iPhone Unlock iPhone 4 iOS 4.3.5 safety?

[johannnn]

Hi everyone,

Sorry for a newbie question here. But googling it returns mostly old articles and I'd like to know if they're still valid.

A friend has a iPhone 4 iOS 4.3.5 that she asked me if she could unlock.
It seems unlockable (redsn0w?), but I'd like to just clarify something.
Do I need to jailbreak it first in order to unlock it?
I jailbreaked an iPhone 3 some years ago, and I remember it getting slower after the jailbreak, maybe due to all the Cydia and SSH stuff it installed? Is it possible to unlock an iPhone without the installer installing a bunch of other stuff?
Also, I remember updating the iPhone while jailbreaked and it turned into an iBrick. Is that still a concern? Or is unlocking independent on the iOS version?

Thanks!!

 

[TriJetHero]

unlocking can be done 3 ways:
- software unlock via ultrasn0w when jailbreaked, needs 1.59.0 Baseband
- Sim interposer
- IMEI unlock, permanent and only a few $ via grey market online services.
there are several good threads on this forum on it, i recommend an IMEI unlock
as it is permanent and you can update to latest 6.01 version without any hassle.

 

[johannnn]

Great reply! I'll go for the IMEI unlock

 

[dhlizard]

Since your friend's iPhone is on 4.3.5, it likely does not have the 1.59.xx baseband anyway (the only iPhone 4 baseband Ultrasn0w can unlock) so you really don't have a choice.

And Redsn0w jailbreaks, it cannot unlock.

I also recommend the IMEI unlock from carrier who sold the phone or a grey market vendor.

Once the unlock is obtained, your friend can update her firmware to newest version and the unlock will remain.

 

[openyourmind]

unlocking can be done 3 ways:
- software unlock via ultrasn0w when jailbreaked, needs 1.59.0 Baseband
- Sim interposer
- IMEI unlock, permanent and only a few $ via grey market online services.
there are several good threads on this forum on it, i recommend an IMEI unlock
as it is permanent and you can update to latest 6.01 version without any hassle.

Agreed, but the IMEI unlock is not always for a "few $" . For example, I got mine unlocked at iphoneofficial.com (they sound pretty pro) and it costs around 29$

OP, you can give them a try. They whitelisted mine in 2 days.

 

[GlowJoy]

unlock iphone

to reiterate what has already been said, I have personally being doing some research into this in the last few days to try to unlock a phone I bought as a presi for xmas...

First go and use a site called checkMEND (in uk) to check that your phone is not blocked or black listed. very useful service for ALL secondhand electronics!

I found a video on you tube explaining the various ways it can be done, and the most successful.
Type "factory unlock iphone service" into you tube, if you want to find out further info,or just straight into ebay (and also add the network in the search).. there are many people selling the service... check obviously for the good feedback that their service does actually work..
I have found in uk that using the additional 'refine search' for cheapest first feature helps eliminate the silly prices, and helps find a good price...
just then buy the service enter the IMEI and wait a few days. they add your IMEI to apples data base of unlocked phones, and so its permanent. doesnt matter how many software updates etc you do... and you DONT need to jailbreak your phone to do it.. with all the other associated problems that can bring.

Good luck everyone.... please let me know if this helps anyone!

 

[labman]

Agreed, but the IMEI unlock is not always for a "few $" . For example, I got mine unlocked at iphoneofficial.com (they sound pretty pro) and it costs around 29$

OP, you can give them a try. They whitelisted mine in 2 days.

Depends on the carrier At&T is the cheapest to get done and sellers can be found on Ebay under $5 all day long. They also activate in hours not days. We have a huge thread here discussing IEMI unlocks and who does what for how much. I really don't think $29 is to much though for a unlocked phone that you don't have to worry about baseband ever again.

 

[Needhelp1993]

Ok I have a couple questions and keep getting different answers. Maybe y'all can help.
I am on tmobile and I wanna buy an iPhone 4S. I have to have it unlocked obviously.
So should I buy an already unlocked iPhone or buy a non unlocked one and have it unlocked?
Here's my issues with both options.
If I get an already unlocked iPhone it may not be updated to the newest IOS 6 and I don't want that.
The problem with buying ones that's not unlocked is a lot of people are saying some phones are blacklisted and if so I can't unlock it. Then there's the issue of finding a honest, not too expensive way to do it....
So I guess my questions are
Which option is better?
Where can I unlock my iPhone (to where it can always be updated without losing be able to use it on tmobile)?
How do I make sure it can be unlocked and isn't blacklisted or something?

 

[dhlizard]

Buy an AT&T iPhone (they don't blacklist phones in the US - or almost never) and pay a grey market vendor $5 to unlock it.
Put in your T-Mobile sim and dial the phone.