As per numerous reports, an iOS 5 bug allows you to unlock iPhone 4S without jailbreaking the 4S or using UltraSn0w or Gevey SIM to unlock it. Michael Capozzi, who found this trick, managed to unlock iPhone 4S to use T-Mobile network and according to him, this method should work with any GSM carrier.
The person has provided following step-by-step instructions to unlock iPhone 4S on iOS 5 to work on T-Mobile USA:
How to Unlock iPhone 4S without Jailbreak
***Gizmodo has also confirmed that this method works.
***Also works on iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS running iOS 5.
Note: You will need to cut the T-Mobile SIM to micro-SIM size for it to fit iPhone 4S’s SIM tray.
- Insert original carrier AT&T SIM card
- Dial 611 for AT&T customer service hotline and drop the call
- Turn on Airplane Mode
- Take out AT&T SIM card
- Insert T-Mobile SIM card
- Make sure WiFi is off ( also tap on ‘Forget this Network” to make sure it doesn’t connect automatically later)
- Switch off Airplane Mode and iPhone will search for network. This is followed by the Apple splash screen appearing.
- Activation Required will be displayed on the screen
- EDGE network will activate automatically – notice the ‘E’ on the top left corner of the screen
- Wait for about 20-30 seconds and turn off the phone
- Turn on iPhone and the same Activation Required screen will be displayed
- When you see one signal bar, tap on Use Cellular Connection
- Eject SIM card
- Activation Required screen will be displayed the second time
- Insert SIM card
Unlocked!
Checkout the video linked below showing you how to unlock iPhone 4S on iOS 5 and suggests that the method could also work with iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3tATp_tbQ4k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gofpelTXI5U&feature=player_embedded
Update:
MuscleNerd in a tweet confirms that the unlock is temporary:
it’ll just relock again once a new TMSI is required (various normal network operations require TMSI refresh). If you are successful at temporarily gaining network access, you’ll lose it as soon as TMSI is refreshed (happens often). the TMSI refresh is a normal, regular action on the network (it’s actually intended to protect you).
You can learn more about TMSI here.
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