For typical phones, you call, you give them your IMEI, they input the IMEI into an unlock code generator supplied by manufacturers and give it to you and the instructions on how to reach the menu where to input it.

In case of the iPhone, there is no code. Vodafone cannot unlock if they don't have access to the Apple servers. Only T-Mobile Germany can unlock it. As far as I know, T-Mobile Germany will unlock their own phones for a fee. I don't know if they'll unlock other carriers phones. Find out by having someone who can speak perfect German call T-Mobile Germany and say that he bought an AT&T locked iPhone in the states and wants to use it there with a local SIM (T-Mobile) and if they are willing to unlock it.

SpookyET: That is exactly what I am going to do. I bought my iPhone 3G in the U.S. and I want to use it with a German T-Mobile Simcard. I will be in Germany within the next two weeks. For those who are interested in the results, please PM me (or should I make a post or smth?) In case of there are people in Germany right now, please call 2202 from your T-Mobile Germany Cellphone, ask and let us know. Otherwise wait two weeks and I'll let you guys know.

@ Brotleuchte: Vodafone will not unlock your phone, I can promise you. Lass uns in Kontakt bleiben fuer updates. will auch mein iPhone 3G unlocked..

Don't wait until you are in Germany. Call now. There are full numbers on T-Mobile Germany's site. Use VoIP, other than truphone. I used Truphone and it was $0.50/minute. The call ended too fast. You only get $1 credit. So, I never found out.

How do we know yours are genuine? What's the difference between yours and the counterfeits. Is airplane mode fixed?

i hate these hotlines -.- you pay per minute and the only thing you will hear is boring music because no one is available -.- argh...

so the only thing i found out: for about 99€ you can unlock your iphone3G - if it is one from tmobile. When I asked whether it is possible to unlock for example an AT&T or Swisscom iPhone3G, I should call another number - until now I heard only music...but I will try it later again.

Maybe I drive to a tmobile shop tomorrow to ask there. I will post my results.

That totally sucked. As I said, Truphone gives you 6 cents a minute to landline and $0.50 to mobile and $1 credit. I was expecting to speak 10 minutes, but was booted after less than 2. The hotline was charged as mobile.

@ Virgin-sim
I just noticed that not all of my phone calls and sms's are coming in...
Calls and SMS outgoing are fine 100%
calls and SMS incoming are coming in late sometimes.
Ive been testing sending myself some messages from another phone and sometimes they dont come in until either I do one of the following:
1) reboot the phone
2)make a phone call
3)sometimes they come in when I load a website using edge

Im hoping that my initial sanding down the IC chip didnt interfere with how the adapter is supposed to function i sanded it very carefully and only took off enough to make it fit, but its possible I suppose, but Im going to take the sim out and try realigning it and cleaning it with some rubbing alcohol. Ill let you all know.
BTW, signal is still strong, no dropped calls. No dropped Edge

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iPhone 3G 3.0 unlocked via ultrasn0w! in conjunction with redsn0w! Thanks dev team!

It must be because of the newer sim you have again. I've just tested it around 10 times with a different phone just now and it seems to be all incoming fine - using the high speed virgin sim.

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T-mobile USA w/ Edge on the 3G iPhone

i-Smartphone - Don't bother

Universal Sim v550 Review

Virgin-Sim "High Speed" Review

Combined Preliminary Sim Results

Your probably right.
Its been working properly since I cleaned it though. And Ive sent multiple sms and calls to myself and its been working for the past hour. So I probably wont have anymore problems. I have noticed before I cleaned it that after a reboot if it started out working fine then it kept working.. but if you had problems at the beginning of the reboot, the problems would persist until I rebooted again. But like you said, its probably my sim, and virginsim said that they already addressed that problem in their new design. I'd be happy to test their new deisgn if they want to send me another set of samples. until then, this one is working ok so far with just a few flaws which may or may not be my user error(meaning dirty sim contacts, alignment issues and/or shaving down the IC too far?)

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iPhone 3G 3.0 unlocked via ultrasn0w! in conjunction with redsn0w! Thanks dev team!