# Question: iPhone/unlock/rogers/buffalo



## emalen (Oct 10, 2004)

I don't know anything about unlocking phones, but being an Apple nerd, i desperately want an iphone.

That said, isn't it to rogers advantage to allow Canadians to bring back iPhones from the US and use them on their network.

Not only do they not have to deal with apple, give them a percentage of the profits or cave to any of apple's demands, they have suckers like me ringing up huge data plan bills and switching from telus to rogers.

why wouldn't rogers want black market iphones in canada (or is it grey market?)

that said, just for curiosity sake, is anyone going to buffalo on friday to pick on up? and is it true what i've been reading that legally at&t must unlock a phone if you ask as it's a rule in the US?


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

Rogers allows *any *GSM phone to be used on its network.

It's in their interest to sell the iPhone themselves since many of its features will not work without network support. And of course they can charge for data relevant to the iPhone plan or whatever it is they offer.

One problem with buying foreign handsets in the past has been warranty: most cell manufacturers do not honour warranties for phones bought in other countries. Nokia Canada, for example, knows where your phone was purchased by its serial number. Shipping your phone to (and from) international destinations has its problems, to put it mildly.

In a few weeks you'll know how easy or hard it is to unlock an AT&T iPhone. But their own caveats are that you must be a customer for 90 days, and have a US address. And this only applies to phones that can be unlocked. A few weeks and you'll have an unqualified answer.


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## guytoronto (Jun 25, 2005)

I'm not sure how cell phone subsidies work in the US, but it's very possible that cancelling, unlocking, whatever the iPhone from AT&T could cost a boat load of $$$.

In Canada, phones have prices based on contract length, and if you don't want a contract, you pay a lot more for the phone. AT&T and Apple could just say "iPhone - no contract price - $3000" or something similarly outrageous.

Sure, the carrier might be obligated by law to 'unlock for free', but if you sign up for a contract to avoid the 'no contract price' AT&T could turn around and hit you with a 'contract cancellation fee' of some stpuid amount.

I can't imagine Apple or AT&T are going to make it easy to just buy an iPhone and use it on any carrier you want.


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## MacDaddy (Jul 16, 2001)

PureMobile.com is touting unlocked iPhones as Coming Soon to their website without requiring a contract. I guess we will also see what happens with that.

Buy Apple iPhone Black Unlocked GSM Cellular Phone, Apple Cell Phones


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

MacDaddy said:


> PureMobile.com is touting unlocked iPhones as Coming Soon to their website without requiring a contract. I guess we will also see what happens with that.
> 
> Buy Apple iPhone Black Unlocked GSM Cellular Phone, Apple Cell Phones


They are doing that to drive traffic to their site. It will remain "Coming Soon" until somebody figures out how to unlock the iPhone and there are plentiful numbers in the resale market. iPhone 2 will be out before that happens.


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## ShawnKing (Mar 21, 2005)

emalen said:


> That said, isn't it to rogers advantage to allow Canadians to bring back iPhones from the US and use them on their network.


It may be to their advantage but it may not be possible.

I've used aan iPhone and tried to swap my present SIM card with the iPhone's (both AT&T) and it didn't work. We're told you have to use *specific* cards with the iPhone.


> that said, just for curiosity sake, is anyone going to buffalo on friday to pick on up? and is it true what i've been reading that legally at&t must unlock a phone if you ask as it's a rule in the US?


I'll be out front of the 5th Ave store in New York City.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

ShawnKing said:


> We're told you have to use *specific* cards with the iPhone.


That's interesting.. I wonder if standard SIM cards won't work in them.. that would certainly hinder attempts to unlock them.


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

Confirmed, apparently:


> Late breaking news: iPhones AND SIMs locked to AT&T
> 
> You'll get this story tomorrow from AT&T, but word has it that iPhone subscriber identification cards -- those little chip-like cards that are standard throughout the GSM mobile phone world -- are NOT interchangeable with other carriers. So if you have a T-Mobile GSM account and somehow get an iPhone in your hands, you won't be able to swap in your SIM card and have your iPhone work on T-Mobile. Apple signed an exclusive deal with AT&T -- and they are using every technology in their arsenal to enforce that exclusivity. Sorry.


Source: Blackfire Marketing


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## ShawnKing (Mar 21, 2005)

CubaMark said:


> Apple signed an exclusive deal with AT&T -- and they are using every technology in their arsenal to enforce that exclusivity. Sorry.


Yup - and while it sucks for the consumer, its completely understandable from Apple's and AT&T's POV.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

So it no longer matters if the iPhone is "unlockable" or not--only proprietary SIM cards will work in it.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

Which is probably coded in the software or firmware to support.

I suppose that still leaves the potential for some hacking, but I think it'll be quite a while before someone figures it out, if at all. Afterall, no one's hacked the iPod firmware yet to let their own games run on it. (only Linux, etc)


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## Garry (Jan 27, 2002)

Anyone watch the Activation video yet? Activation is done through iTunes.


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## ShawnKing (Mar 21, 2005)

Garry said:


> Anyone watch the Activation video yet? Activation is done through iTunes.


Yup - that's why Apple said an iTunes account was needed for activation. They don't want you hanging around the store, trying to get it set up. They also didn't want to have to tie the stores into AT&T's database.


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## jhollington (Jan 29, 2007)

Actually, the iTunes activation requirement is more the point. I'm not entirely sure about how proprietary the SIM cards are, as that's supposed to be a defined standard for the technology (although there have been interoperability issues between different models of phones in the past based on SIM card _capacity_, rather than design).

However, since the iPhone will apparently be an expensive brick until it's activated with an AT&T contract via iTunes, it's unlikely that anything else much matters. People _might_ eventually figure out how to bypass this, but that's going to be a huge challenge at the very least, since it's very likely that the activation process is encrypted, and of course it's keyed to actually putting a _phone number_ onto the SIM card in the phone.

The only remaining option would be for somebody to buy an iPhone, activate it on an AT&T plan, and then try to transfer it to another carrier from there. Of course, you'd still be indentured to AT&T for your two year contract, so that's not going to be a very practical solution either.


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## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

Anybody rich enough to get the phone and pay roaming to use it in Canada?


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

One bit of advice, following today's news: Anyone waiting to pickup something at the iTMS, do it NOW! As of Friday night, iTunes may well be rendered unusable for days..... 

M


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## Cuzz323 (May 3, 2007)

*Mhmm*



dona83 said:


> Anybody rich enough to get the phone and pay roaming to use it in Canada?


I'm not rich but i saved up 2k to get two phones with all accessories and if it's not unlock able , i'll find someway to make money of it , i'll have the only Toronto iPhone Event Meet &Greet for Ten minutes and a photo op for $10 a person.


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## guytoronto (Jun 25, 2005)

dona83 said:


> Anybody rich enough to get the phone and pay roaming to use it in Canada?


Conrad Black? Oh wait...nevermind.


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## AppleAuthority (May 21, 2005)

It actually wouldn't be much of a problem if the old Cingular North American plans still existed, where any minute across North America was considered "local", and came out of a pool of minutes. However, it looks like AT&T axed that plan, for whatever reasons.

It also appears that the phone must be activated to use any of its functions, including the iPod.


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## Garry (Jan 27, 2002)

The following email has been sent out to AT&T customers:

"With iPhone arriving June 29th at 6 p.m. in AT&T retail stores, the wait is almost over. Use our online store locator to find the closest AT&T store that sells Apple iPhone (*limit one per person*)."


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## GOEMETHEUS (Aug 31, 2007)

*Hush Hush Unlock*

-- Keep on d/l

iPhone unlock to be uploaded September 1st by HaXXorz//CraXXoer WIZARDS at TFS.

We are looking to build a small buzz, but remember, it'll only be up for a short period of time.

The Friend Society Forums - Powered by vBulletin

Remember, keep it quiet!

Lata playaz


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

Ah, to be 12 again.



GOEMETHEUS said:


> -- Keep on d/l
> 
> iPhone unlock to be uploaded September 1st by HaXXorz//CraXXoer WIZARDS at TFS.
> 
> ...


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## bryonbrock (Jul 7, 2008)

*Great resource for iPhone unlocking*

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## ericlewis91 (Jul 12, 2007)

bryonbrock said:


> I like iPhone Hacks: Downloads, Cracks, Mods, Homebrew, Utilities - Hack & Unlock Apple iPhone for grabbing my iphone unlocking downloads they always have good bandwidth


why would you bump a dead thread


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

ericlewis91 said:


> why would you bump a dead thread


Spammers do.


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