maybe you have to jailbreak it?

*gasp*

PM'ed you the serial number

If the 4th and 5th digits of the serial number are greater than 44 or so, then you're probably stuck for now. I have a week 51 iPhone just sitting here in a box myself.

The word on the street is that 1.1.3 aka 1.2 firmware will be out soon, and that this will enable the hackers to unlock 1.1.2. I don't know why they seem so sure, but I'm waiting until then before I sell off my "expensive iPod Touch".

The serial number is 867473XXXXX

So, as "73" is bigger than "44", can you confirm that we're stuck for now?

Cheers

It is a Week 47 (3rd digit means 2007 and 4th and 5th digit means Week 47)

Came with 1.1.2 out of the box, new bootloader. You're stuck unless you want the TurboSIM solution or other similar one. ($$$ and cutting up SIMs etc).

Yes, if you can get your hands on one, and if you're willing to cut your SIMs corners etc to make it fit into one.

There's a thread on this but I don't pay much attention to it, since there are so many varieties of TurboSIMs, StealthSIMs, etc... (many names) but they can unlock the new bootloader (with the caveats).

The OP has said that it is already jailbroken, in which case he has third party apps etc. He needs to UNLOCK it for phone usage.

Oh, sorry I thought a jailbreak did both.

They cannot unlock the new bootloader, per se.

Initially, when the iPhone firmware requests the ICCID number, the device pretends that the SIM in use is an AT&T SIM with an 'authorised' ICCID. After two such requests, the device reverts to the normal ICCID (of your Australian provider SIM) to allow the network to 'see' and register your phone number etc.

Aha! THis clarifies it somewhat for me. Thank you very much. SO after that process (and risk of your sim and more importantly your iBrick) is completed successfully, is the result the same an iphone with the older bootloader which has been unlocked by another method? Or is there still extra provisos?

Others have been using them just fine after doing so, though I haven't seen one in person (in fact, I haven't used any other iPhones but my own).

Cool. Sorry guys I don't mean to hijack. But Huy you have me very intrigued. So what is the main reason people are staying away from the new firmware in droves? Is it because there is more risk (of bricking and to sim) involved with these SIM methods than with unlocking the older firmware? Or is it just becuase it's more difficult? Or is it unreliable results? Coz from what you say it sounds like I might have a crack at any iphone i can get my hands on, not just an older one as I had previously thought.

I don't know the reasons, but I can probably think of a few?

It is difficult to get your hands on the adapters/SIM clones. There are quite a few out there under various brands and names and it requires additional steps. There is also an additional cost in buying these adapters. I for one wouldn't like to cut up my SIM for any reason (even if it is a little notch).

In my opinion it is more difficult to obtain one and use one properly (my opinion only). The double sided sticky tape seems a little tacky for me, but it works (from what I've read). Others may disagree with me.

This thread should help you (there are other related ones too, I think)

for those considering hypercard / hypersim
for those considering hypercard / hypersim

These links are shamelessly taken form A3Australia's sig (he is selling these, I believe).
www.TurboSIM.com.au
www.NextSIM.com.au
www.HyperSIM.com.au

I think many thanks should go to Huy for helping us all so much with our iPhones today. Its certainly brought a lot of clarity on the issues

Huy is right about the various devices; the reason more people aren't using them for non-unlockable bootlader iPhones is that the devices are simply scarce. You are paying for their scarcity and the iPhone factor. They are all very cheap devices which (with the exception of the TurboSIM, which was designed for a different purpose) are meant to be cheap and disposable. They would only cost cents to manufacture, and very basic equipment to program. Prior to the iPhone, they were selling for around $10.Although tampering with your SIM is clearly against the the agreement you make with your provider, there is no risk in cutting up a SIM card, unless you make a massive mess of things. The chip containing data is clearly visible, and the rest is just plastic. Even if you stuff it up (and most eight year olds with safety scissors should be able to manage it) you just tell your provider you lost the SIM and they should issue you with a new one. I have not heard of an incident where a provider refused to replace a SIM (although there may be a small cost involved; between $0 and $30 depending on various factors, IIRC.)

The only risk comes from jamming one of these devices, with their added thickness, into the iPhone SIM slot. You could damage the iPhone SIM contacts, or you could damage the device (which I was worried about when I was using my TurboSIM) by repeatedly removing and reinserting it. But by taking care and minimising the number of times you insert/remove it, the risk is minimal in my opinion, given the upside of being able to wield a newly liberated iPhone.

Yes absolutely. Thanks Huy.

This thread should be linked permanently from a sidebar on the front page of the site as a warning to anybody thinking of buying an iPhone off eBay.

I'd suggest to anybody wanting an iPhone, especially if they're not all that hack savvy, to wait for a legit Australian release from Apple.