It looks like a bug in iOS 5 allows you to unlock iPhone 4S without the need to jailbreak it or using hardware methods such as GEVEY SIM.
The bug was discovered by Michael Capozzi. He managed to unlock his iPhone 4S to use it on T-Mobile USA's network but according to him the method should also work with any GSM carrier.
He has been kind enough to also give the following step-by-step guide to unlock iPhone 4S using the bug in iOS 5 to work on T-Mobile USA:
Note: You will need to cut the T-Mobile SIM to micro-SIM size for it to fit iPhone 4S's SIM tray.
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Insert original carrier AT&T SIM card
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Dial 611 for AT&T customer service hotline and drop the call
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Turn on Airplane Mode
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Take out AT&T SIM card
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Insert T-Mobile SIM card
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Make sure WiFi is off ( also tap on ‘Forget this Network” to make sure it doesn’t connect automatically later)
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Switch off Airplane Mode and iPhone will search for network. This is followed by the Apple splash screen appearing.
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Activation Required will be displayed on the screen
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EDGE network will activate automatically – notice the ‘E’ on the top left corner of the screen
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Wait for about 20-30 seconds and turn off the phone
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Turn on iPhone and the same Activation Required screen will be displayed
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When you see one signal bar, tap on Use Cellular Connection
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Eject SIM card
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Activation Required screen will be displayed the second time
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Insert SIM card
- Unlocked!
You can also checkout the video which shows that it works and suggests that the method could also work with iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS:
Gizmodo has also confirmed that this method works.
Update 1:
Gizmodo and Lg1, one of our regular readers has also confirmed that it works with AT&T iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS.
Update 2:
This method appears to be temporary, you can read all the details here.
As always, let us know how it goes.
Hi,
I bought a 3GS from AT&T and has firmware 4.3.5 (8L1) and baseband 5.16.02, model MC555LL. i jailbreak the phone with Cydia. I read on different sites that the only way unlock the baseband is tu upgrade to the ipod baseband.
My question is that upgrading to the ipod baseband, it will work?
Thanks.
Yes it will depending on which unlock u use. U should not upgrade to the ipad baseband 06.15.00 if your phone is past the 35th week of production of 2011. if you do you’ll brick ur phone.
.i also have a uk vodafone 4g locked 4 indian sims… Help me if smethng can hppn…plzzz
i have i phone 4g AT&T n i m in pakistan so i have no at&t sim card so how can i unlock my iphone ?
Step # 14 will not work after step #13…!!!!!!!!
the video is private, i can’t see it
I got stuck after step 13.
When eject the SIM I got message “No Sim” then loop step 12-13
The idiot who wants to know y the phone is glowing shut up!!!!! gosh do u know how annoying u r!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lets worry about unlocking the phone and not the glowing apple sign
I am from the Philippines. Should this work with any active philippine sim card?
i have iphone 4s 5.1 OS locked to canada rogers and BB 2.0.10.
i tried it using vodafone india SIM . i got edge signal but in the end it throws invalid sim.
please help me in unlocking my iphone. even R-SIM3 was unable to unlock my iPhone
Hi, I have an iphone 3gs with ios 5 n i tried this method but it didnt work for me, i dont know if its because the iphone was temperarly disconnected. any help?