[art_director]

First, I do not have an iPhone yet. I started this thread to assemble lock / unlock info for sharing amongst us MacNN folk as the iPhone becomes more widely available and, dare I say, hacked into being unlocked. My guess is that will happen by Sunday, July 1, 2007 at the latest.

WHAT DOES 'LOCKED' MEAN? -- When a GSM device like the iPhone is sold through a mobile carrier like AT&T Wingular it's typically locked. Carriers do this because they often subsidize the handsets. Since they make the investment they want to ensure you don't take the phone to another carrier befire the terms of your contract are satisfied. Some carriers, like T-Mobile in the US, will give you the unlock code after the first 90 days of service. Others, like AT&T Wingular will never give you the unlock code. Once the phone is unlocked it can be used on any GSM / GPRS network in the world. All you need is a valid SIM card from the chosen carrier and you're in service.

WILL THE iPHONE EVER BE UNLOCKED? -- You can count on it. Like I said in my intro paragraph, my guess is some crafty individual will have one unlocked by this Sunday. In time Apple will probably open the iPhone up and offer unlocked units.

HOW IS A PHONE UNLOCKED? -- Going the intended route you use a code supplied by the carrier to unlock a device. When the carrier and the handset manufacturer do not allow you must find a way around it. Often that's a software solution. PoccketPC phones, like the MDA and others, can be easily unlocked for free with a third party app developed by a group of enthusiasts. I suspect the iPhone will have people unlocking them for profit initially. BEWARE if you try any service that requires you to send your precious iPhone in for unlocking. It's a common scam to get your phone from your hands. Rest assured you may never see it again.


• If you have an iPhone please try a SIM card from a different carrier (e.g. T-Mobile) in the device. Then post what happens. And add some screen grabs if you can.

[freudling]

I am getting so tired of people talking about unlocking phones like this is something magical or new. Europeans and Asians having been hacking and unlocking phones for 20 years. It is simple: you plug x mobile phone into computer (usb with adapter). Computer has a software app on it that reads the phone's firmware and presents all this info in a window, including the code to unlock the phone. You simply unlock it with the code and presto, you can put whatever SIM you want in there.

I have seen this done many times. It takes 5 seconds.

[art_director]

Precisely why I put the info in my initial post.

So, are you certain it can be done with an iPhone -- not just phone service, but other fuinctionality? That's the crux of it for me.

[freudling]

You will lose some functionality. Visual voicemail for one.

[neps]

i'm not affilated with them - but I'm posting this to hear others experience.

while on line at 5th ave (40 minutes on a four block long line! waited 20x longer for a wii!) was handed a card to Unlock Your Apple iPhone - iPhoneUnlocking

when I got home their unlock number was 400, now its over 700. anyone have experience? i'm also curious where they are making their profit. seems shady, but I signed up.

neil

[analogue SPRINKLES]

So will it be possible to buy the phone and unlock it before you activate it on At&T and then have to break the contract?

[Andy8]

Do you have to sign anything to walk in and buy an iPhone?

[BRussell]

Originally Posted by freudling 

I am getting so tired of people talking about unlocking phones like this is something magical or new. Europeans and Asians having been hacking and unlocking phones for 20 years. It is simple: you plug x mobile phone into computer (usb with adapter). Computer has a software app on it that reads the phone's firmware and presents all this info in a window, including the code to unlock the phone. You simply unlock it with the code and presto, you can put whatever SIM you want in there.

I have seen this done many times. It takes 5 seconds.

So then tell us how to do it for the iPhone, and us dum 'mericans will shut up about this mystical European thing that you do.

And while you're at it, explain how you activate iTunes so it syncs properly without the AT&T contract.

Thanks.

[Eug]

This is interesting, but we in Canada would be limited by a few things with unlocked AT&T iPhones:

1) iTunes. (Not just in Canada.)
2) Stoopid-high data costs.
3) Slow EDGE speeds.

Originally Posted by freudling 

I am getting so tired of people talking about unlocking phones like this is something magical or new. Europeans and Asians having been hacking and unlocking phones for 20 years. It is simple: you plug x mobile phone into computer (usb with adapter). Computer has a software app on it that reads the phone's firmware and presents all this info in a window, including the code to unlock the phone. You simply unlock it with the code and presto, you can put whatever SIM you want in there.

I have seen this done many times. It takes 5 seconds.

Translated: "I have never seen an iPhone unlocked, and don't actually know what's involved with unlocking an iPhone or with using an unlocked iPhone."

[mrogov]

any more details? you have an image of the card? has anyone yet gotten a key for this? and how would one enter it, if so? Did anyone try the *#06# press on the handset to see that IMEI number? Does at least that work?

[freudling]

Eug:

What are you talking about?

THROUGH THE APPLICATION ON YOUR COMPUTER YOU TAKE CONTROL OF THE ENTIRE PHONE, and can unlock it from there. Any big city will have several cell phone stores who will unlock your phone. I know of one place just down the street that does it for 15 bucks a phone. I saw people lined up in front of the kiosk there the other day.

I have personally got a handful of cell phones unlocked. The application most people use looks like DOS, and a few commands are entered which resets your phone and unlocks it. The last time I did it, the phone was connected to the computer via usb, the firmware data was showing on the screen on the computer that person had in front of them, and he entered 1 command, and then pushed the hard reset button on the phone. The phone was then unlocked. I can use any SIM I want in it.

The point is you can't just unlock the phone yourself, unless you have the software to do it.

As for syncing, I have no idea if that will work after you unlock, although the basics should. Getting contracts with unlocked phones? I have done it before. I have an unlocked Motorola Razr and am using it just fine.

[Judge_Fire]

I would suspect the software side, including firmware, on an Apple phone to be a bit more challenging to hack. It might be doing checks from the OS side to verify the integrity of the firmware, for example, so you'd have to tweak the OS, too.

But yeah, let's see how long it takes.

[freudling]

Here is a mailing list for all those wishing to have theirs unlocked.

iphoneunlocked

[Graymalkin]

freudling, you don't seem to understand. Unlocking an iPhone is nothing like unlocking a normal cell phone. Software wise most GSM phones are pretty generic save for a few features the mobile provider will customize (applications, wallpapers, ringtones). They're designed to be shipped to a number of mobile providers and so have a pretty standard procedure for locking/unlocking. When all else fails the stock OEM firmware can be loaded on the phone which removes all existing SIM/network locks.

The iPhone is not such a phone. The current version is only sold for AT&T and there's no custom firmware AT&T uses for the phone. There's only Apple's firmware available and Apple's firmware is currently locked onto using AT&T. The iPhone is also not using an OEM baseband like many phones do so the standard ROM-overwrite techniques that might work with typical phones using an off-the-shelf basebands aren't going to work.

[freudling]

Graymalkin:

I sent you a PM.

[croozn]

Originally Posted by freudling 

I am getting so tired of people talking about unlocking phones like this is something magical or new. Europeans and Asians having been hacking and unlocking phones for 20 years. It is simple: you plug x mobile phone into computer (usb with adapter). Computer has a software app on it that reads the phone's firmware and presents all this info in a window, including the code to unlock the phone. You simply unlock it with the code and presto, you can put whatever SIM you want in there.

I have seen this done many times. It takes 5 seconds.

You have the disadvantage of not having a clue what you are talking about.

You cannot unlock an iPhone. But if some wizard gets THAT far...

You cannot ACCESS THE SIM CARD on an iPhone...so even if you "unlocked" it, you cannot switch it to another network.

It is thus at least "double locked" and this has never been done before. There is no old school way around it.

If you buy one of these on EBay, you are HOSED for about $1,000 and there is nothing you can do about it.

Last, as I understand, even if you bought it and planned on using it on AT&T...you CANNOT. The original purchase was matched with that buyers credit card number, which must be entered on iTunes to set up the phone. So unless he gives you his credit card number (yeah, right), you cannot buy one of these from someone else.

This is not some average cell phone company, this is Apple. The old tricks don't work.

If you don't want AT&T (which would be smart of you) then what you can do is WAIT.

[croozn]

One more thing...

You can't even access the BATTERY on an iPhone! When the battery dies, you have to return it to Apple to have it replaced. I presume they were forced to this because they did not want to give even that much potential access to the SIM card (though there must have been a work-around for that, that's how they chose to go).

Open it up and you have a very slick looking box that will never do anything.

There's no software fix for that!!

[croozn]

Apologies. Turns out you can get the SIM out with a paperclip. But you still can't get around the iTunes and AT&T requirement.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by freudling 

Eug:

What are you talking about?

THROUGH THE APPLICATION ON YOUR COMPUTER YOU TAKE CONTROL OF THE ENTIRE PHONE, and can unlock it from there. Any big city will have several cell phone stores who will unlock your phone. I know of one place just down the street that does it for 15 bucks a phone. I saw people lined up in front of the kiosk there the other day.

I have personally got a handful of cell phones unlocked. The application most people use looks like DOS, and a few commands are entered which resets your phone and unlocks it. The last time I did it, the phone was connected to the computer via usb, the firmware data was showing on the screen on the computer that person had in front of them, and he entered 1 command, and then pushed the hard reset button on the phone. The phone was then unlocked. I can use any SIM I want in it.

The point is you can't just unlock the phone yourself, unless you have the software to do it.

As for syncing, I have no idea if that will work after you unlock, although the basics should. Getting contracts with unlocked phones? I have done it before. I have an unlocked Motorola Razr and am using it just fine.

Je repete...

Translated: "I have never seen an iPhone unlocked, and don't actually know what's involved with unlocking an iPhone or with using an unlocked iPhone."

You continue to repeat the completely obvious... and missing the point.

For the record, I live in Toronto, where a bazillion GSM phones get unlocked every day. Also, the last several phones I have owned were completely unlocked too. ie. In general, getting standard GSM phones unlocked and using them are not particularly interesting feats. In fact, my very first GSM phone... PURCHASED ALMOST 10 YEARS AGO... was unlocked.

The problem is that the iPhone is not a standard GSM phone in terms of its activation and syncing process.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by croozn 

You have the disadvantage of not having a clue what you are talking about.

[...]

You cannot ACCESS THE SIM CARD on an iPhone...so even if you "unlocked" it, you cannot switch it to another network.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by freudling 

THROUGH THE APPLICATION ON YOUR COMPUTER YOU TAKE CONTROL OF THE ENTIRE PHONE, and can unlock it from there. Any big city will have several cell phone stores who will unlock your phone. I know of one place just down the street that does it for 15 bucks a phone.

We all know that phones can be unlocked using Windows software. We all know you can buy this software for $10 on the internet.

The problem you're not addressing is this:

The software MUST support a specific phone explicitly for that to work.

Which software will work for the iPhone?

[art_director]

wow, step away from the global internets for the night and a pissing match breaks out.

1. we all know gsm phones can be unlocked.
2. we all know the iphone is using an os not seen before in the wild.
3. presumably the iphone will be unlocked soon.

as for this business of switching out the sim ... within an hour of the iphone release last evening this was posted. as you can see, the bugger is easy to take apart -- just like an ipod is.

[analogika]

That's hardly "easy".

Though that doesn't affect the SIM card - as has been noted repeatedly, the SIM card is accessed via a small slot at the top of the phone - opened with a paperclip.

[art_director]

Originally Posted by analogika 

That's hardly "easy".

Though that doesn't affect the SIM card - as has been noted repeatedly, the SIM card is accessed via a small slot at the top of the phone - opened with a paperclip.

i thought it looked darn easy to take her apart.

u b right 'bout the sim card.

[JPhilips]

Dear croozn,

I saw your post and I would like your wise advice on a few questions.

You cannot ACCESS THE SIM CARD on an iPhone...so even if you "unlocked" it, you cannot switch it to another network.

We both know that isn't true

It is thus at least "double locked" and this has never been done before. There is no old school way around it.

May I ask how you know this? Define "double locked".

Last, as I understand, even if you bought it and planned on using it on AT&T...you CANNOT. The original purchase was matched with that buyers credit card number, which must be entered on iTunes to set up the phone. So unless he gives you his credit card number (yeah, right), you cannot buy one of these from someone else.

There already is a patch for getting past this in iTunes.

This is not some average cell phone company, this is Apple. The old tricks don't work.

Nokia used military grade 1024bit security on their newest phones (BB5) to prevent unlocking. You can download unlocking software for free and use a datacable found in many shops. If Nokia, who has been selling handsets for over 10 years can't do it, why do you assume Apple, who has been selling phones for less than 24 hours can do it?

[art_director]

I think it's abundantly clear that they cannot lock the iPhone down. Crafty individuals will unlock it.

Long term Apple will open up the iPod. Why would they limit their market to just AT&T Wingular? It doesn't make for sound business.

[Visnaut]

Originally Posted by croozn 

Last, as I understand, even if you bought it and planned on using it on AT&T...you CANNOT. The original purchase was matched with that buyers credit card number, which must be entered on iTunes to set up the phone. So unless he gives you his credit card number (yeah, right), you cannot buy one of these from someone else.

Can anyone corroborate this? If that were the case, you couldn't feasibly buy it as a gift for anyone.

Is everyone at Apple who receives these as gifts going to have to enter in the corporate credit card number?

Originally Posted by JPhilips 

There already is a patch for getting past this in iTunes.?

Care to elaborate on that?

[mrogov]

Originally Posted by JPhilips 

There already is a patch for getting past this in iTunes.

There is? Where?

[freudling]

JPhilips, you are spot on. I love the people sounding off here who have no idea how to unlock phones. Let me say this again. You don't use the phone to unlock it, you control the phone through your computer.

To be sure, get on the mailing list and get instructions on how to unlock your iPhone:

iphoneunlocked

[mrogov]

so where do we get this itunes activation patch?

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Interesting thing I learned, the phone will lock if leave the are roaming for 2 months without coming back home. It's in the fine print somewhere, some people wanted to buy it and take it back to Mexico and use it with the AT&T plan, but found out it would lock if it roamed for that long.

[Angus_D]

Originally Posted by JPhilips 

Nokia used military grade 1024bit security on their newest phones (BB5) to prevent unlocking. You can download unlocking software for free and use a datacable found in many shops. If Nokia, who has been selling handsets for over 10 years can't do it, why do you assume Apple, who has been selling phones for less than 24 hours can do it?

It took a good long while (several years) for anybody to start offering unlocking of BB5 phones, and as far as I am aware they are still not all unlockable.

[art_director]

In time it will be possible to circumvent all these security features.

[LeeG]

Originally Posted by mrogov 

any more details? you have an image of the card? has anyone yet gotten a key for this? and how would one enter it, if so? Did anyone try the *#06# press on the handset to see that IMEI number? Does at least that work?

The IMEI No. is printed on the back of the phone.

[Graymalkin]

freudling: don't bother PM'ing me as I check this forum once in a blue moon (if then).

What you "oh pshaw it will be unlocked" people don't understand is the iPhone is not like normal phones. "Controlling it through your computer" is an absolutely meaningless phrase. The iPhone does not offer an interface to be controlled through a computer like many phones. There's no stock iPhone firmware floating around the internet like there is for Motorola or Nokia phones. All of the existing unlocking techniques are completely invalid with the iPhone. I doubt it is truly impossible to unlock an iPhone but it's not likely to happen soon and it doesn't matter how many "European programmers" you have available.

[freudling]

Someone is able to do it right now. I just spoke to another guy here and he is getting the unlock codes on Tuesday.

Graymalkin, do you even know what you are talking about?

How do people get the unlock codes in the first place? Well, there are essentially two ways to do it.

1. You can call your carrier and ask for the unlock code straight away, unless it is stated in your contract, they have to give you the unlock code.

2. People reverse engineer the algorithms in the phone, and from there, the unlock code can be generated. You then use special hardware combined with software to calculate the phone's unlock code. You DO NOT interface with the phone directly. The software varies, but the hardware is simply a little 'box', referred to as a 'clip', or 'super clip'. That clip is the bridge between the phone and the software. As long as the clip has been updated, when you plug your iPhone into it, the unlock code will be calculated based on it's IMEI.

Using the right, updated software, you may then calculate a phone's unlock code based on it's IMEI remotely.

[mrogov]

Main Page - iPhone Wiki

We need someone with an activated iPhone on irc, see above link, as we may be very close!

[Eug]

Originally Posted by mrogov 

Main Page - iPhone Wiki

He also posted here:

All current claims to people owning an unlocked iPhone are false. To this date no one I am aware of has successfully unlocked an iPhone. I purchased an iPhone at 6 yesterday with the sole purpose of unlocking it. I have T-Mobile and have zero intention of switching to AT&T. So, I'm looking for the community who is currently trying to unlock it. I was involved in the uncrippling the V710 project and was impressed by the people I met.

I'm hoping we could get a sticky thread going with all the current progress made. Maybe this thread :-)

Here is the progress I have made so far. My friend purchased an iPhone as well yesterday and let me run a USB sniffer while he was activating it. Here is that log. You can view it with SnoopyPro. Currently, I cannot even get my iPhone off the main screen saying I need to activate it. That is the first step towards an unlock. I'm surprised no one has really started hacking it yet; where are the firmware dumps, does it have seems, where is the unlocked status stored? Post whatever you can find out. My sn is "imgeohot". If this community is as good as the V710 community, we can have this thing unlocked in a week.

The iPhone is an amazing device, let's bring it to the AT&T free masses. I am looking for the "they" people claim will unlock the iPhone and actually will work on it.

Originally Posted by Graymalkin 

There's no stock iPhone firmware floating around the internet like there is for Motorola or Nokia phones.

The iPhone system restore image is already available in internetland, but so far nobody has been able to figure out how to use it to unlock an iPhone.

Originally Posted by freudling 

Someone is able to do it right now. I just spoke to another guy here and he is getting the unlock codes on Tuesday.

Uh. OK.

[freudling]

Ya, uh, ok...

There is a guy in New York, linked to at the top of this, who claims to have done it to over 2500 phones at the time of this writing. The problem is not unlocking the phone, but the fact that there are syncing and functionality problems after doing so.

I just got back from Chinatown, I live next to the 2nd largest one in North America, and I spoke to my unlock contact at the street market. He, unfortunately, cannot unlock it yet, but is not going to even try because he claims that with all the functionality loss, it won't be worth it. All you will be able to do is "make phone calls". So he is not touching the iPhone.

As for HOW to unlock it, I think Apple gave us a quick way to do it by allowing it to sync with iTunes. What I think you can do is flash the phone from iTunes by hacking the file that flashes the phone. During the demo on Apple, you can see that half way through there is an option to flash the phone, or, restore as some others may call it.

There is also a BB5 clip that people are using to bust the iPhone open.

[Eug]

There is a guy in New York, linked to at the top of this, who claims to have done it to over 2500 phones at the time of this writing.

Yet curiously, there is absolutely no proof of this given, and not a single person at HoFo claims to own one of these unlocked iPhones, despite the fact that HoFo people are usually amongst the first to brag about them.

I just got back from Chinatown, I live next to the 2nd largest one in North America, and I spoke to my unlock contact at the street market. He, unfortunately, cannot unlock it yet, but is not going to even try because he claims that with all the functionality loss, it won't be worth it. All you will be able to do is "make phone calls". So he is not touching the iPhone.

So that's your source? Some dude in Chinatown, and one saying he can't do it no less? Guys like that are a dime a dozen around here. Pretty much every third Chinatown cell store here does flashing.

As for HOW to unlock it, I think Apple gave us a quick way to do it by allowing it to sync with iTunes. What I think you can do is flash the phone from iTunes by hacking the file that flashes the phone. During the demo on Apple, you can see that half way through there is an option to flash the phone, or, restore as some others may call it.

Translated: "I'm just guessing as to how one would approach unlocking the iPhone, cuz really, I have no clue."

[freudling]

He is not doing it because he can't guarantee that your phone will work properly after he does it. Not only that, but it might be dead after. Since the iPhone is so expensive, this risk alone makes it presently untenable for any unlocker to legitimately provide this service.

When we all know that your phone won't be a brick after, then the service can be provided. Eug, I tell you what, come Tuesday if things are sorted out, if you need it, I will make sure your iPhone gets unlocked for free. This offer has no expiration date.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by freudling 

He is not doing it because he can't guarantee that your phone will work properly after he does it. Not only that, but it might be dead after. Since the iPhone is so expensive, this risk alone makes it presently untenable for any unlocker to legitimately provide this service.

Any unlocker won't legitimately provide this service until it makes sense to do so. That is correct. Unfortunately, this often means it's not offered until several months after the phone is released.

Meanwhile, you're pushing this guy who claims to have unlocked 2900+ phones, even though he provides absolutely no proof whatsoever. Personally I think it's stupid for anyone to provide him with a private email address.

When we all know that your phone won't be a brick after, then the service can be provided. Eug, I tell you what, come Tuesday if things are sorted out, if you need it, I will make sure your iPhone gets unlocked for free. This offer has no expiration date.

I don't have an iPhone. However, I'm sure the bazillion other guys here will jump at the chance at getting their iPhones bricked, all in the name of random experimentation.

P.S. A word of warning. 99.99% of the Chinatown guys have no clue how to hack a phone. All they know is where to download the software out there on the net, buy the appropriate cables, and follow the instructions that are available. Sure, they have more experience at it than most, but that doesn't mean they actually know how to hack a phone.

[freudling]

Eug:

You simply like to argue. All you do is presuppose and make generalizations that you can't possibly verify. As for my contact, he is very good. Him and his son do it for a living. He is also a very nice, considerate man who does not want to do anything illegal. He bricks phones during his beta tests, gets it right, then offers the service. He also has access to a $7000 USD unlocking program, along with an array of hardware and contacts.

HIS ADVICE AND MINE, CALL AT&T TO GET YOUR UNLOCK CODE, THEY OWE IT TO YOU BY LAW. There, I just gave away the big secret, and one that helps hackers reverse engineer the algorithms too.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by freudling 

Eug:

You simply like to argue. All you do is presuppose and make generalizations that you can't possibly verify. As for my contact, he is very good. Him and his son do it for a living. He is also a very nice, considerate man who does not want to do anything illegal. He bricks phones during his beta tests, gets it right, then offers the service. He also has access to a $7000 USD unlocking program, along with an array of hardware and contacts.

HIS ADVICE AND MINE, CALL AT&T TO GET YOUR UNLOCK CODE, THEY OWE IT TO YOU BY LAW. There, I just gave away the big secret, and one that helps hackers reverse engineer the algorithms too.

You might want to check up on your secret again.

AT&T often doesn't provide unlocking codes even if you ask (depending on the contract situation), and other carriers will provide it, but make you wait a few months.

ie. While AT&T may provide you with an unlock code, don't expect to get one from them this week. Furthermore, at this point we don't even know what an unlocked iPhone will give us (re: iTunes, etc.) because nobody has shown us proof that even a single unlocked iPhone exists in the wild, despite the claims by guys you're promoting that they've unlocked thousands of them.

Are you really that trusting to believe that guy who claims he's unlocked a bazillion iPhones, even though he can't show us even just one?

[freudling]

ASK AT&T FOR THE UNLOCK CODE. THEY HAVE TO GIVE IT TO YOU. THEY WILL GIVE IT TO YOU. YOU WILL BE WITHOUT MANY FEATURES (i.e. no google maps, no visual voicemail...). It is a secret because by people knowing this they won't pay the unlockers. YOU CAN LAWFULLY OBTAIN THE UNLOCK CODE FOR FREE. UNDERSTAND EUG?

You likely won't get the Master Password, but it will be unlocked.

[frendargo]

Originally Posted by freudling 

There is a guy in New York, linked to at the top of this, who claims to have done it to over 2500 phones at the time of this writing. The problem is not unlocking the phone, but the fact that there are syncing and functionality problems after doing so.

The website says 3448 iPhones have been unlocked. Since the iPhone was released about 38 hours ago, you would have heard/seen one of these phones by now, wouldn't you? 3448 early adopters, several of which run prominent blogs. These people have a tendency to show off and talk.

Plus, you've got several people working to unlock this phone and they haven't been able to do it in 38 hours. Nor can they figure out how yet.

On the other hand, this guy was able to crack it in just a few hours, set up a website to automatically crack phones (if he were doing them manually, it would take 3 people 19 hours each to unlock 1 phone per minute. I doubt he'd do that free).

Either he's amazing at multi-tasking and can figure out a complex lock, unlock phones, create websites (that were registered in February. That means he's incredibly prescient, too), or he's just collecting email addresses.

My money's on the latter.

[Kilargo]

Hey all. I'm just a reader, but I feel like even I should speak up. frendargo, you don't seem to be fully educated in what you're talking about. Let's assume that your friend in new york who can unlock 3000 phones in under 3 days can actually do what he is saying, he needs a few things. (at least I do when unlocking my phones)
1. The code to the test mode. Has anyone even got it past the first screen?
2. Firmware. This firmware usually has to be the same size on the flash as the original. Even if it's custom. And custom firmware can be pretty tricky. Developing it in under 72 hours and not showing proof? Who would do that?Youtube it! Plus, we don't even know if developer's firmware exists because of the exclusive deal signed with AT&T.
3. software. Most forums won't allow linking to unlocking software and tools. You know why? because while unlocking your phone isn't illegal, the use of developer's devkits totally is. howard forums for example will not allow it because they have been sent cease and desist orders in the past. So your friend has two options. get the devkit, which is probably locked down hard by apple, or create custom software, which again, will take time.

So in conclusion, if your friend is creating custom firmware, custom software, somehow got the test code, and unlocked 3000 phones in under 3 days, I would raise an eyebrow my friend. You sir are gullible.

PS anyone can correct the information I gave here, but I've personally unlocked my phones, and this is how I do it.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by Kilargo 

Hey all. I'm just a reader, but I feel like even I should speak up. frendargo, you don't seem to be fully educated in what you're talking about. Let's assume that your friend in new york who can unlock 3000 phones in under 3 days can actually do what he is saying, he needs a few things. (at least I do when unlocking my phones)

You mixed up the name. Frendargo agrees with you.

It's freudling that doesn't.

Originally Posted by freudling 

ASK AT&T FOR THE UNLOCK CODE. THEY HAVE TO GIVE IT TO YOU. THEY WILL GIVE IT TO YOU. YOU WILL BE WITHOUT MANY FEATURES (i.e. no google maps, no visual voicemail...). It is a secret because by people knowing this they won't pay the unlockers. YOU CAN LAWFULLY OBTAIN THE UNLOCK CODE FOR FREE. UNDERSTAND EUG?

You likely won't get the Master Password, but it will be unlocked.

Like I said, you should check up on your so-called secrets.

Being able to get unlock codes from carriers is COMMON KNOWLEDGE. However, there are often multiple conditions on getting those unlock codes.

[art_director]

this thread has become laughable. people on both sides of this debate are full of ****. at this point we don't know, for a fact, what unlocking the iphone will / will not do. to suggest otherwise is inaccurate.

according to digg there's a copy of the firmware over at hackint0sh.org and some folks keen on learning the iphone secrets are disassembling it as we speak. apparently they retained the firmware from apple's website.

now it's just a matter of time...

[Eug]

Originally Posted by art_director 

at this point we don't know, for a fact, what unlocking the iphone will / will not do. to suggest otherwise is inaccurate.

Agreed.

according to digg there's a copy of the firmware over at hackint0sh.org and some folks keen on learning the iphone secrets are disassembling it as we speak. apparently they retained the firmware from apple's website.

now it's just a matter of time...

The file they have has two dmg files (among others). One is unmountable, and the other is password protected.

As of yesterday, they hadn't been able to mount the unmountable file, and hadn't gotten by the password protection for the other. ie. They hadn't gotten very far, even despite having that collection of files in hand. There are other files there that may still prove useful though.

I don't know where they are now, because the site seems dead now.