Iphone - Unlocking And Advice

[Deleted_User]

Looking for a little bit of advice ..

 

After meeting Paul at the North Staffs Meet last night and playing with his iPhone I have decided 100% I want one but I don't want to use it on O2.

 

Apart from Paul888 do any other members have and use a iPhone which has been unlocked?

 

Looking for advice on:

• Where to purchase it from (eBay)
  
• When it is initially connect to iTunes does it just work or do I need to activate it?
  
• Updating, how easy is it to do
  
• Is there any limitation with an unlocked phone
  

[LivinLaVidaLotus]

1) Go buy from from Carphone Warehouse (Just say "yes, that's not a problem" when they tell you it's an 18 month contract, you don't "sign" for the contract till you activate it in iTunes - see #2).

2) Connect to iTunes and update to 1.1.3 - You'll probably be running 1.1.2 - but DO NOT activate it, whatever you do.

3) Yes, see #2

4) No, not that I'm aware.

 

Once you've done Step #2, download ZiPhone, from: http://www.ziphone.org/

 

Unplug your iPhone from your PC, turn it off. Hold down the home key (in the middle, at the bottom) and whilst holding, plug the phone back in to your PC, phone should start, with iTunes + Cable icons - no signal/battery icon along the top, you're now in rescue mode.

 

Run ZiPhone, click the "Do Everything" button - also expand the bottom "tray" so you can see progress. That'll unlock it, jailbreak it, the lot.

 

Once it says done, reboot your phone, should be all sorted. Should now see icons for a Blog (ZiPHone one) and Installer, if you see both of those, you're done, can use on any network.

[Deleted_User]

2) Connect to iTunes and update to 1.1.3 - You'll probably be running 1.1.2 - but DO NOT activate it, whatever you do.

 

So, even though the phone is not activated it will still update the firmware?

 

If you dont mind me asking, have you unlocked your own or a few

[LivinLaVidaLotus]

Unlocked two on Friday, fresh from Carphone Warehouse

 

Yep, it'll download and install the 1.1.3 even though it isn't activated - because of course Apple expect that it'll re-lock your phone, but 1.1.3 has been broken. If you follow the steps above, you should be fine. If it bricks it (very rare), then it can be recovered with the re-virginizer (sic).

[Deleted_User]

ok last question

 

I have downloaded the app but can you tell me what the 'WANTED' button is the instructions mention

 

Connect your iPhone to the computer, make sure iTunes is running and click wanted button.

 

All versions including 1.1.3 supported! (only jailbreak supported on iPod Touch)

[LivinLaVidaLotus]

On the left hand side, you've got 4 buttons. "Do It All", "Don't Unlock", "Jailbreak", "Refurbish" - Wanted button, depends on what you want to do. To unlock and use on any network and install 3rd party apps, you want, "Do It All". The "tray" I mentioned, is the output log (sorry, had to download it to this PC to remember what is was called).

[Deleted_User]

two models are available

 

8GB = 269

16GB = 329

 

You purchase the 'box' in the store and pay the full amount. Once home you are 'supposed' to connect it to iTunes to start the 18 month contract and activate the phone

 

Contract start from 35 per month, more details here

[LivinLaVidaLotus]

You pay CPW the retail price of the phone, either £269 or £329 (8GB or 16GB model). You pay O2 nothing, unless you activate the phone using iTunes.

[MilesH]

I considered doing this just before christmas, except was going to buy a phone that was already unlocked (via ebay). I didn't in the end as I heard people were having trouble with unlocked phones and they weren't running properly. I assume this is a different method to the early cracks that were being used?

[LivinLaVidaLotus]

We've had unlocked ones here since about a month after they came out in USA, no problems at all - unless you include someone leaving one in a Taxi.

[MilesH]

We've had unlocked ones here since about a month after they came out in USA, no problems at all - unless you include someone leaving one in a Taxi.

 

Bet the taxi driver thought it was his lucky day when he found that!

[LivinLaVidaLotus]

No kidding, was locked down massively, sim locked as well. Still, if he knew what he was doing he'd be able to use the tools online to wipe it and get it working (minus sim)

[Dixie]

I've got one. Activated and jailbroke it fine. Not to sure about the sim unlock though. I've herd it can completely lock the phone out sometimes. Went for the Turbosim option instead.

 

I tried to use Ziphone but it didn't work. Possibly cos my phone was a 1.1.2. I'd assumed cos it was new that it was a 1.1.3.

 

So convince me! How good is this Ziphone unlock and what "potential" risks are attached to it??

[LivinLaVidaLotus]

Latest ZiPhone is for 1.1.3, doesn't work properly with 1.1.2, as I forgot to upgrade (using iTunes) one of mine to 1.1.3 first, had to upgrade it to 1.1.3, reboot then run it. Mine currently has an Orange sim in it, sim unlock works fine. Did two phones on Friday without issues.

[darren5591]

Hmm this is very interesting, birthday coming up and I need a phone...

 

Are there any risks involved (via law etc)? I have a crappy motorola razr phone on Virgin and I would love to get an iPhone on the same network but don't want to go to 02 and I can't afford the contract. If an update comes out, what are the chances that it will bugger up the existing content on the phone? The process seems fairly simple, you mentioned that they rarely crash but are there any chances with jailbreaking and unlocking that it might completely brick the phone dead?