Tag Archives: simfree

[iPhone] 3G Runs Modified Baseband and Custom Tools

The iPhone Dev Team posted some news during the last days. First of all they show us they are able to run a modified 3G baseband, although it fails integrity checks (see picture). And obviously they coded a baseband tool that allows execution of custom commands on the baseband.

Their silent and evolving works seems to be succesfull. Both these steps are major steps into a custom unlock. Anyway we don’t have information how long it will take until the final unlock, but we expect it to be aired before Chrismas.

Picture and video is courtesy of iPhone Dev Team.

[iPhone] HowTo Activate and Unlock using QuickPwn 2.1

I. Abstract

This is a short HowTo since all of you by now know how to use QuickPwn, don’t you? in short: QuickPwn is an Après-Tool. Means: you let iTunes 8 do the update process and use QuickPwn afterwards to “open” your device. Note:

  • 2G iPhones can be jailbroken and unlocked
  • 3G iPhones can be jailbroken, but not unlocked
  • iPod Touch 1st generation can be jailbroken
  • iPod Touch 2nd generation can not be jailbroken

Our article will not cover the iPod Touch, but the iPhone.

II. Requirements

III. Warning

Jailbreaking and unlocking is illegal to be performed with iPhone devices that are part of a current agreement (mostly 12 or 24 months). You would violate your contract by jailbreaking and unlocking! Don’t do it.

  • If you’re updating: all your Cydia and Installer.app based applications will be lost and need to be installed again!
  • Make sure you make a backup of your data!

IV. Update iPhone firmware

  • connect your iPhone with your PC
  • start iTunes 8
  • choose your iPhone (under devices)
  • hold the shift-key (on your keyboard) and do a mouse-click on the Update Button – a file-open window will pop up like this:
  • locate the downloaded firmware 2.1 (named: iPhone1,1_2.1_5F136_Restore.ipsw) and open it
  • iTunes will begin to update your iPhone automatically





  • After having updated the iPhone will reboot. If you are using an already Pwned iPhone it will remain activated and unlocked, you only need to jailbreak.

IV. QuickPwning it :-)

  • Let your iPhone plugged to your computer
  • Close iTunes
  • Start QuickPwn 2.1-1
  • You will be greeted with the Device Detection screen, click the right-arrow to proceed:
  • on the next window, click the Browse button to locate your iPhone1,1_2.1_5F136_Restore.ipsw firmware:

  • QuickPwn will check if the firmware matches the version currently running on your iPhone and will allow you to proceed (click the right-arrow):
  • the next windows allows you to select, what you want to install. We recommend to install both Cydia and Installer.app. If your iPhone has not been unlocked until now, here you can also choose to simunlock it. As we are quite conservative: we never change the boot logos, but this seems to be a matter of taste. After having selected, click the right-arrow button to proceed.
  • For safety reasons, QuickPwn will remind you to leave your iPhone plugged to your computer, click the right-arrow button to proceed
  • Read and follow the instruction on this window very carefully! QuickPwn will help you counting!
  • After that, QuickPwn will take control and perform the following actions automatically:


  • When all the tasks have been completed, QuickPwn has finished.
  • Your iPhone will perform some more actions for the next few minutes. It will show it is changing the NOR and so on and will reboot then.

After having rebooted your iPhone will be perfectly jailbroken and unlocked

V. Final words

Guys, we hope we could clarify some more things here than others did. We appreciate your comments on this. Kudos to all of you and remember to consider our sponsors, they really got the coolest offers ;-) Kudos fly out to the iPhone Dev Team! Live long and prosper, guys.

[iPhone] Factory Unlocked 3G List (“Locked to Carrier” List) (update)

[Update] Sep, 26th: News from Hong Kong added (details here)
[Update] Aug, 25th: Apple’s list update included.

Almost unnoticed on july, 11th 2008 Apple also published a list of carriers offering the iPhone. The interesting thing with this list is, it also contains information about the status of the SIM lock in specific countries.

Apple’s official “Locked to Carrier” list

This is an extract from the official Apple list found here:

Country Carrier SIM Lock Available without Agreement
Italy Vodafone No Yes (499€/8GB, 569€/16GB)
Italy TIM No Yes (499€/8GB, 569€/16GB)
Hong Kong 3 No No (375€/8GB, n.a.€/16GB)
Hong Kong (Apple Store) No Yes (476€/8GB, 547€/16GB)
Greece Vodafone No No (Details here)
Czech Republic O2 No Yes (490€/8GB, 570€/16GB)
New Zealand Vodafone No Yes (470€/8GB, 535€/16GB)
Singapore SingTel No No (490€/8GB, 570€/16GB)
Slovakia Orange No No? (Details)
Macao 3 No No? (Details)

It is rumored, the unlocked iPhones need to be activated aswell, but in this case it can be done at home using iTunes. No matter how often you change your carrier, it seems you can always re-activate.

Forum reports

In addition to the offical Apple list, this is what people report in forums:

Country Carrier SIM Lock Available without Agreement
Belgium Mobistar No Yes (n.a.€/8GB, 615€/16GB)
France Orange Yes (100€ Unlock fee) Yes (509€/8GB, 609€/16GB)

This list may not be 100% accurate and refers to reports on forums, like hackint0sh. Feel free to add more details like pricing and how to obtain unlocked devices elsewhere as comments below. Thanks!

The cheapest iPhone 3G

For people living in Switzerland, Swisscom offers the iPhone 3G for beating prices between 519 CHF (=510 US$, =325€) for the 8GB version and 619 CHF (=610US$, =385€) for the 16GB version. This includes a prepaid tariff with no obligations. Disadvantages: 1. iPhone 3G is simlocked to Swisscom. You currently cannot unlock, since Proxy SIMs have heavy (legal) disadvantages (read here), 2. This offer is limited to people living in Switzerland. Your citizenship and rights of residence are checked in Swisscom stores. Tourists (=foreigners) not living in Switzerland cannot buy it.