Users around the world report success with iPhone hardware unlock

While widespread verification of claims made by iPhoneSimFree.com and others claiming to have successfully unlocked the iPhone via software has not yet materialized, users from around the world are reporting success with George Hotz’ complex hardware-based unlocking process using various service providers. Users are also having success with an alternative unlock process that allegedly needs no soldering (using only a needle), but still requires that the iPhone be disassembled.

Posts on the “Hackintosh” forums include:

• A user from Winnipeg, on Rogers who writes “Finally got my iPhone unlocked after two unsuccessful evenings of trying. It’s working 100% (less visual voicemail of course), pairs with my 07 Altima via Bluetooth, charges and plays through my Aux jack on the dock in my Altima. SMS, EDGE working. [...] The only thing that sucks is Rogers doesn’t have an unlimited data plan but at least the iPhone has a built in data monitor to tell you how much you’ve used since amazingly enough, Rogers can’t tell you….. I have to give a huge thanks to everyone who made the hardware unlock possible and also to this forum where I was able to find resolutions to some minor hangups I ran into.”
• Another user in Thaliand, on the AIS network, who writes: “I have done the hardware unlock to my iPhone yesterday. Right now it is on AIS network and everything works great.”

Other successful unlocks were reported on Brazillian networks, Vodafone in Germany, Israeli Cellcom/Orange GSM and Austrailia’s Telstra.

Unfortunately, some users are apparently doing damage to their units that will almost certainly not be covered under Apple’s warranty. One commonly reported issue is the loss of Bluetooth and or Wi-Fi connectivity. Other, more dire cases have resulted in iPhones that refuse to power up.

One use wrote: “after touching the needles, iPhone just halted and i lost Wi-Fi, now I can’t restore or do anything on iPhone because iTunes says ‘The IPhone couldn’t be restore. Unknown Error (1011).’

In these cases, usage of recovery mode is worth a shot, but will likely prove impotent if hardware damage as occurred.

Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.