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Free Your iPhone Using a SIM Unlock Card
Posted by Sean Fallon at 9:30 AM on January 26, 2008
This new device from Brando claims to have the ability to unlock your iPhone on the SIM level by attaching to the card. It will work with any firmware, but keep in mind that activation is required. So, v1.1.2 is a go, but not v1.1.3 (just yet). Plus, it is a good deal at only US$30. Additional pic after the break.
[Product Page via Swongled Thanks Joe!]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
phungy
Posted 10:15 AM 26/1/08
Buy one and let us know how it is Gizmodo!
phungy
M_Mickey
Posted 7:17 PM 25/1/08
hackintosh forums is probably a baetter place to follow this cheap SIM unlock card, the only new thing is the price?
M_Mickey
Seph
Posted 6:45 PM 25/1/08
It looks like some kind of SIM key. Many operators in Europe use those special SIM cards to unlock handsets when required. A SIM key contains info matched to the manufacturer, model and cell carrier. Also the chipset on board is different (very similar to the one in the picture) since it also has an special controller to interface with the base band hardware of the phone. Actually SIM key unlocking is almost phased out and not so many handset manufacturers use it. As far as I remember, Motorola was the only one using it for some of it's GSM cellphones in Europe.
Supposing Apple designed the iPhone with the possibility to unlock it via SIM key, then maybe Brando managed to get one from AT&T and then somehow cloned it, but seriously, I really doubt it works.
Wanna try it, anyone?
Seph
TheName
Posted 6:42 PM 25/1/08
Um ... why is this news? TurboSim/NextSim/etc. have been out for ages and work all the way through the newest jailbreaked 1.1.3. I'm shocked--shocked--that Giz somehow missed these things' existence.
Welcome to the outside world guys! Leave that cave behind!
TheName
discounteggroll
Posted 7:27 PM 25/1/08
that looks like what would be the equivalent of what the agents put in neo's belly button in the matrix
discounteggroll
M_Mickey
Posted 7:26 PM 25/1/08
This one is cheaper (and probably better?)
34$ incl. shipping
[www.dealextreme.com]
M_Mickey
iomatic
Posted 7:24 PM 25/1/08
If I use this for travel, can I revert the iPhone back to an official state?
iomatic
Mio
Posted 2:13 PM 26/1/08
@discounteggroll: And here I was thinking: "That looks like a simple little surface mount chip in on a SIM card adapter."
Mio
RastaSega
Posted 10:26 PM 25/1/08
damn! i just bought an xsim for $50!
RastaSega
Stacky Botrus
Posted 10:16 AM 26/1/08
@TheName:
How can an unlock be OUT FOR AGES when the phone itself has not been available for a year, yet. Also, if you clame Giz is behind, what does that make you in your announcement? Have YOU tried your solution? DO tell us! I am curious to know now intuitive you are.
Stacky Botrus
darex
Posted 9:55 AM 26/1/08
So, what still needs to be "activated", if the simlock is removed?
That crap gives me one more reason why I don't want an iPhone. No other GSM phone in the world requires such nonsense.
darex
jesusdiaz
Posted 4:13 AM 27/1/08
@TheName: We have been reporting about this kind of cards since they came out. In fact, we were the first news outlet to reported on TurboSIM:
[gizmodo.com]
And the first ones to TEST it. This is just one more option by Brando.
jesusdiaz
RastaSega
Posted 4:13 AM 27/1/08
@Stacky Botrus
it's true. This solution has been out for awhile now. although I'd argue "Ages" as well but this solution has been available since before September last year.
One thing about this post from giz is that it seems to offer the cheapest xsim card solution. I just bought mine for $50. waaaah!
RastaSega
strider_mt2k
Posted 4:07 PM 26/1/08
What isn't news is someone chiming in about what is or isn't news.
-and yet none seem to have their own crack news site!
-go figure. :\
strider_mt2k
jamar0303
Posted 9:40 PM 26/1/08
It also works for Japanese Softbank-branded cellphones and someone's working on making one for DoCoMo, so it's not just for the iPhone.
jamar0303
iomatic
Posted 11:14 AM 29/1/08
So is this process reversible back to a... 'stock' state?
iomatic
zeca
Posted 3:14 PM 8/2/08
I have an 1.1.2 OTB week 45. I activated, jailbreaked and I put the Brando Sym. It recognizes the celular company (Vivo-Brazil) but it does not receive calls and when I try to make a call, the keyboard vanishes. I think there is a kind of a short circuit.
zeca
Miccheckin4life
Posted 3:14 PM 8/2/08
@TheName:
"Jail Braked"
If you are going to bash, at least use PROPER grammar and pronunciation..
Jail BROKEN
JAIL broken
JAIL BROKEN
Miccheckin4life
koooomar
Posted 3:14 PM 8/2/08
Does anyone hav VDO .. please share .. i need to get sim unlock for my 1.1.2 OTB .. so please post the vdo or any guides possible ..
koooomar
mrcleville
Posted 3:14 PM 8/2/08
These things are huge in Norway, and works on OTB 1.1.2 jailbroken & activated phones. The going rate, however, is a $100 - they're sold by a guy who specializes in iPod repairs, but these days he only unlocks and activates iPhones. Guess he can afford that Carribean-cruise any day now.
mrcleville
Aliacha
Posted 3:14 PM 8/2/08
It's not obsolete yet, since the 1.1.3 jailbreak-firmware-softupdate doesn't touch the baseband part of the firmware, so whatever you were running in 1.1.1/1.1.2 will pretty much carry over.
Aliacha
Zeca
Posted 1:14 AM 11/2/08
I have just installed Iworld and it is working pretty well. Everything.
Thanks to everybody and the dev'team.
Zeca