Non-contract AT&T iPhone 5s can reportedly be unlocked via iTunes
It was revealed on Wednesday that customers who paid full freight for an AT&T version of Apple's iPhone 5 can easily unlock the device with a quick iTunes reset.
First discovered by TechCrunch, the simple unlocking procedure is said to work with iPhone 5s purchased from AT&T at full price, with the process being quite simple compared to the carrier's traditional previous method of submitting an online form, sending a fax and waiting up to a week for a restore.
The publication was able to confirm the easy one-step process with AT&T's technical support and successfully unlocked the device in iTunes.
"After restoring the device in iTunes, the user is prompted with the usual unlocking message: 'Congratulations, your iPhone has been unlocked,'" the report said.
From that point, according to TechCrunch's Romain Dillet, all that was needed to gain access to T-Mobile's network was the trimming down of a compatible micro-SIM card to fit in the iPhone 5's nano-SIM tray. The device recognized T-Mobile's signal within seconds, allowing both calls and EDGE data to go through without issue.
AT&T iPhone 5 running on T-Mobile's network after unlock.
Source: TechCrunch
Dillet explained that when an iPhone is purchased, the handset's IMEI is added to Apple's database, though it appears subsidized phones hold a different status than those purchased at full price without a contract.
While the publication was able to successfully unlock an iPhone 5 purchased through Apple retail, the procedure could not be confirmed on another pre-ordered unit "even though the device was purchased at full price, it was tied to an existing AT&T account during the pre-order process."
It was previously reported that Verizon's iPhone 5 ships unlocked for GSM networks.
First discovered by TechCrunch, the simple unlocking procedure is said to work with iPhone 5s purchased from AT&T at full price, with the process being quite simple compared to the carrier's traditional previous method of submitting an online form, sending a fax and waiting up to a week for a restore.
The publication was able to confirm the easy one-step process with AT&T's technical support and successfully unlocked the device in iTunes.
"After restoring the device in iTunes, the user is prompted with the usual unlocking message: 'Congratulations, your iPhone has been unlocked,'" the report said.
From that point, according to TechCrunch's Romain Dillet, all that was needed to gain access to T-Mobile's network was the trimming down of a compatible micro-SIM card to fit in the iPhone 5's nano-SIM tray. The device recognized T-Mobile's signal within seconds, allowing both calls and EDGE data to go through without issue.
AT&T iPhone 5 running on T-Mobile's network after unlock.
Source: TechCrunch
Dillet explained that when an iPhone is purchased, the handset's IMEI is added to Apple's database, though it appears subsidized phones hold a different status than those purchased at full price without a contract.
While the publication was able to successfully unlock an iPhone 5 purchased through Apple retail, the procedure could not be confirmed on another pre-ordered unit "even though the device was purchased at full price, it was tied to an existing AT&T account during the pre-order process."
It was previously reported that Verizon's iPhone 5 ships unlocked for GSM networks.
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by djdj
What is the iPhone 5S? Is that next year's model?
"iPhone 5s" denotes plurality.
Quote:
Originally Posted by justmeblue
This appears to be true, we have not tried it yet.
Here is how it looks, I finally got around to the required restore although it's not with AT&T
Yes. Use Straight Talk (www.straighttalk.com) to access the AT&T network.
How do you quote?
Quote:
Originally Posted by TylerD
I noticed on the ATT site that they require you to purchase a plan for the no-contract iPhone 5. That does not make sense. is there a way to get around that?
You can use pre paid AT&T, it's called Go Phone.
The trick is, if the device is paired to a network, such as the AT&T iPhone 5's right now (because they don't sell an 'Unlocked' model yet), you have to wait about 10 minutes for Apple's systems to propagate, then restore the iPhone for the unlock to go through.
So, if you want an unlocked iPhone 5, just go to an Apple Retail Store and purchase an AT&T model 'Device Only', then bring it home and plug it into iTunes and restore it.
When you purchase as 'Device Only', you don't have to provide any info to a carrier, it is just the iPhone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TylerD
I noticed on the ATT site that they require you to purchase a plan for the no-contract iPhone 5. That does not make sense. is there a way to get around that?
If you order it online, you risk getting a new contract with ATT, even if you pay full price. Better to get the phone, like I did, directly from Apple. I spent over 1 hour on the phone today with 3 -way call (me, ATT, and Apple) to verify that, indeed, my un-subsidized ATT phone purchased last Friday at the Apple store was ALREADY unlocked, and I did not even have to reset it, or go onto itunes to do so. This was in spite of the fact that I own an iphone4S that is still within contract. Even though I asked last Friday, Apple gave me incorrect information, and I was told my phone was locked, and that the only way to get it unlocked was to return to Apple within 30 days, and they would only do it if the unsubsidized phones had been released, which they said was unlikely - repeat: that was INCORRCT information. Unsubsidized phones (not part of family plans as extra phones purchased) come UNLOCKED from Apple - nothing else needs to be done. Apple even suggested that, if I wanted to make sure before travelling abroad, to visit a local T-mobile store, and have them insert a nano-sim to test it out. I can imagine that you would have to pretend you were thinking about switching to T-mobile from ATT in order for T-mobile to do this, but it was a good suggestion, particularly since I like to use Vodaphone in Europe whenever possible (owns T-mobile for those who may not know). I was told last year, by the way, that US T-mobile sim chips will not work in Europe, but never took one with me, prefering to get a local plan in Germany, which worked quite well on my ipad2 (I didn't have an unlocked iphone4 last year, so am looking forward to using my iphone5 the next time I'm abroad). Hope this helps.
"Lmfao @ Edge data"
Depend on location, I live in Alhambra, my T-Mobile iPhone 4 show 3G
T-Mobile iPhone 4 Factory Unlock, Alhambra CA
Quote:
Originally Posted by indiekiduk
You can use pre paid AT&T, it's called Go Phone.
How do you quote?
i have no idea...
You have to buy their no contract monthly plan, which is different. And more expensive. Shocker, eh?
True. I called AT&T about this and the rep told me that you can use their pre-paid plans, with the lowest plan starting at $25, on the iphone 5. However, the rep told me that only voice and text would work with the iphone 5 and that you would not be able to receive data.
O2 in the UK unlocked my iPhone 3GS in the same way -- once they had processed my request, i received an SMS telling me to insert a SIM from another network in the phone and connecting it to iTunes. My bro-in-law also had his 3GS unlocked in the same way, and son did the same with his iP4.
These were all phones on contract and all that was required was that we continued to meet our contractual obligation. Apple supplied phones charged at full price are always unlocked.