A traveling newbie needs help

[chefstephen]

Hi

I've been searching the forum for a while and I have figured a few things out but still have questions, so thanks in advance for any help you might be able to give.

My wife and I are traveling to Scotland this summer and we want to use our iPhones with O2 (it gets the best reception where we're going). We go regularly but we got by with an old flip phone running on O2 and checking email once or twice a day on the computer. My wife and I both now work for ourselves and that isn't gong to cut it anymore; not to mention I'm so used to my iphone I'm not sure I can survive without it. So I want to unlock out phones to work in the UK.

Here is what I think I have learned about my phones from searching the forum; if I'm wrong anywhere please let me know.

My newer 3gs running 3.1.3 with firmware 05.12.01 - SOL, can't unlock so other than Wi-Fi and using CoPilot as my SatNav I need to keep it in Airplane mode to make sure I don't accidentally pay for the new executive dining room at ATT headquarters. That's OK I have a backup....

My old 2g Iphone (my kid uses it as an ipod touch) running 3.1.2 with firmware 04.05.04_G - I can Jailbreak and unlock this phone using the info here. Then I can pop my O2 sim in and go; so that's me covered.

My wife's 3g running 3.1.2 with firmware 05.11.07 - I can jailbreak the phone using the info here. So then it's jail broken but can I unlock it?

So now the questions:

1. First is the info above correct, if it's wrong all my other assumptions are wrong?
2. For both the 2g and 3g, when jailbreaking the first thing to do (after the required downloads) is to allow iTunes to update the phones to 3.1.3; is that correct? and then run redsn0w?
3. Can the 3g then be unlocked once it is jailbroken so I can use an O2 sim? Where can I find that info?
4. Can the phones be returned to the locked state when we return?
5. If I F**K UP when I'm doing this what do I do?

Sorry for all the questions but I am new to this and I don't want to end up with a couple of paperweights for my trouble. Thanks again everyone.

[confucious]

The 3G can be unlocked with BlackSn0w RC2, you will need to add the repo Cydia.pushfix.info

When are you going to Scotland? iOS4 is due out tomorrow and the iPhone 4 this week. I don't believe it will be long before an Unlock is available for your 3GS and a newer unlock available for the 3G

Why would you want to remove the unlock? It can be done but why would you want too?

[Amadomon]

+1 to what confucious said. Both are unlockable right now, so if for some reason the iOS4 unlock doesn't come out, do NOT update to 3.1.13.

[chefstephen]

Thanks for the replies; they are greatly appreciated. Of course being a newbie answers usually mean more questions so I do have a couple of followups to make sure I understand everything:

The 3G can be unlocked with BlackSn0w RC2, you will need to add the repo Cydia.pushfix.info

I take it BlackSn0w will be in the same list as the Edge Disabler and YouTube fix once I have the PushFix in place; is that correct?

When are you going to Scotland? iOS4 is due out tomorrow and the iPhone 4 this week. I don't believe it will be long before an Unlock is available for your 3GS and a newer unlock available for the 3G

We leave on the 1st so there is time and I did read about the rumor that there will be a release to break the 3gs and 4 once it's released. If that's the case then I'll unlock the 3gs, but since it's not available yet I want to make sure I'm set with the backup.

Why would you want to remove the unlock? It can be done but why would you want too?

Well it's likely I won't relock the 2g since it gets used mostly as a ipod at this point but the 3g is different. I'm still locked in to an ATT contract on 3 of the 4 phones we have so changing carriers in the US isn't happening right now. Besides I figure it will relock if I unjailbreak it. This is something I need to do because the phone is my wife's. She is likely to sync the phone and update it without thinking about the consequences and my understanding is that is a bad thing to do?

+1 to what confucious said. Both are unlockable right now, so if for some reason the iOS4 unlock doesn't come out, do NOT update to 3.1.13.

OK slightly confused, I think I understand the idea of not updating to 3.1.3 but the first step of both links (2g and 3g) I found for jailbreaking (after downloading the packages) is to let itunes download and update the phone to 3.1.3. Is that incorrect, or am I reading something wrong?

By the way, I ordered a US T-Mobile sim card ($7) to check the unlocking; if I get that to work it should mean any SIm will work correct?

Thanks again for all the help, I really don't want to pay ATT hundreds of dollars for a two week trip.

[slayoxus]

download blacksn0w from cydia

[confucious]

I take it BlackSn0w will be in the same list as the Edge Disabler and YouTube fix once I have the PushFix in place; is that correct?

I believe so.

We leave on the 1st so there is time and I did read about the rumor that there will be a release to break the 3gs and 4 once it's released. If that's the case then I'll unlock the 3gs, but since it's not available yet I want to make sure I'm set with the backup.

It's tight - so wise move

Well it's likely I won't relock the 2g since it gets used mostly as a ipod at this point but the 3g is different. I'm still locked in to an ATT contract on 3 of the 4 phones we have so changing carriers in the US isn't happening right now. Besides I figure it will relock if I unjailbreak it. This is something I need to do because the phone is my wife's. She is likely to sync the phone and update it without thinking about the consequences and my understanding is that is a bad thing to do?

Upgrading without knowing if an unlock / JB is out just means you will lose the JB / Unlock

OK slightly confused, I think I understand the idea of not updating to 3.1.3 but the first step of both links (2g and 3g) I found for jailbreaking (after downloading the packages) is to let itunes download and update the phone to 3.1.3. Is that incorrect, or am I reading something wrong?

I should have checked your links. Upgrading to 3.13 is fine for the 2G but not for the 3G - if you upgrade the 3G (without using pwnage) you will update the BB to a version that can not be unlocked - please make sure you do not update to 3.13 until a new JB / Unlock has been released if you want to unlock it - you can JB a 3G on 3.13 but not unlock (without using pwnage). I would stick on 3.12 and use RedSn0w to JB redsn0w 0.9.2 [iPhone Dev Team] and BlackSn0w to unlock.

By the way, I ordered a US T-Mobile sim card ($7) to check the unlocking; if I get that to work it should mean any SIm will work correct?

Yes - but on the 3G you will have to turn off 3G with a US T-Mobile SIM as they use a different frequency. You won't have any such problem with any European provider.

Thanks again for all the help, I really don't want to pay ATT hundreds of dollars for a two week trip.

No problem - it's what we are here for.

Have a great trip, I've heard Scotland is beautiful (although I've never actually been myself!)

[chefstephen]

Thanks so much! I think I have it; it will probably seem much more straight forward once I have done one of them. I'm going to try the 2g first since I don't need that as a phone regularly.

One last question, I assume the right thing to do is make a back up before a do this and if something goes wrong I can then dump the whole thing and restore from the backup is that right?

[confucious]

The 2G is not a problem at all.
iTunes will back up anyway - but you can not restore your BB if you upgrade it on the 3G, so long as you don't upgrade the BB you will be fine.