Amen!

Originally Posted by Shade.sh

He had to register your iPhone to apple's "unlock database", afaik only providers with contract to apple can do that. A general unlock code is BBS (BigBullShit), the iPhone can only be unlocked by give away the IMEI directly to apple and request to unlock. A unlock shop can't do that... T-mobile or AT&T can do it

What Shade.sh said seems right.

Also, that Friday has come and gone and I assume tsoscottc's friend/dealer didn't produce.

Agreed on Shade.sh and Muscle.

Only the procedure changed. Right now the iPhones sold in countries where Apple has to sell unlocked only, the iPhone's data already are is Apples "unlock database".
About a year ago Apple had to sell unlocked iPhones (2G) in Germany for about 10 days due to a lawsuit between T-Mobile (Apples partner carrier in Germany) and Vodafone Germany. To get one (I do have) you had to enter a T-Mob store, they picked one iPhone out of their stock, took notes like IMEI and stuff and faxed (!!!) them to Cupertino. After a few days the iPhone was unlocked when connecting with iTunes.

Same for those users that had bought an iPhone with a regular contract already (a locked iPhone). During that 10 day period they showed up in a T-Mob store, IMEI and stuff was taken after the contract was checked and a fax was sent by the store. After a few days - voila the iPhone was unlocked.

So nothing "was given" to the customer, the legal Apple partner had to sent information to Apple, the data was added to Apples database and the unlock hapenned a few days after automatically, while the iPhone was connected via iTunes with Apples db.

I doubt any phone-shop will ever be able to do this job...

Plus, right now it i even easier for Apple. The iPhone's 3G have different part numbers for each country (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1937). So, for an example MB489T/A is the partnumber for all iPhones sold by Vodafone Italy. The IMEI & stuff of all iPhones 3G with this part# already are in Apples database, cause in Italy iPhones are not allowed to be sold locked. So customers there dont have to wait until someone enters the data into Apples DB.

just my 2 cent