Using the iPhone 4 in BsAS

[domthegreat]

I just moved back to BsAs, and i plan on staying here for a whole year. I wanted to know what are my options for getting my iPhone 4 working here? I already have a different cell phone with a claro Sim that works fine. Can i just cut the sim to fit the iPhone and then use it in the iPhone 4?

 

[mybeautifulair]

you might have to pay to get someone to illegally unlock your cell phone so that you can use it with another service provider. I did that w my iphone and now I just use my argentine chip and it works perfectly. Suerte!

___________________________
http://mybeautifulair.wordpress.com/

 

[igor]

you might have to pay to get someone to illegally unlock your cell phone so that you can use it with another service provider.

I think in the USA unlocking cell phones was explicitely declared to be legal at the end of July, before that it was questionable, but not necessarily illegal.

http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2010/10-169.html

Item 3.

 

[MacDaddy]

At the risk of shooting myself in the foot and losing potential business, my advice is - don't pay someone to unlock your phone when you can do it yourself.

Here is the official jailbreaking site from the guys who develop the tools: http://blog.iphone-dev.org/
They play cat-and-mouse with Apple - they find exploits in the software/firmware to enable jailbreaking/unlocking, then Apple issues a patch and plugs the hole. It's been going on this way for years.

The way it stands currently is in Apple's favor - current iPhone 4's ship with iOS 4.02 or 4.1, for which there is no jailbreak available at this moment. This will change shortly, perhaps even within a few weeks.
If you already have an iPhone 4 and haven't upgraded (still have iOS 4.01), then you're in luck - you can jailbreak / unlock. [You have to jailbreak first, then you can unlock it to use the phone on other carriers.]

Whatever you do, don't pay any of those online leeches to give you an "unlock code" or anything similar. All of the tools are available for free on the net, but of course scammers are repackaging and selling them to unsuspecting users.

It's a byzantine process making sure you have all your ducks in a row and won't end up bricking your phone, but doing a bit of research online pays heaps of dividends in the end. And you'll end up with the best of both worlds - Apple's ease of use and great user interface, plus the openness and freedom of being able to install whatever software you choose to put on your phone, not just what Apple allows you to. There are a lot of useful (and free) apps available in the Cydia Store (which appears once you've jailbroken) that Apple wouldn't allow in the official App Store.
Besides, of course, being able to use the phone on any carrier of your choosing, which was your original question before I started rambling! Ahem.

edit: I've been asked to add my contact info for follow-up:
email: [email protected]
mobile: (15) 3948-3398

 

[Sleuth]

Yes, as MacDaddy says if you have iOS 4.0.1 or lower you can jailbreak and unlock. If not, you're out of luck until a new jailbreak is released.

Once you jailbreak and unlock, you then cut your SIM card down to the micro SIM size. I have a SIM cutter to do this if you want to use it, but there are instructions online as well.

I'm using my unlocked iPhone 4 from the UK with Movistar and it works great.

 

[A&A]

Once you jailbreak and unlock, you then cut your SIM card down to the micro SIM size. I have a SIM cutter to do this if you want to use it, but there are instructions online as well.

Is cutting down the SIM card only needed for iPhone 4? I have an old 3G which I just jailbroke and unlocked. (it is simple, just go on You Tube and watch any number of videos...most with links to the software you need)

I was going to get a SIM card at Claro or Movistar tomorrow? I don't want to get into hardware altering activities. Can't I just get a Sim and pop it in?

 

[MacDaddy]

Is cutting down the SIM card only needed for iPhone 4? Can't I just get a Sim and pop it in?

Yes, you can just buy a normal SIM card and pop it in your iPhone 3G or 3GS.
iPhone 4's are the only iPhones that require a Micro-SIM.

 

[monacospeed]

Strange, Im using an iphone in Japan and we cant open them at ALL

 

[Alicia karr]

I HAVE to have the I phone 4! Currently I'm using an unlocked 3G with a cracked screen and Personal chip, so naturally I want to upgrade. My question is: should I buy the iPhone 4 new in the US, and can I do so WITHOUT a service agreement, or buy it locked and bring it here and unlock it (but what about the service agreement?)OR get it here from Personal (when)? I can barely wait!

 

[French jurist]

Strange, Im using an iphone in Japan and we cant open them at ALL

likely because your OS is above 4.01 ?