Factory Unlock > Update gone wrong?

abduljafar · Sep 9, 2011

I bought a "factory unlocked" phone from an Apple store in Spain. I've had it for a few months and decided I wanted to update to 4.3.5. I tried the update and now my phone won't recognize the T-mobile SIM that I've been using.

Did this update break my "factory unlock"?
Is there anyway to fix this problem?

Right now I finally got a 4.3 tethered jailbreak to work, but it won't pick up T-mobile service. Plus, I don't really want to be on a tether jailbreak, I was just trying to get ANYTHING to work.

Any suggestions?

Jmills87 · Sep 9, 2011

There is no way to "break" a factory unlock. If it was truly factory unlocked then it would remain unlocked no matter what firmware or baseband you were on. It must not have been factory unlocked but if you got it from Apple Im not sure how that would be possible(obviously they dont jailbreak and perform software unlocks on their own devices).

I would call the store and ask them to fix it.

abduljafar · Sep 9, 2011

That's what I thought.

However, after I updated I was getting that the SIM card could not be recognized, on the actual iPhone itself. After doing a tether 4.3.5 Jailbreak (2 frustrating days later) I am able to get into the phone, finally, but am still confused as to why I had to go about it this way. Especially since the store I bought it from was an Apple store. I will have to wait until late tonight to call them and find out what they say.

Here is another question: If I goto an Apple store, would they just replace it with some crappy refurbished, non-"factory unlocked" phone?

Jmills87 · Sep 10, 2011

They would replace it with the exact same phone they gave you the first time, it would be a refurb but it definitely wouldn't be "crappy" their refurbs are more or less brand new phones.

iFrog · Sep 10, 2011

Jmills87 said:
They would replace it with the exact same phone they gave you the first time, it would be a refurb but it definitely wouldn't be "crappy" their refurbs are more or less brand new phones.

Apple will NEVER give you a piece of junk. They do a SUPER job on refub, they even put new batteries on all of them.

iJeff · Sep 10, 2011

I agree, go back to Apple and see if they will do an exchange for you....

abduljafar · Sep 12, 2011

So I went to the Apple store and they said it was a Voda phone and that I needed to purchase a Voda SIM to fix the issue, and after that I could use my t-mobile SIM again.

Does that make sense to anyone?

Jmills87 · Sep 13, 2011

No that doesn't make sense at all.... Vodafone and T-Mobile are two completely different companies and if your phone is factory unlocked it should work with a SIM from either one.

Do you know anyone with Vodaphone so you could test their suggestion?

Gregoris · Sep 13, 2011

abduljafar said:
So I went to the Apple store and they said it was a Voda phone and that I needed to purchase a Voda SIM to fix the issue, and after that I could use my t-mobile SIM again.

Does that make sense to anyone?

That makes no sense at all but apple wont be able to help, you should deal with vodafone since the phone is locked to them and make sure it gets unlocked so you can use the t-mobile sim as well

abduljafar · Sep 29, 2011

The Vodaphone SIM never arrived, stupid eBay sellers. Right now I'm just using an Android. Later on I'll figure out a better way to fix it.

Thanks for the ideas/help guys!