Job Discussion Forums

boundforsaudi · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 243

Has anybody unlocked a US ATT iphone and used it with a SIM card in a Middle Eastern country? Easy to do? Any problems?

mattjd43 · Joined: 30 Dec 2008 Posts: 17 Location: Syracuse, N.Y., USA

As a matter of fact, I received my iPhone 3Gs from the U.S. yesterday -- I am in Yemen. I unlocked and jailbroke it within like 2 minutes using a program called Blackra1n. My MTN sim card works just fine. I imagine you wouldn't have any problem in Saudi.

Good luck.

trapezius · Posted: Mon Dec 21, 2009 1:33 pm Post subject:

If you jailbreak it, you can't update it with Apple's software, right?

mattjd43 · Joined: 30 Dec 2008 Posts: 17 Location: Syracuse, N.Y., USA

I think you can. Apple keeps coming out with updates to thwart the jailbreak process, and hackers keep coming out with cracks for that.

Worse comes to worse, I think you can just return the iphone to factory settings, then update and jailbreak again.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

I have a colleague who is into this. Here is his response :-

"Despite what Mobily may tell you, ALL iPhones sold by Mobily are
factory unlocked, you are free to use any SIM card you like from any
country. I would advise anyone coming to Saudi to dump the iPhone they
bought in their home country and buy one here. They will then have an
officially unlocked iPhone that they can use all over the world with
any carrier they like. You may also be able to buy them to take back
to your home country and sell for a premium. Jail breaking and/or
unlocking iPhones from other sources will mean the user will always run
the risk of turning their iPhone into a brick should they run a
software update without restoring to factory conditions prior to the
update.

The prepaid plan only has free data for 6 months. After this time you
must top up 100SR minimum to get 1GB of data for the month. Basically
you are using the Connect data service on your iPhone. If you do not
do this, you will be paying per Kb or Mb (sorry I can't remember which)
for data and will burn through your credit very quickly. You will also
have to top up separately for voice calls. Getting a prepaid
data/voice plan will always be the problem, even if you use an STC SIM.

Mobily really don't know what they are doing with the iPhone, support
is terrible and often the information given is totally incorrect.

Apple will not support any iPhone bought in Saudi, support comes from
Mobily only.

To expand the subject a little, Apple has no official support for any
of it's products sold in Saudi Arabia. Apple Care is not honoured in
Saudi Arabia. Support comes from resellers. I believe in the Eastern
Province repairs are shipped to Bahrain.

For general Apple in Saudi information the following website is a good
resource: www.saudimac.com
This link shows very clearly that the iPhone is Saudi is not locked to
the carrier http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1937
Googleing the model number will also show that the Saudi iPhones sold
by Mobily are factory unlocked.

I am a Certified Apple Support Professional, and as far as I know,
according to the Apple website, the only Apple Certified Macintosh
Technician in the country. So if anyone wants to argue, please don't."