The cost of unlocking your iPhone 4...

David Flynn
29 July 2010, 10:37 AM


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Want to travel overseas with your iPhone 4? Here's a list of the network lock policy, and the unlock cost, for each of the Aussie carriers.


If you love your iPhone and you love to travel, you definitely won't love the way carriers lock the iPhone onto their network. This prevents you from using a pre-paid local SIM card once you arrive at your destination, which can save a fortune on phone calls and SMS messages.

So what's the story with the iPhone 4? We polled Telstra, Vodafone, 3 and Optus on their iPhone 4 unlocking policy.

If you buy an iPhone 4 outright from Apple it comes unlocked, of course. That's just as it should be. You've paid anywhere from $859 to $999 for the phone. It's yours.

All Telstra iPhone 4 units will be locked to Next G, with a flat $150 fee to unlock them.

An Optus spokesman confirmed that while their iPhone 4 handsets would be locked, "if you want to unlock the iPhone there is no extra charge."

Vodafone and 3 will sell the iPhone 4 locked, but a spokesperson confirmed to APC that both carriers "will unlock the handset free of charge for postpaid (contracted) iPhone 4 customers".

This is a significant but very welcome change from Vodafone's previous policy, under which the iPhone 3G and 3GS would be unlocked for between $75-$100 if you were in the first six months of your contract, and between $25-$50 after that period.


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tara2010 (New user):

if I bought my iphone 4 in canada and it is locked to my canadian provider (rogers) when i come to australia, can I get it unlocked? (i will be staying in canberra for 6 months, hence why i want it unlocked) THANKS!

29 July 2010, 2:34 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

ryryry (New user):

I'm afraid that ONLY the phone provider that you bought the phone from, can unlock the iPhone, because they keep a database of all the phones they've sold, and the relevant unlock codes for those phones. No phone carrier in Australia will be able to unlock a Canada-sold iPhone, sorry.

30 July 2010, 6:14 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

n4rca (New user):

i spoke to a telstra employee who offered to unlock the new iphone4 for $20. it can be done if you know how to hack into the phone settings.

31 July 2010, 12:53 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Rob2010 (New user):

Did you manage to get it unlocked? If so, I'd be interested to know the details as I have just got back to Canberra from overseas having bought a phone from Rogers in Canada on the assurance that I'd easily be able to get it unlocked on my return and so far I haven't found someone able/willing to do it. I emailed Rogers a couple of days ago, but so far no resopnse. Thanks.
Rob

22 September 2010, 11:28 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

tara2010 (New user):

if I bought my iphone 4 in canada and it is locked to my canadian provider (rogers) when i come to australia, can I get it unlocked? (i will be staying in canberra for 6 months, hence why i want it unlocked) THANKS!

29 July 2010, 2:35 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

lordy16 (New user):

you'd have to talk to Rogers?

29 July 2010, 4:20 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

tara2010 (New user):

i found this website: www.iphoneunlockaustralia.com

are they legit?

29 July 2010, 11:58 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

todd_h86 (New user):

wait for the jailbreak lol

29 July 2010, 4:56 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Lex (New user):

Hi David Flynn, could you please look into this, as the T&C on vodafones page for the iphone says the following:

1. Approved customers only. Minimum monthly spend is $69. Early exit fee: $69 x months left on contract. Min cost and early exit fee exclude any applicable handset charges. Unlocking fee applies

30 July 2010, 2:50 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Lex (New user):

.

30 July 2010, 2:51 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Cairns Dude (New user):

I have a Vodafone IPhone 4 on two year contract.
Vodafone's unlocking website wants to charge me $75.
Where did you get your information - it would seem to be wrong.

07 August 2010, 7:44 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

wakeupgeoff (New user):

Quoting Cairns Dude:
I have a Vodafone IPhone 4 on two year contract.
Vodafone's unlocking website wants to charge me $75.
Where did you get your information - it would seem to be wrong.



I have the same problem, I have lodged the question online with vodafone, with a link to this page, and have also asked Dave on the Vodafone facebook page. Still no answer.

To the author of this article: Can you please help us follow up on this?

Cheers

09 August 2010, 7:36 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Cairns Dude (New user):

bump


07 August 2010, 7:49 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

iphone 4 user (New user):

i brought my iphone 4 out right from vodafone,. im in australia and it STILL is $100 to unlock within 1st 6months with a $25 discount to do it online yourself,. in shop it is $100 or for cus service to unlock,. THREE is free to unlock ATM,... so i unlocked my iphone 4 for $75,. i was unlocked within a couplr hrs after plugging into itunes to restore and unlock,. i am "pre-paid",.

11 August 2010, 5:20 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

djsflynn (APC staff):

To those asking where the info in this article came from: we were told this by Vodafone's PR manager.

13 August 2010, 5:04 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

fonesunlock (New user):

This isn't the case for Vodafone iPhone 4 from UK. Vodafone aren't unlocking them yet. Instead I found a place that does through iTunes, expensive but it works and apparently is a permanent unlock: http://www.fonesunlock.co.uk/mobile-phone-unlocking-codes/iphone/4/unlock-vodafone.html

21 August 2010, 9:13 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

fonesunlock (New user):

sorry double post..

21 August 2010, 9:14 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

petebalgowlah (New user):

forget about the iphone 4, you cant get a new battery, it comes locked & your paying for a unit that does not work properly... i cant beleive all these idiots want an iphone when they stuffed up the design...
yet you want to feed Steve Jobs more Cash? say no GET THE ANDROID DESIRE ! it kicks ass! & its unlocked!

07 September 2010, 6:46 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

daveb21 (New user):

I found it to good to be true that

"Vodafone and 3 will sell the iPhone 4 locked, but a spokesperson confirmed to APC that both carriers 'will unlock the handset free of charge for postpaid (contracted) iPhone 4 customers'."

so I decided to email 3 Customer Support and it has been over two weeks now (with a follow up email at the 1 week mark) and no response... Nice customer service three! Will post my outcome.

09 September 2010, 1:59 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

daveb21 (New user):

Here is the response I got from 3, 3 weeks after my original email.

"Dave, with regards to your query Iphone 4 is locked to 3s Network. You can activate International Roaming and use the handset overseas."

APC Staff: You may want to update your article and / or alternatively contact me and I can forward the email from 3.

22 September 2010, 5:41 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Choclate boy (New user):

I can help you unlocking any iPhone 3g, 3GS and also 4... please reply me on choclateboye@gmail.com.. It's ismn't a joke...

04 December 2010, 7:07 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

jlwallis (New user):

tara2010,
Yes it is true your iphone IMEI must be released from the carrier in your country before it will able to offically be used on the carriers in this country. If you can't have this done your only choice is to use a software unlock.

petebalgowlah,
"can't replace the battery" this is not true i have been replaceing batteries on every model iphone since the first 2G release in 2007, The locked carrier can be released easily in this country, and the service issue was only on the first roll outs of the iphone 4G and it got slammed by the media because they have killed the competition in phone sales and are now the most popular phone for browsing the internet over all mobile devices.

I have been repairing these devices since 2007 and was the first repairer for more than 12 months prior to the first Apple store in Australia for the roll out of the iphone 3G.
See my company at http://www.allmediasolutions.com.au

01 February 2011, 12:53 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Pascal (New user):

Hello, I bought an Iphone 4 a few months ago in the UK (in october precisly). Now I'm back in France, and I want to unlock it in order to use a french micro sim card. How can I do it? could you explain me the instructions to follow? Thank you so much for helping me!

11 March 2011, 4:57 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Choclate boy (New user):

Hi, I'll help you unlock your iPhone permanently.. Can you tell me which Network is it locked to? You can email me at choclateboye@gmail.com and we'll discuss this properly...

11 March 2011, 11:13 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

gord27 (New user):

i am traveling to Taiwan and phoned telus to see if i can get my iphone4 unlocked. Yes they charge $50 cdn. my question if i buy a sim card in taiwan can i assume putting it in my phone will not be locking it up to the new sim card network? im guessing it wont but who knows what phone companies are up to to make a buck.

08 April 2011, 7:23 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

youriphoneunlock (New user):

Unlock your iPhone locked on Vodafone permanently. It is official factory unlocking with apple. It is not jail break. It is permanent factory unlocking with apple where your iPhone stays unlock even you Update it to latest firmware. For more information please visit the link below.(http://www.youriphoneunlock.com/product/vodafone-uk_156.html)

14 August 2011, 11:53 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

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