How to Dump AT&T in 30 Seconds

EddieC 0 640 Views

If you're yearning to break free from Apple-sanctioned iPhone carrier AT&T (and you don't mind trading your warranty for the privilege), then reach out and touch George Hotz. The iPhone hacker yesterday posted a video showing an iPhone call on T-Mobile, and Wednesday is expected to post the code that made it possible.

Hotz, who goes by the hacker alias GeoHot, drew attention earlier this year when he posted "purplera1n," a so-called "jailbreak" for iPhone 3GS (OS 3.0) that lets the phone run code other than that expressly authorized by Apple or purchased at the AppStore. The hack was quickly made ineffective by Apple when it released OS 3.0.1.

While undeterred, Hotz skipped OS 3.0.1 when he went to work on blackra1n, which targets iPhones running OS 3.1.2 (including the third-generation iPhone Touch, but that one needs to be tethered). According to an Oct. 11 blog post announcing the release, Hotz claims that blackra1n can jailbreak an iPhone about 30 seconds.

His latest work, blacksn0w, will allow such jailbroken devices (running baseband 05.11.07) to be used on any GSM network. The 17-year-old told CNN in an interview that getting his iPhone to work with T-Mobile was what got him started on this project in the first place.

Dani AI

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flagged the moment when George Hotz (geohot) made jailbreaking and carrier-unlocking unusually simple. For historical context: the tools that landed in November 2009 made a one‑click jailbreak and a fast baseband unlock widely available, and contemporary coverage documented how quickly the process could be completed. (Wired, blackra1n summary).

A few technical points that clarify what those tools did and their limits: a jailbreak and a SIM unlock are different—jailbreaking lets the device run unsigned code; unlocking changes the baseband so other GSM carriers’ SIMs work. The 2009 toolset combined a fast jailbreak with an unlock for the 05.11.07 baseband, but some models (notably newer 3GS/late boot ROM devices and certain iPod touches) required a tethered boot (computer required after every reboot). (blackra1n details)

Safety and troubleshooting checklist useful years later: archive a full iTunes backup and note IMEI/serial before attempting anything; confirm exact iOS and baseband versions; search forum reports and the tool README for model‑specific caveats; be prepared to restore via DFU mode if a restore is needed; treat a spare device or test machine as preferable for first attempts. Community threads from the era report some users seeing intermittent signal or push issues after unlocking, so check recent reports for any known regressions before proceeding. (MacRumors discussion of post‑unlock issues)

Legal and support context: U.S. rulemaking in 2010 produced a DMCA exemption covering jailbreaking for interoperability, but Apple’s official stance remains that unauthorized modification of iOS can lead to denied service under warranty terms. For readers comparing options, asking the carrier for an official unlock (when eligible) is the lower‑risk route compared with unofficial baseband hacks. (Library of Congress summary of 2010 exemptions, Macworld on pros/cons and Apple policy).

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