iPhone Feeling nervous...appreciate a 2nd (or 3rd) opinion on unlocking this baseband

[cheeseball]

Ok, here are the deets...3GS locked to AT&T. They won't unlock and the previous owner has vanished. Currently on 5.0.1 with 05.16.05 baseband. Serial is 88208. Everything I've seen up until the last couple of days was that the phone would be bricked because of the manufacturing date. Then a very helpful soul on another site gave me this set of instructions:

1. Find iTunes 11.0.5 or earlier
2. Downgrade to 4.1
3. Jailbreak with RedSn0w and install iPad baseband
4. Downgrade iPad baseband
5. Restore to 6.1.3 and preserve either 6.15.00 or 05.13.08
6. Jailbreak with p0sixspwn and install UltraSn0w
7. If GPS is lost, repeat entire procedure

I downloaded 4.1, started the other downloads and then chickened out - has anyone had success with this method?

 

[dhlizard]

You cannot manipulate the baseband in that phone, you will kill the baseband chip.
Your option is an IMEI unlock, find an aftermarket vendor who will do it for a fee.

But, I wouldn't spend any $$ on a 3GS, just too old a model to pay for an unlock.
Buy a newer model that is already IMEI unlocked.

 

[ninety5eclipz]

Did att give you a reason?

 

[dhlizard]

AT&T has "tightened" up on their IMEI unlocks for resale phones.
I would call several times, you might get a cooperative rep.

 

[ninety5eclipz]

AT&T has "tightened" up on their IMEI unlocks for resale phones.

I would call several times, you might get a cooperative rep.

They have taken the ability away from the reps to approve unlocks. I've recently went through this. I called everyday, used the live messenger everyday until they finally opened a case for me. They tried telling me I had to activate the phone on my account for 60 days before I could request an unlock on the phone. I called them out because their website only states that your account has to be active for 60 days. Not necessarily that the phone has to be active for 60 days. 2 weeks later I was enjoying an unlocked phone. They still haven't updated the verbiage on their website.

 

[cheeseball]

Thank you for the confirmation, dhlizard. I guess I'll have to wait until the 3rd party unlocker prices come back down or save my nickels for a new, new phone. There's too much to go into in detail, but it was supposed to have been factory unlocked and although it's an older model, in "new & unused condition". I'm currently out of the country and by the time it finally got to me, it was too late to return as not being as advertised. I know the 3GS isn't the latest and greatest, but it would have served my purposes...if it had been unlocked

 

[dhlizard]

They have taken the ability away from the reps to approve unlocks. I've recently went through this. I called everyday, used the live messenger everyday until they finally opened a case for me. They tried telling me I had to activate the phone on my account for 60 days before I could request an unlock on the phone. I called them out because their website only states that your account has to be active for 60 days. Not necessarily that the phone has to be active for 60 days. 2 weeks later I was enjoying an unlocked phone. They still haven't updated the verbiage on their website.

I will respectfully have to disagree with you. Just several months ago, I spoke with a rep who agreed almost immediately to unlock an iPhone for me. But, it was an original owner AT&T phone (never activated), not a resale phone.

 

[ninety5eclipz]

I will respectfully have to disagree with you. Just several months ago, I spoke with a rep who agreed almost immediately to unlock an iPhone for me. But, it was an original owner AT&T phone (never activated), not a resale phone.

Several months ago are the key words there. Not the case anymore.

 

[ninety5eclipz]

I will respectfully have to disagree with you. Just several months ago, I spoke with a rep who agreed almost immediately to unlock an iPhone for me. But, it was an original owner AT&T phone (never activated), not a resale phone.

I should have been more specific. The reps you talk to when you first call AT&T and go through the menu options can no longer help. It use to be you could call in, they would verify your eligibility and the essentially could unlock an iphone on the spot for you. They have tightened their rules up now. They can put in a request for you or open a case but not approve the unlock.

 

[cheeseball]

I should have been more specific. The reps you talk to when you first call AT&T and go through the menu options can no longer help. It use to be you could call in, they would verify your eligibility and the essentially could unlock an iphone on the spot for you. They have tightened their rules up now. They can put in a request for you or open a case but not approve the unlock.

What's truly painful is that several months before, I called AT&T to get a friend's phone unlocked (same model) and they transferred me to a very friendly agent in Colombia who did it over the phone. Fast forward to my own supposedly factory unlocked phone finally arriving in November (the month after the great shut down) and not being able to get it unlocked through them.