iPhone SIM Lock Database - Can Apple Store Check?
 

I have a IP4 given to me by a relative which they contacted ATT to unlock and were told it was complete. I tried a backup, sync, etc and never got the 'congratulations' message. I took the phone to Hong Kong and tried 3 different SIMs, but received a "No Service" status with each.

I just did another restore to move to 6.0.1 and still no 'congratulations' message in iTunes...but I checked two different websites where you input the IMEI number to check status - the info on the phone came back accurate and the SIMLOCK status was 'unlocked'....but being private websites with questionable connections to the Apple database, I'm not sure they are correct.

I have a trip to TW coming up soon and I want to make sure the phone is unlocked - short of going to a TMO store and trying to get them to test it with a SIM, can the Apple Store input the IMEI and tell me the lock status?

I believe they can, yes. I don't know if they will, however.

The reason I think they can is that when I was at the Genius Bar to get a replacement phone, I saw an option on the Genius guy's iPod in configuring my phone to unlock it. I asked about it, saying that Verizon had unlocked my phone and could he unlock the new one so I didn't have to call them again. He pulled up another menu on his iPod to check my unlock status. It showed I wasn't unlocked - I think because Verizon doesn't unlock the phone fully (maybe?).

Can you point me in the direction of the IMEI database you used. I have a similar situation. Thanks!

#1. Did you keep one of the HK Sims? Just put it in after attempted unlock. Most HK Sims roam in the US and even if they don't they have to get past the loader stage for the system to figure that out.

The Hong Kong Apple store (in IFC) checked my unlock status for me after I thought AT&T had unlocked it. Turned out AT&T had not (as the Genius's iPod showed). I called AT&T from the Apple store and they unlocked it properly. The easiest path may be to just call AT&T again and let them know it doesn't seem to be unlocked and have them confirm that it is. They may well discover that the first agent didn't do it properly. Note that you do need to do a restore to get it unlocked in iTunes, not just an OS upgrade.

This is the site I used. I don't have the HK sim card because I didn't buy it after the test showed 'no service'. I will stop by TMO this weekend and get them to put a test SIM in the phone and see what happens....if that doesn't work, I will try the Apple Store armed with the unlock status from imei.info

I had AT&T unlock my wife's old iPhone. The procedure was for them to contact Apple, and then I had to go into iTunes and reset the phone to its original settings or (something like that) before it was successfully unlocked. AFAIK, unlocking isn't complete until the phone is synced. I have since successfully used sims in HK, VN, Cambodia and Turkey.

I have a 3GS that by all accounts has been unlocked, but clearly isn't.

Claim it is a baseband defect or caused by a previous jailbreaking (I bought it from a sixty year old woman, i'm skeptical) out of warranty, they won't do anything.