I have no idea what firmware or baseband etc it is on as I have not even unboxed it yet! Should I activate it FIRST and then try to jailbreak it? I am going to keep the sim card etc that it has arrived with as I am stuck on a contract.

So, what should I do? Ive heard mixed reports saying this can/cant be done!

If it's a brand new device, the odds are 99% that it is running 3.1.3 stock, and a stock 3.1.3 3GS cannot presently be jailbroken (or unlocked). You can try and get a better idea by checking the S/N to determine the week the device was made and then use that to tell what software revision would be on it.

If it's 3.1.3, you can't jailbreak -- not much to say other than that. Anything lower should be fine. There's no way to tell 100% without powering the device on and checking.

Originally Posted by n1ckn4m3

If it's a brand new device, the odds are 99% that it is running 3.1.3 stock, and a stock 3.1.3 3GS cannot presently be jailbroken (or unlocked). You can try and get a better idea by checking the S/N to determine the week the device was made and then use that to tell what software revision would be on it.

If it's 3.1.3, you can't jailbreak -- not much to say other than that. Anything lower should be fine. There's no way to tell 100% without powering the device on and checking.

Ok thanks buddy. I'll turn the beast on tonight and see what FW it's on. Heres hoping for 3.12!

Originally Posted by PAUL7331

Ok thanks buddy. I'll turn the beast on tonight and see what FW it's on. Heres hoping for 3.12!

It's possible! We got a device with 3.0 on it about a month and a half / two months ago as a out of warranty replacement. Sometimes they just send what stock they have, it seems. That said, this was a refurb and not a new device. New ones have much lower probability -- but still possible. Good luck!

Originally Posted by n1ckn4m3

It's possible! We got a device with 3.0 on it about a month and a half / two months ago as a out of warranty replacement. Sometimes they just send what stock they have, it seems. That said, this was a refurb and not a new device. New ones have much lower probability -- but still possible. Good luck!

Thanks mate. If it is on 3.13 I guess I'll just wait until the new OS 4.0 arrives (not long is it?) and I bet that will get jailbroken wont it?

OS 4 is Summer of this year, likely end of June, beginning of July.

No one can say for certain, but it's definitely believed that there will be a jailbreak released soon after.

Right then, I got my new phone yesterday but had to take it back and change it as it had error 28 (hardware fault).. SO I got my new working phone finally, and it has 3.12 firmware! So this is good right? So I can definitely jailbreak this?????

Originally Posted by PAUL7331

SO I got my new working phone finally, and it has 3.12 firmware! So this is good right? So I can definitely jailbreak this?????

Yes you can jailbreak (and probably also unlock if you need that)

Be aware that without a SHSH for 3.1.2 avoid anything that might screw the phone up so much that it needs a restore.

Originally Posted by Olethros

Yes you can jailbreak (and probably also unlock if you need that)

Be aware that without a SHSH for 3.1.2 avoid anything that might screw the phone up so much that it needs a restore.

Whats SHSH mate? And IF I did mess the phone up I could use 'restore' in i-tunes correct?? and this would still work as Im using the sim card it came with?

Originally Posted by PAUL7331

Whats SHSH mate? And IF I did mess the phone up I could use 'restore' in i-tunes correct?? and this would still work as Im using the sim card it came with?

Nope you would have to restore to 3.1.3 which can't be jailbroken . Read up about SHSH and ECID. There is a sticky about the firmware umbrella. Read that.