Unlock for trip to UK

[mik34]

I'll be going to the UK for a week in April. I don't want to pay the ridiculous ATT international fees while I'm there. I have Truphone, but I'm not sure how available/expensive WiFi will be.

Is it possible to unlock my iphone and use a different (UK) SIM card?

Any other suggestions for cheap international calls (incoming and outgoing) would be appreciated.

 

[Tokiopop]

There are LOADS of WiFi Hotspots in the towns and cities, which are free if you're wondering.

If you don't want expensive data, calls, and texts, just unlock the phone and pick up a PAYG SIM. Or you could just take your SIM out and not unlock, so they can't charge you.

 

[mik34]

thanks, but I have 2.2.1

From what I've read, this means I can't unlock, ever. Or at least until someone figures it out. Is this correct?

Hopefully there will be plenty of WiFi around. I guess I'll have to use Truphone.

 

[Tokiopop]

If you updated to 2.2.1 through iTunes with no Custom IPSW then you can't software unlock, not yet anyway.

 

[iNash]

There are loads of WiFi spots all over the UK.

Where are you heading and I'll check for you?

Also - I will check tomorrow for you (UK time) whether you can simply stick an O2 PAYG SIM in your iPhone without the need to unlock...

 

[Tokiopop]

I'm pretty sure AT&T locked phones WONT accept O2 SIMs

 

[bytethese]

I'll be going to the UK for a week in April. I don't want to pay the ridiculous ATT international fees while I'm there. I have Truphone, but I'm not sure how available/expensive WiFi will be.

Is it possible to unlock my iphone and use a different (UK) SIM card?

Any other suggestions for cheap international calls (incoming and outgoing) would be appreciated.

Just order International data plan for one month, it's $24.99. I did that when I went to Ireland last May. It was cheaper than data roaming charges and helped for my drive from Dublin to Galway and back.

As stated by others, you won't be able to unlock your phone with 2.2.1 firmware.

 

[cualexander]

I am going to Ireland in April. Going to take my sim card out so I can't be charged. I got an account with voipbuster. $14.99 for 120 days unlimited calling. Using siax app on iPhone. I think fring works too with this account. Hopefully I'll be able to get free wifi over there. I have an old iPhone 2g I could unlock and get a sim over there but really I'd rather not. If I have iPhone data plan I'll use it too much and miss my vacation

 

[mik34]

There are loads of WiFi spots all over the UK.

Where are you heading and I'll check for you?

Also - I will check tomorrow for you (UK time) whether you can simply stick an O2 PAYG SIM in your iPhone without the need to unlock...

I'll be going to London, then Derby. I'm only going for 6 days, so I don't want to pay for the monthly international plan.

Thanks for all the input. I'm still confused as to whether a SIM card unlock will work. Some say yes, others say no.

 

[bytethese]

I'll be going to London, then Derby. I'm only going for 6 days, so I don't want to pay for the monthly international plan.

Thanks for all the input. I'm still confused as to whether a SIM card unlock will work. Some say yes, others say no.

I went to Ireland for 7 days, the monthly data plan was still worth it as it included 20MB of data and anything over that was half as much as without the plan. I guess it depends on your needs, I was more concerned with data than voice on my trip.

 

[ppc750fx]

Is this as simple as changing out the SIM card with a UK card (via ebay or something)? I thought you had to unlock for that. I know that yellowsnow doesn't work for 2.2.1, yet. Sorry I'm fairly new to the unlock/jailbreak thing.

He's probably referring to a proxy SIM. "Proxy SIMs" are extremely thin, small cards in the shape of a regular SIM. You place them on top of your normal SIM (O2, Vodafone, whatever you want to use) and insert them into the phone together. They fool the phone such that the lock is bypassed, allowing you to use any carrier you'd like with a SIM-locked phone -- a proxy SIM will allow you to use any SIM with a completely stock iPhone.

 

[iNash]

I'll be going to London, then Derby. I'm only going for 6 days, so I don't want to pay for the monthly international plan.

Thanks for all the input. I'm still confused as to whether a SIM card unlock will work. Some say yes, others say no.

Just checked with the crew at work and as Tokiopop says, an AT&T locked phone WONT take an O2 SIM.

I am not sure how these SIM card unlocks work sadly, but I do know that London is covered in FREE WiFi spots so you should be fine there.

In fact, this is pretty useful: http://londonist.com/2007/05/free_wifi_in_lo.php

As for Derby, it has less but there are still quite a few around (although they are less in publicy areas and more like hotels/restaurants etc

http://www.jiwire.com/search-wifi-hotspots.htm?city_id=2127048

Hope this helps?

 

[mik34]

Thanks iNash

Just checked with the crew at work and as Tokiopop says, an AT&T locked phone WONT take an O2 SIM.

I am not sure how these SIM card unlocks work sadly, but I do know that London is covered in FREE WiFi spots so you should be fine there.

In fact, this is pretty useful: http://londonist.com/2007/05/free_wifi_in_lo.php

As for Derby, it has less but there are still quite a few around (although they are less in publicy areas and more like hotels/restaurants etc

http://www.jiwire.com/search-wifi-hotspots.htm?city_id=2127048

Hope this helps?

Thanks for getting me the links of WiFi in London and Derby. Looks like there will be plenty around both of my hotels. I think I'll just use Truphone or Fring with my Skype account. That's probably the cheapest way to go since I don't really need data.

Appreciate all the help guys, I love Macrumors.