Is there a way to unlock an un-activated iPhone 3G?

[Schwartz45]

I've purchased an iPhone 3G, refurbished and manufactured in 2008, and I've spent the last several days fruitlessly looking for a way to unlock it for use with my Telcel GSM (Live in Mexico). Since it's unactivated, I'm stuck in the emergency call screen, iTunes won't recognize it, can't update firmware(don't know what firmware it is, either).... you all know how it is.

What I want to know is if there is a way to unlock it, even though it's unactivated. I've looked for a solution for a while now, here's the options as I've seen them:

-Sites that will unlock for a fee
-Universal SIM card

Is there another way? Thanks in advance for any and all input and answers.

[Effenpig!]

It doesn't need to be activated. There are instructions on unlocking your phone in the guides section. For free

[ossidon]

I had an iPhone 3G that was JB & Unlocked but became water damaged. It was in warranty and swapped by Apple Genius bar for a remanufactured iPhone. I am not an ATT customer & do not have access the original ATT Sim Card. I am currently stuck on the Emergency Calls / Activation screen on the new remanufactured iPhone 3G.

I put the iPhone 3G phone in DFU mode and found out about the iBoot-596.24 Does this give an idea about JB & Unlocking possibility?

How else can I find out about my FW or Baseband on the remanufacture phone, if I cant get past the Emergency Screen.

I am planning to put in a prepaid ATT SIM card, restore the iPhone 3G to 3.1.2, run Redsn0w 0.9.2 and point to 3.1.2 ipsw. Hopefull this will take me past the Emergency call screen so that I can check the baseband. Once I get into Cydia, I think I can unlock using ultrasnow.

Can someone please verify the above information for me and let me know if my plan would work out? Or do I still need a valid SIM card to "Activate" at any stage or will redsn0w do it for me?

[mavrik101]

Should work. But if your baseband is 5.11.07, you would run blacksn0w to unlock.

[Mes]

...I put the iPhone 3G phone in DFU mode and found out about the iBoot-596.24 Does this give an idea about JB & Unlocking possibility?
...

iBoot issues are for the 3GS, not the 3G.
The BB is your biggest concern. 5.12.xxx can not be unlocked.
All earlier versions can

[ossidon]

I downgraded to 3.1.2 and then Jailbroke it with Redsn0w.

However I am stuck with Baseband 05.12.01 and Boot Loader 6.09 or something. I guess I am stuck until an unlock is released. GeoHot or Devteam HELP !!

[Schwartz45]

It doesn't need to be activated. There are instructions on unlocking your phone in the guides section. For free

I checked in guides, and all that I saw were ways to jailbreak and unlock but with a known firmware, or an unlock that only works with a jailbroken iPhone. Since I have neither a jailbroken iPhone nor know the firmware, these didn't help me at all. Maybe there's a specific one I'm missing?

[mavrik101]

Put the phone in restore or dfu mode. Then connect to computer. iTunes shoud now see it in restore mode. Restore with 3.1.2. Then jailbreak(Blackra1n) and unlock (Blacksn0w).
If you want to have it activated upon restore, create or download ACTIVATED custom firmware. Google 3g 3.1.2 custom firmware. Then when you restore, hold the shift key (windows) and select this firmware.

[Schwartz45]

Cool, I'll give this a try. Thanks.

[Shivam Parikh]

snowbreeze and family works well.