Video: T-Mobile G1 gets unlocked, quirks still present

It was inevitable, was it not? T-Mobile's G1 lasted an entire week as the T-Mobile G1; now, it's really anyone's G1. Thanks to the kids over at Unlock T-Mobile G1, any owner with a few spare moments and $22.99 can open their handset up for use on AT&T or any other GSM network across the globe. Reportedly, prospective unlockers simply hand over the aforementioned cash and their IMEI code (scary, we know), and in return they receive an eight-digit unlock code that frees it from the bonds of T-Mobile. Initial tests have shown that calling and texting work just fine on non-native networks, but the inability to even login to Gmail (and thus, the Android Market, etc.) puts a real damper on things. No worries -- we're sure those minor hindrances will be worked out in short order. A video full of proof is waiting just beyond the break.

[Via Android Community]

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 29th 2008 2:27PM]

Why not just call t-mobile and get them to do it for free? they do it as long as you've been a customer for 90 days and in good standing, as should be the case for most g1 buyers

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 29th 2008 2:58PM]

Most G1 buyers that were previously T-Mobile subscribers and pre-ordered, yes. The rest of us who waltzed in a T-Mobile store and got one on 11/22 with a new T-Mobile contract aren't in that group. I personally have no interested in having a G1 without 3G (which will be the case while using any other GSM network), not to mention no Gmail or Market.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 30th 2008 11:00AM]

and no OTA updates.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 29th 2008 5:39PM]

I wonder if a regular, not unlocked iPhone SIM would work in the G1. Anyone know?

[Taylor Yes Taylor Posted Oct 29th 2008 7:09PM]

The iPhone SIM works in other phones like any other AT&T SIM, so if you had an unlocked tmobile G1, it would work. If the G1 was still locked, it wouldn't work, just like any other SIM.
-Taylor

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 7th 2008 3:44PM]

an unlocked one probably, a locked one I'm guessing not. cause the whole point of having to unlock a phone is so the sim will work on another network. otherwise it's locked into the one that it started with.

as for the whole 'make the carrier do it' thing. I seem to recall that somewhere buried deep in the various laws it says that once you have completed the initial contract period for your device the carrier has to unlock it if you ask. don't know what that means if you cut the contract early. or even if the law is still valid, but once upon a time I wanted to change carriers and it came up (I'm talking like 5 years ago).

and if folks really want to have a choice, move to make carrier locking illegal like they did in France etc. there when you buy a phone, even an iphone, it comes unlocked and you can use it with whomever you like. of course then the price is likely to go up cause you'll probably have to buy the phone at full price ( and probably in the case if the iphone only at apple like the first go around). and who knows what if any incentives you might get if any