Help! Suddenly unlocked an desparate!

bocadoc · Jan 22, 2012

I had an iPhone 3GS and was running some version of iOS 4, with a baseband that could be unlocked. I am locked to ATT (USA), but now live half the time abroad and wanted to unlock my iPhone for use with a local carrier there. A year or so ago I used "jailbreakme.com" successfully and Ultrasn0w to unlock. All was good............I kept getting messages from iTunes that there was new software available, but I kept declining since I knew there was no untethered-jailbreak/unlock and I'd lose my unlock. I am so uneducated in this stuff - which is why I waited for the simple "jailbreakme.com" to come out, so that even [a techno-fool like] me could do it in a failsafe manner.

Then, a few days ago, I saw that there was an untethered jailbreak now available for iOS 5 - without considering that there was no unlock yet for the latest baseband that it came with - 5.16.05. I upgraded, jailbroke...and now cannot unlock, since Ultrasn0w does not unlock that baseband (yet?). I have desperately been trying to unlock again. Thankfully, my iPhone is not "bricked" (is that the term - meaning unusable like a brick?) - I'm just stuck only able to use my ATT SIM card, which does not help me here abroad...

YES, I AM AN IDIOT

Now, as I learned from the SHSH FAQ in the iPad forum, thanks to Cydia brilliantly automatically storing SHSH blobs (SHSH blobs? I never knew they existed, much less cared! Sounds like something from a 1950's horror movie), I have some "blobs" saved from earlier firmwares (e.g. 4.3). I also learned from the SHSH FAQ that TinyUmbrella retrieves them - which I have done (I've been reading a lot...).

My question is: Can I "go back in time" to my earlier firmware version (4.3) and, will it come with a baseband that I can unlock? What are the risks? How do I do it? I read somewhere that I could unlock in 5.0.1 if I go to baseband 6.15 (the iPad's baseband), but I do not want to destroy my GPS. What about using iFaith (also mentioned in that SHSH FAQ)?

Could you provide step-by-step instructions if it is possible to go back to my earlier baseband? I don't care about iOS 5. If I need to go back to iOS 4 and stay there, I'm perfectly happy with it, as long as I can unlock again.

If I can't go back to an "unlock-able" baseband (sigh), is there an unlock on the near horizon for my current baseband 5.16.05?

Help me please!!!!! Desperate!!!

Mr.Mischief · Jan 22, 2012

You cannot downgrade the BaseBand. Your only unlock option is the GPS killing 6.15.00 BB. Next time, use Sn0wbreeze(PC) or Pwnage Tool(Mac), and make a custom restore file that preserves the unlockable BaseBand.

As for unlocking your current BaseBand, I've believe they've stopped working on the unlock for the 3G/3GS.

Delphi51 · Jan 22, 2012

I just bought an unlocked iPhone 3G on eBay. And discovered the GPS doesn't work. What a shame to have a wonderful GPS and not be able to use it! There really should be a warning on those eBay sales to inform the buyer that the phone may be in "excellent condition" BUT the GPS doesn't work on these jail broken/unlocked phones.

Mr.Mischief · Jan 22, 2012

Delphi51 said:
I just bought an unlocked iPhone 3G on eBay. And discovered the GPS doesn't work. What a shame to have a wonderful GPS and not be able to use it! There really should be a warning on those eBay sales to inform the buyer that the phone may be in "excellent condition" BUT the GPS doesn't work on these jail broken/unlocked phones.

Did the seller list which BaseBand it was running?

jack_b · Jan 23, 2012

If you have a 3G you can downgrade to any version you like as low as 3.1.3 last time I checked. 4.2.1 can also be unlocked but you will need to install the iPad 6.15 baseband. 3GS is a different story. 4.1 or 5.0.1 are your choices but you must upgrade baseband with either in order to jailbreak.

Delphi51 · Jan 23, 2012

Did the seller list which baseband?

No. None of the ads for unlocked iPhones do. I was so happy with the condition of the phone and how easily it worked with my 7/11 Speakout sim card for both voice and data (would you believe unlimited data for $10 a month?) that I immediately reported full satisfaction and 100% rating. I am still reasonably happy with it.

I read that the downgrade from baseband 6.15 can only be done with the small number of 3G phones that have a certain version of the bootloader. And it is a risky procedure that might "brick" the phone.

This whole unlocking via jailbreaking business is unsavory. Are there no Apple approved ways to unlock? If not, what an incredible waste of beautiful phones.

Mr.Mischief · Jan 23, 2012

This is the latest news, I found it with a Google search

Downgrade iPhone 3GS Baseband 6.15.00 To 5.13.04 Coming Soon! | iPad2iPhone5

Delphi51 · Jan 23, 2012

Mr Mischief, thak you for helping. I saw that link earlier and wondered if the downgrade method for phones with that particular bootloader version was a credible solution. Im thinking that it is the unlocking that changes the baseband to 6.15 and kills the GPS. If so, wouldn't downgrading then unlocking put it right back to the dead GPS situation?

Am I correct in thinking that ALL phones unlocked via jail breaking have lost their GPS?
I should add that the day I got my iPhone I ordered another from the same seller for my daughter. When I discovered the GPS problem, I wrote to him requesting that he not send another phone with no GPS. Is it possible that one of his jail broken phones will have a functional GPS? Maybe he will find one that was unlocked by Apple. Or on my carrier, Rogers.

Mr.Mischief · Jan 23, 2012

Delphi51 said:
Mr Mischief, thak you for helping. I saw that link earlier and wondered if the downgrade method for phones with that particular bootloader version was a credible solution. Im thinking that it is the unlocking that changes the baseband to 6.15 and kills the GPS. If so, wouldn't downgrading then unlocking put it right back to the dead GPS situation?

Am I correct in thinking that ALL phones unlocked via jail breaking have lost their GPS?
I should add that the day I got my iPhone I ordered another from the same seller for my daughter. When I discovered the GPS problem, I wrote to him requesting that he not send another phone with no GPS. Is it possible that one of his jail broken phones will have a functional GPS? Maybe he will find one that was unlocked by Apple. Or on my carrier, Rogers.

iPhone's running an unlockable BaseBand can be upgraded to 6.15.00. iPhone's that do have an unlockable BaseBand can be unlocked through Jailbreaking and still retain GPS functionality.

Delphi51 · Jan 23, 2012

Interesting, thanks! It would be nice to understand it better. I think the "baseband" is a segment of the phone's ROM firmware that includes carrier locking and 3G control. The cause of all the trouble is supposed to be that the hardware can prevent replacement of that code with an earlier version. How does this downgrading method avoid that restriction? If it can write into that rom, why not just write the code for "no carrier lock" which must be available from all phones retailed by Apple? It seems weird that the GPS is affected. Is it possible that Apple reacted to unlocking by jail breaking by coding into ios this mild punishment?

I was one of those early Apple customers who replaced one of the firmware eproms in the Apple II+ computer to give it the ability to display lower case characters. Back in the 1970s. Funny, the firmware was all set up for use of the shift key - you just had to change one instruction to activate it. No one could understand why that functionality was deliberately disabled.

bocadoc · Jan 24, 2012

Mr.Mischief said:
This is the latest news, I found it with a Google search

Downgrade iPhone 3GS Baseband 6.15.00 To 5.13.04 Coming Soon! | iPad2iPhone5

Thanks for you replying to my post and for this update. I hope this downgrade option becomes reality!

Delphi51 · Jan 25, 2012

The ebay store I bought two unlocked phones from has offered to make the second one a locked one on the carrier of my choice. I like that. I want the GPS to work, am happy paying the reasonable prices at the appstore and worry about the kludges I think Cydia has introduced on my phone. It is annoying that I can't find understandable information about the whole modified setup.

bocadoc, just a thought, maybe you could sell your phone on ebay and buy another one that is properly unlocked. There are some businesses that buy and sell used iPhones, so maybe a deal could be made with one of them.

I hope Mr. Mischief will post some information about how to tell if it is properly unlocked. One thing to avoid is the 6.15 baseband. iPhones retailed by Apple are safely unlocked. Do phone companies unlock phones when their contract is completed?

Mr.Mischief · Jan 30, 2012

Delphi51 said:
The ebay store I bought two unlocked phones from has offered to make the second one a locked one on the carrier of my choice. I like that. I want the GPS to work, am happy paying the reasonable prices at the appstore and worry about the kludges I think Cydia has introduced on my phone. It is annoying that I can't find understandable information about the whole modified setup.

bocadoc, just a thought, maybe you could sell your phone on ebay and buy another one that is properly unlocked. There are some businesses that buy and sell used iPhones, so maybe a deal could be made with one of them.

I hope Mr. Mischief will post some information about how to tell if it is properly unlocked. One thing to avoid is the 6.15 baseband. iPhones retailed by Apple are safely unlocked. Do phone companies unlock phones when their contract is completed?

If you want a properly unlocked iPhone, search for the unlockable baseband on eBay. Make sure you check the box that says "search in description."

Unlockable BaseBands:

iPhone 3G/3GS:

5.11.07
5.12.01
5.13.04

iPhone 4:

1.59.00(Ultrasn0w or Gevey)
2.10.04(Gevey)
3.10.01(Gevey)
4.10.01(Gevey)

Gevey: http://www.iphoneheat.com/2011/06/gevey-ultra-sim-unlock-iphone-4-without-dialing-112/

http://applenberry.com/store/gevey-sim/gevey-ultra

I use a Gevey, it's awesome( and for iPhone 4 only). Make sure you don't buy a fake, buy directly from applenberry. iPhone 3G/3GS, use Ultrasn0w to unlock.

US carrier's won't unlock your iPhone under any circumstances.