Buying a US iphone 3gs - will I need a US sim card to unlock?

valmurph8038

I am thinking of buying a second hand AT&T locked Iphone 3gs from the US through Ebay. Its much cheaper than getting one from UK or Ireland.

Now I know that to use the phone with my Irish Vodafone SIM Ill need to jailbreak it and unlock it. There seems to be plenty of handy guides on the net on how to do this.

I have just realised though that to go through the process of jailbreaking the phone it might need to have a valid SIM card in the machine already (my current, crappy Nokia won't even turn on without its SIM). Is this the case?

There seems to be a few outfits in Dublin that you can pay to jailbreak and unlock iphones - but can they do this with Sim-less US phones?

Thanks in advance for any advice,
Val

Doylers

valmurph8038 wrote: »

I am thinking of buying a second hand AT&T locked Iphone 3gs from the US through Ebay. Its much cheaper than getting one from UK or Ireland.

Now I know that to use the phone with my Irish Vodafone SIM Ill need to jailbreak it and unlock it. There seems to be plenty of handy guides on the net on how to do this.

I have just realised though that to go through the process of jailbreaking the phone it might need to have a valid SIM card in the machine already (my current, crappy Nokia won't even turn on without its SIM). Is this the case?

There seems to be a few outfits in Dublin that you can pay to jailbreak and unlock iphones - but can they do this with Sim-less US phones?

Thanks in advance for any advice,
Val

Hi Hi,
I actually bought the first iphone in the US, of memories lol Ok so heres the story it will be locked to AT&T and when you plug it in it will ask for an AT&T sim. So what you will do is use redsn0w(I dont know if its working with os 4.0)
and redsn0w will actually bypass that sceen so it doesn't even matter that you dont have a valid sim. It will also jailbreak it while it does it then you just unlock. So I would say go ahead and buy it. But just dont forget you might have to wait for the tools but they will always be released for you at some stage or another.

Side note: When you buy from US and declare the value of the device they WILL charge around 60euro customs at the door by the postman.

valmurph8038

Doylers wrote: »

Hi Hi,
I actually bought the first iphone in the US, of memories lol Ok so heres the story it will be locked to AT&T and when you plug it in it will ask for an AT&T sim. So what you will do is use redsn0w(I dont know if its working with os 4.0)
and redsn0w will actually bypass that sceen so it doesn't even matter that you dont have a valid sim. It will also jailbreak it while it does it then you just unlock. So I would say go ahead and buy it. But just dont forget you might have to wait for the tools but they will always be released for you at some stage or another.

Sounds good Ill try it.

Side note: When you buy from US and declare the value of the device they WILL charge around 60euro customs at the door by the postman.

Christ I hope that doesn't happen. I just bought the phone - hopefully the lady whose sending out to me won't declare its value.

freeze4real

In my honest opinion you are giving false information.

1. Buying an iPhone from us will be locked to AT and T true, but to my knowledge redsn0w won't buy pass it the activation code on iTunes.

It won't unlock.
I have tried downgrading it won't work.

Your best option is to tell the seller to send you an ATT sim card.

To do this he should ask for replacement sim from ATT.

Or you can get one from a boardsy here.
I know that there's someone who has one.
Just make a new forum asking for one.

2. Import tax.
I have bought 2 iPhones from eBay in last months with no import tax.
The goods weren't marked as gifts.

To my knowledge USPS priority mail small flat envelope or package is exempted from import tax.




QUOTE=Doylers;67382172]Hi Hi,
I actually bought the first iphone in the US, of memories lol Ok so heres the story it will be locked to AT&T and when you plug it in it will ask for an AT&T sim. So what you will do is use redsn0w(I dont know if its working with os 4.0)
and redsn0w will actually bypass that sceen so it doesn't even matter that you dont have a valid sim. It will also jailbreak it while it does it then you just unlock. So I would say go ahead and buy it. But just dont forget you might have to wait for the tools but they will always be released for you at some stage or another.

Side note: When you buy from US and declare the value of the device they WILL charge around 60euro customs at the door by the postman.[/QUOTE]

Doylers

freeze4real wrote: »

In my honest opinion you are giving false information.

1. Buying an iPhone from us will be locked to AT and T true, but to my knowledge redsn0w won't buy pass it the activation code on iTunes.

It won't unlock.
I have tried downgrading it won't work.
en't marked as gifts.
.

[/QUOTE]

Yes it will it will hactivate it which bypasses the activation screen. Im doing ti since the first iphone. Snowbreez will also do it since the custom ispw is hactivated before install.

You can downgrade if you have your shsh on cyida. His wont so he'll have to wait for redsnow to work with 4.0 which it will eventually or use snowbreez when it works on 4.0.

And it can be unlocked by ultrasn0w. Works perfect every time.

I will agree that if you can get a vaild sim you will be much better off because you can jailbreak now without any trouble

freeze4real

For 3G it will not. It might be the same for 3GS.

http://www.redmondpie.com/redsn0w-0.9.5-jailbreak-iphone-os-4.0-9140657/

Doylers

freeze4real wrote: »

For 3G it will not. It might be the same for 3GS.

http://www.redmondpie.com/redsn0w-0.9.5-jailbreak-iphone-os-4.0-9140657/

Yeah thats why i said when its updated. Snowbreez will prob be updated soon anyway. With 4.1.0 on the way and the pdf exploit gone they will have to use redsn0w or snobreez.

I do agree with you that if he could get a vaild sim then thats half the trouble. Because if it was activated then its just jailbreakme.com .

valmurph8038

Hmm the Iphone I'm getting is second hand - the owner has been using it already, so will it still need to be "activated"?

Also would an at&t pay-as-you-go sim do to activate it? you can buy them pretty cheap from the uk

jaykay2

You can use a 'Ponebook Sim Card' to get past the connect to iTunes problem when trying to jailbreak/unlock your US iPhone. Please see my posts on the last page of the iPhone unlocking thread. It worked for me.

I would explain it again, but I'm using my iPhone to type this.

Jay

Doylers

jaykay2 wrote: »

You can use a 'Ponebook Sim Card' to get past the connect to iTunes problem when trying to jailbreak/unlock your US iPhone. Please see my posts on the last page of the iPhone unlocking thread. It worked for me.

I would explain it again, but I'm using my iPhone to type this.

Jay

Thats pretty cool, never saw one of them before would make the chaps jailbreaking life easier.

barbiedollz

valmurph8038 wrote: »

I am thinking of buying a second hand AT&T locked Iphone 3gs from the US through Ebay. Its much cheaper than getting one from UK or Ireland.

Now I know that to use the phone with my Irish Vodafone SIM Ill need to jailbreak it and unlock it. There seems to be plenty of handy guides on the net on how to do this.

I have just realised though that to go through the process of jailbreaking the phone it might need to have a valid SIM card in the machine already (my current, crappy Nokia won't even turn on without its SIM). Is this the case?

There seems to be a few outfits in Dublin that you can pay to jailbreak and unlock iphones - but can they do this with Sim-less US phones?

Thanks in advance for any advice,
Val

im thinking ov doin the same.....but im gonna get in unlocked in a shop......do u know what shops in dublin i can get them unlocked in and how much does it cost thanks.:)

naasrd

valmurph8038 wrote: »

Hmm the Iphone I'm getting is second hand - the owner has been using it already, so will it still need to be "activated"?

Also would an at&t pay-as-you-go sim do to activate it? you can buy them pretty cheap from the uk

I've an AT&T sim if you want to pick it up and use it to activate.

Doylers

barbiedollz wrote: »

im thinking ov doin the same.....but im gonna get in unlocked in a shop......do u know what shops in dublin i can get them unlocked in and how much does it cost thanks.:)

You do realize that all the software they use is taken from online thats free to everyone and that they dont have permission to sell. Look seriously jailbreaking and unlocking are so simple you would be out of you mind to pay.And are you going to pay like say 20 euro every few moths when apple release an update? Its more complex to turn you wifi on(I'm serious).

You go online and you slide a little thing and thats it
look at the vid below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=injJTTb9EWw

iggy

Get one of these for only €4.50

http://www.priceangels.com/Universal_Activation_Sim_Card_for_iPhone_2G___3G___3GS___4G_p6591.html