Unlocking the 3G 3.0 iPhone

[jlwilson]

Hi all,

I'm in S. Africa right now and want to use a local sim card so I don't have to pay for the expensive air time (even with the world traveler packages) to make local calls. I'm not real tech savvy with this iphone stuff yet, but I realize that it will need to be unlocked to be able to do this. I did a google search on 'unlocking the iphone' and it came back with all kinds of sites that have software to unlock it. I don't know enough about this to know if it's safe to do or if one site is better than another. I realize I should have researched this before I left the country, but getting ready for a big trip always makes me forget something .

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Joyce

 

[mikea]

I've heard it's complicated to impossible if you have the current OS because it puts authentication for the kernel in the firmware so it won't load or run hacked kernels. You have to back the firmware version down.

The last I read there are businesses in Viet Nam that go so far as to replace the PROM for $1000 a pop.... ...and after that if you let it upgrade the OS it gets locked again.

I'd suggest you Google for help. There's a guy at tivocommunity.com that seems to know a lot but there are likely better forums like howardforums.com

Bottom line: You'd be better off just buying a "burner" phone there.

 

[jlwilson]

Thanks! that's what I figured, but I knew there were lots of folks here who know a whole lot more than I do!

Joyce

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Bottom line: You'd be better off just buying a "burner" phone there.

What Mike said. The penalty for screwing up is that you "brick" your phone (and it doesn't work, anywhere. And voids your warranty. And you pay the full $600 unsubsidized price to replace it.)

You can still use it with WiFi for non-phone functions. You may also be able to get an AT&T international plan, but that'll be pricey.

The other option would be to find out who the local "iPhone Approved" carrier is and get an iPhone-specific sim card from them. The iPhone uses special sim cards, so you can't just use any old sim card from a local phone, but you *might* be able to use a local iPhone sim card.