UK 3g 4.2.1 6.15 officially unlocked but only works on T Mobile!

[baskie]

This is a new problem I've never seen before, wondering if anyone can help solve it.

The phone is a 3g, on 4.2.1 and it's had the baseband upped to 6.15. When you plug it into iTunes after restoring it with any carriers sim in it, it comes up with the "your iphone is now unlocked" screen. Which to me says that it's factory unlocked, and also raises the question, why the 6.15 BB!

Anyway, with any sim in it OTHER THAN a T Mobile the phone will not activate, put the T-Mobile sim in it and it activates as normal, and will work on the T Mobile network, but none others. Put in an o2, Vod etc sim card and whilst it will pick up the carrier logo it will not get any bars or allow calls etc. EXACTLY as if it were barred/block, but I'm assuming it's not as it works on T Mobile! I've also checked the IMEI number on the usual sites and it shows up as NOT blocked.

I've tried Ultrasnow (the latest version) and that doesn't help, still nothing on any network other than T Mobile.

So, I'm wondering.... Do UK T Mobile iPhones have some weird thing going on that they will only work on that network, regardless of whether it's unlocked or not? Or, is the 6.15 baseband messing with the official unlock and reversing it? (Can't see how myself). Or, is there something else going on I've not thought of?

Anyone any ideas for next step?

Ta.

[Mes]

Interesting, unlocked w/iPad BB, and only T-Mobile. Very interesting ......
From what I've heard, IMEI blocking is not enabled on T-Mobile. So if it were blocked on other networks, it would still work on T-Mobile. Maybe someone else can confirm this

[MikeMiamiFL]

Dude we have already unlocked the 3GS like this in the USA back in 2010. Be aware that now your GPS is corrupt and inaccurate. The dev team is still working on a fix for it but it is not a top priority... See the dev team blog and read more About it. You can even google "06.15.00" and tons of info on this unlock method will pop up.

[Mes]

@MikeMiamiFL: The OP's problem is using a different SIM (aka: apparently locked to T-Mobile)

[MikeMiamiFL]

Got it! Sorry guys... And yea that is strange. Carry on now..LOL

[baskie]

Interesting about blocked phones working on T Mobile. I have a blocked phone at home so will try that one with the T Mobile sim.

And yes, Mike, I'm up to speed with the 6.15 issues. I didn't do the BB update, it came that way (cheapy phone off Ebay).

[Mes]

Interesting about blocked phones working on T Mobile. I have a blocked phone at home so will try that one with the T Mobile sim....

Thx, Would be nice to get updated info on this I don't know this as a fact ...

[baskie]

Well, tried to restore it to a fresh custom 4.2.1 with iPad bb. Now stuck in restore loop! Reboot and TU not kicking it out.

Any ideas?

[ihappy]

Well, tried to restore it to a fresh custom 4.2.1 with iPad bb. Now stuck in restore loop! Reboot and TU not kicking it out.

Any ideas?

Have you you tried Fix Recovery421???

[Stray]

Well, tried to restore it to a fresh custom 4.2.1 with iPad bb. Now stuck in restore loop! Reboot and TU not kicking it out.

Any ideas?

Wait you tried installing a custom firmware and then got stuck in recovery mode???

[ihappy]

Wait you tried installing a custom firmware and then got stuck in recovery mode???

I agree. I didn't think that was possible but I guess something new always pops up.

[baskie]

Ya, custom 4.2.1 with iPad BB. Why is that not possible? Done it plenty of times before on phones with the iPad BB. I'm confused now!

The phone arrived with non JB 4.2.1 on it and the 6.15 BB. Tried sim, no luck, other than T Mobile as mentioned at the top. So, I installed a custom firmware 4.2.1 made with Pwnage and no BB upgrade (as figured the BB was already as high as it can go!), and the phone works, no restore loop, Cydia etc, but.... The T Mobile only problem still there, even after installing Ultrasn0w. So, thinking perhaps the iPad BB was the problem I tried installing a custom 4.2.1 WITH the iPad BB upgrade. From that it's stuck i the restore loop.

Have also tried a standard restore in iTunes: Restore Loop. Am now trying a restore to custom 4.2.1 with no BB upgrade (same version I used successfully earlier). Will see how that goes.

Anyway, thanks for the Recoveryfix hint, not heard of that one, but sadly not, terminal message said not compatible Jailbreak!

Update: And that worked! Well, got it out of Recovery Mode anyway! No reception still on anything other than T Mobile. It's a weird one indeed.

Think I'll quite while I'm ahead. Bought it cheap off ebay so can just move it on as a mint conditioned 16gb 3g locked to T Mobile.

Thanks for all the help folks.

[nebo1ss]

Thx, Would be nice to get updated info on this I don't know this as a fact ...

The op is from the UK. When he says he is only working on T-Mobile he means T-Mobile UK. IMEI blocking is effective for all UK carriers including Tmobile. His phone is probably an original Tmobile UK phone and is still locked to Tmobile because Ultrasn0w was not successful in unlocking the ipad baseband.

He needs to try ultrasn0w again. Many seem to have problems with ultrasn0w and Ipad baseband with first attempt and sometimes it seems to take a lot of playing before it works.

[Mes]

... IMEI blocking is effective for all UK carriers including Tmobile....

Thank you for the information.

[Alinv]

OK it has BB 6.15.00, that's great, but is ultrasn0w installed?
Perhaps it was officially unlocked, but then someone inadvertently installed 6.15.00 BB, and that might interfere with the unlock?
But I'm betting if ultrasn0w is installed it would be unlocked for any carrier.
Good Luck

[baskie]

OK it has BB 6.15.00, that's great, but is ultrasn0w installed?
Perhaps it was officially unlocked, but then someone inadvertently installed 6.15.00 BB, and that might interfere with the unlock?
But I'm betting if ultrasn0w is installed it would be unlocked for any carrier.
Good Luck

A classic "I didn't bother to read the entire thread" post!

[Alinv]

Yikes! You're right, not only that, but I evidently didn't even read the first post very well!
Sorry to have piped in at all!