Official Apple iPhone Unlock Possible!?!

[metaljay]

i just emailed o2 saying im going away to thailand lol so i would need it unlocking, they will do so at a cost but i will still have to pay of my contract.

Im waiting for a defo answer from apple now ( they have to check with apple)

[Levonk]

we have 3 of Iphone 3G on Optus network and all 3 of them are unlocked by optus, and when Iphone 3GS came out, i have upgraded one of my Iphones 3G to 3GS, after couple days i called Optus and told them that i am going to travel and need my 3GS to be unlocked, so in couple hours it was done, the only thing i had to do is to restore the 3GS, and when its done restoring Itunes shows the same text saying that its unlocked . After that i have sold one of my 3G iphones for $650 to someone, so now i have an unlocked Iphone 3GS. In Australia its very easy to unlock the iphone if you are on a contract, and you don't have to pay off your contract, just upgrade the phone and sell the old one

[squaresoft]

and we may well expect hackers extracting the unlock from there and patch it so that it works in all phones

[JazJon]

Why would U.S. AT&T users want to unlock? You cant even get 3G using the iphone with T-Mobile. I can see using a pre-paid sim over seas while on vacation or something, but being stuck on slow edge would suck in the U.S. I know T-Mobile has better pricing but still. I like 3G speed, and get a discount already on AT&T so I'm pretty happy. The service itself does kind of suck though. The phone drops calls some days, and flip flops between edge/3g. I guess it's mostly the idea of having your phone unlocked. It shouldnt be locked in the first place for sure.

[lou rob]

i just emailed o2 saying im going away to thailand lol so i would need it unlocking, they will do so at a cost but i will still have to pay of my contract.

Im waiting for a defo answer from apple now ( they have to check with apple)

Let us know how you get on

[DaveTaylor]

I got myself a iPhone 3GS from Aus. via eBay and it had that screen.

[azkiller]

that happened to me before too...

I bought an iPhone 3G 8Gb in Berlin, Germany which originally was from Poland.
I had it jailbroken and used a x-sim.....I put in the t-mobile sim without the x-sim and restored to 2.2.1 and as soon as that was done (I already downloaded pwnage tool and everything) iTunes surprised with exactly that screen!!!
I don't know what happened there, I don't how to explain it, but ever since my 3G is unlocked. I didn't need yellowsn0w and I don't need ultrasn0w now. It just works with every sim card.......
why? hell, I really don't know!!

same thing happen to my 3G everytime i upgrade it automatic unlock but i still need to jailbreak, i got my phone from US

[xxpwnxx]

get the hell out!!!!

[Icepecks]

This morning after reading this thread I contacted 02 via email requesting an unlock due to me traveling abroad. I'm on a pay as you go Iphone 3g. They don't know it but I'm already JB'd, Unlocked with Redsn0w.

Here's their response:

Good afternoon Adam

Thanks for emailing us about unlocking your iPhone.

I'm afraid the iPhone can't be unlocked. If you attempt to unlock your iPhone and use it on another network, it may become permanently unusable.

Please be assured all our Pay & Go SIM cards are enabled for international roaming.

Please click on the link below for more information on international roaming.

International coverage - Travelling abroad - International - O2

I hope I have explained this clearly.

Did you know Adam, if you register on our fantastic website, you're entitled to 10 free text messages every month to send to any network at any time. If you're already registered make sure you remember to take advantage of this free service - just another great benefit of being an O2 customer.

Please click now on the following link to register and get your 10 free text messages:

http://www.o2.co.uk/login?sendTo=http://www.o2.co.uk

Have a nice day.

If you need further information about this matter, please reply to this email. For further details about O2, please visit our online Help Centre at:

Help - O2

Don't forget, for us to answer your query faster, please provide your mobile number, two numbers that you call or send text messages to regularly and the date, amount and method of your last Top-Up, every time you email us.

Kind regards

Runa
O2 Customer Service

Getting your query right the first time you email us is very important to us. If your query has not been resolved this time, please reply to this email with the words 'Need More Help' in the subject field.

Telefónica O2 UK Limited, Registered in England No 1743099. Registered Office: 260 Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire SL1 4DX

[sziklassy]

A couple of problems with this:

1. Apple wants certain features with all their iPhones which they can't control if they can't pick which carriers support it. The two most notable are:
a- Data Package (Preferably Unlimited)
b- Visual Voicemail

The first one is doable, even if it isn't unlimited, most carriers have a data plan of sorts. The second one is a bit more complicated because not all carriers support this. More are adopting it now thank to the iPhone but had the iPhone been unlocked from the go, none of the carriers would have any incentive to support it considering the big infrastructure changed this meant.

Let's not forget, Apple approached VERIZON first to be the iPhone's carrier demanding those things. Verizon said no to visual voicemail so Apple went to AT&T. Like those of you in Verizon asking for the iPhone, I'd email customer services asking WTF were they thinking saying no to it.

A universally unlocked iPhone would be nice but it would be missing some features people take for granted.

It is too bad ATT's visual voicemail has been acting up since July and they have no ETA on the fix

[drummer10630]

There is a place here in Manila that reflashes a chip inside the phone for you, and then the phone is permanently unlocked whatever FW you flash. Connect to Itunes, download apps, whatever. Price about $80.00

[luigi_187]

amyone on 02 had this joy?

[Foxter]

Wow...
A little disappointed that this is news for you guys.

In some european countries, the operators are not allowed to
not unlock phones if the buyer asks them to. But offcourse there is a price to pay. Ex. in Norway.

It was the first thing I did after I got mine one year ago...

[JAG2621]

Can apple install me cydia please?? would be very kind!

LOL! Wished it were that easy.

[LongN3ck]

In the past I had success with calling T-Mobile after one year of a 2-year contract and asking them to provide me with an unlock code for a phone, this was not a problem (even in the US). However I think AT&T has vested interest in not unlocking iPhones because of their exclusive agreement with Apple and because they want the revenue. T-Mobile should get in the iPhone game in the US - they are the largest GSM competitor to AT&T.

[cricketlang]

this is old news. been aware of this for a while

[smuggler]

very interesting, i feel so controlled by AT&T, it makes me sick.

[Nv1dia]

At&t by law has to unlock your phones after 3 months into the contract, or so my at&t rep advised me a few months ago. He was curious as to how they would do it though. I suppose now we know that it has to do with apple as well.

[GHOSTYAIRO]

This is good, but I'd still miss the jailbreak, actually that could be a powerful weapon from apple to stop jailbreak, most of users jailbreak for the unlock (not me lol).
But it would be good if they do it officially (for everyone)

[inamra]

I'd still really like this official unlock, then continue to jailbreak. It would help my girlfriend and myself out for our iPhone's.

Where do I find the contact to try to request an unlock from Apple?

One of the iPhones I purchased didn't even have a SIM in it and was brand new. I think that particular one would have a greater chance of being officially unlocked (or I am being overly hopeful) since it is also being used overseas right now.

I'm aware the chances of them allowing it are slim but it's worth trying.

Thanks