Existing users, 
iPhone unlocked for other carriers: One method hardware-based, one software-based
Posted 24 August 2007 @ 10am in News
A Glen Rock teen has unlocked an iPhone for use on other carriers (he currently, allegedly, has it up and running on T-Mobile), posted instructions for doing so, and is selling the unlocked phone on eBay.
The instructions are almost too frightening to fathom unless you have excellent technical dexterity and superfluous iPhones you can potentially destroy. They require cracking the iPhone’s case, soldering, meddling with firmware using a host of unfamiliar utilities, and “concentration.”
George Hotz, who compiled instructions for the hack, says:
“So if you follow these steps, you should have an unlocked iPhone. I’m sorry about how hard they are to follow, but someone will get them to work, and simplify them, and simplify them more. Hopefully a software unlock will be found in the near future.”
Meanwhile, “iPhoneSimFree.com” is claiming “the worlds (sp) first (and only) software driven sim unlocking service for the iPhone(tm). No need to open your phone. No need to solder.” The site offers no documented backup of its claims, but does state:
“To silence any doubters out there, we are welcoming publications from around the world to apply to receive their iPhones(tm) unlocked free of charge. If interested, please submit an application via our Contact Us form. The top three applications will receive a free un-lock within the next 48 hours, which will be soon followed by the commercial launch of the software for public consumption. […] Individual per unit licenses will be available starting next week. We are currently opening up our mail for bulk purchase enquiries of 500 licenses and above.”
UPDATE: Engadget claims to have tested the iPhoneSimFree method, and that it works:
“The unlock process took only a couple of minutes. From our end it was totally painless. Once you put your new, non AT&T SIM in the device, you have to go through the usual activation process. […] We tested with an active T-Mobile SIM — after the hack was finished and we reactivated we immediately got full bars and the T-Mobile carrier info popped up in the top bar.”
Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.
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2 Comments
Posted by dmiller62
26 August 2007 @ 8am
Why on earth would anyone -in the United States- want to unlock their iPhone, since this is what an unlocked iPhone gets you:
- The ability to use TMobile, instead of AT&T. This is an advantage? From what I’ve read, TMobile not only has less coverage, but the overall cost would be much higher than any of AT&T’s unlimited data plans. What none of the mainstream news stories seem to have “gotten” is that an unlocked iPhone can’t EVER BE USED with Verizon or Sprint because their networks are incompatible with the iPhone. So as far as this is concerned (in the US!), unlocking the iPhone starts off as shooting yourself in the foot.
- You lose Visual Voicemail for certain. (and reportedly, other functionality such as Weather, Stocks, and Google Maps, of all things, which is a feature I couldn’t live without). And possibly email as well? So you would have to be just plain nuts to do this. It remains to be seen, from people who are trying this, how much functionality you’re left with when the iPhone is unlocked and running on another carrier. If “all” you have left is phone calling (with no Visual Voicemail); web browsing; the contact book; iPod functionality; and non-Internet functionality (like NoteBook, Photos, etc) but you lose the rest of the connectivity features: then that makes an iPhone unlock a non-starter.
- You void your warranty; you also lose assurance that you’ll be able to get regular updates to the iPhone software in the future.
Unlocking the iPhone? No benefit; only serious, significant downsides.
Posted by WolfWerner
27 August 2007 @ 2pm
Hi
There are thousends of Mac fan’s all over the World they bought o wan’t to buy a iPhone just for WiFi access,eMail, iPod ,Adress Book etc.
As I in Mexico have to wait perhaps Years to get Access,that’s why we are happy for this meantime Solucion.
Best Regards
Wolf