from experience and confirm it works for the most update version of iOS? Also will I be able to find a local Micro SIM in Italy or are they hard to find?
Click to expand...
Keep in mind using the Gevey is very likely illegal in most countries, including the US (as it requires you to make a fraudulent call to "911").
 
Any other way to unlock the iPhone 4? What other apps could I use to make and receive calls to and from the US?
 
LapsangSouchong said:
Keep in mind using the Gevey is very likely illegal in most countries, including the US (as it requires you to make a fraudulent call to "911").
Click to expand...

You don't make fraudulent calls to 911. Just to 112 and then you hang up. Gevey sim is the best option until the iPhone Dev Team releases a software unlock.
 
Last edited:
El3ctronics said:
There have to be other options. No?
Click to expand...

I'm in the same boat. I leave this week for a month. Fortunately, I have an old unlocked iphone so I'm taking that and buying a local sim. Best of luck to you. It's frustrating, I know.

btw, when I was in Germany last summer I bought some boingo wifi and some tmobile hotspot to get me through, since I was only there for a week.
 
I really think that using wi-fi and Skype is your best option. We don't have many private wi-fi networks here in stores and bars like you have in the US, but there are public networks in many cities and even small towns. I live in Verona and we have a huge public network covering the city center, you just need to show your ID and you get a card with username and password (this was for safety issues, but they are making it completely open as the laws on that just changed). And of course most hotels have wi-fi so it's not so bad after all.
 
Well I called AT&T last night to check my options. I first asked for the unlock code to my phone and they said my account was eligible to receive it. Once they saw I was using an iPhone they said that it was the ONLY phone they couldn't supply the unlock code for per their terms with Apple. I simply don't understand this. Why can EVERY other AT&T phone be unlocked besides the iPhone? What is the reasoning behind this? Totally ridiculous to me.
 
El3ctronics said:
Well I called AT&T last night to check my options. I first asked for the unlock code to my phone and they said my account was eligible to receive it. Once they saw I was using an iPhone they said that it was the ONLY phone they couldn't supply the unlock code for per their terms with Apple. I simply don't understand this. Why can EVERY other AT&T phone be unlocked besides the iPhone? What is the reasoning behind this? Totally ridiculous to me.
Click to expand...

Apple is the reasoning, they are the ones not allowing AT&T to do it
 
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