iPhone 4S: unlocked or not?

I would love to get the community feedback on the iPhone 4S as soon as you have it in your hands.

I don't think SoftBank will unlock it, but I don't know what au/KDDI will do as some of its phones are actually unlocked (though not the high-end ones).

One theory I don't buy but that was making the rounds is that since the 4S is a multi-standard phone (a "world" phone), carriers wouldn't be able to unlock both the W-CDMA and HSDPA at the same time.

Last but not least, SoftBank is known to make IMEI checks on its phones. Wonder what KDDI will do.

Would love your feedback.

Tags: iphone, japan, kddi, softbank, unlock

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Buckethead on October 19, 2011 at 3:31pm

Unlocks phones can be found here in Japan.

http://akiba-pc.watch.impress.co.jp/hotline/20111022/etc_apple.html

Permalink Reply by Kizuki on October 20, 2011 at 11:51am

Do you have any details on how is Softbank checking for IMEI on its phones.

I was under the impression that Softbank is not checking for IMEI (making it possible to us unlocked import phones with the proper settings).

On the other hand Docomo does perform IMEI check preventing non-docomo phones to connect to their regular data apn.

Permalink Reply by Tommaso on November 11, 2011 at 9:53pm

Hi to every one, I hope this info can help:

I tried to register a factory unlocked, NON SB, iPhone 4S but they asked me to check the IMEI. To go around this retarded limitation I went back to the shop with an ancient J-Phone "smartphone" which I had kept from my original contract. But any SB/Vodafone/J-Phone will do: you can find them for a few hundred yen on Yahoo auctions etc.

With the ORIGINAL (old) SB "smartphone" in my hands I asked for an additional phone number to add to my contact: I wanted to have 2 numbers to separate work/leisure calls. But I guess that you can simply ask to register a new contract alltogether.

If you showed them an old SB iPhone they will give you the black/micro simcard, put it in, change the APN (i posted elsewhere on this forum how to do that) and you'll be good to go.

If you showed to them an other smartphone, then they will give you the regular size/silver simcard and you will need an extra step. The extra step is to go to ANOTHER SB Shop and... sumimasen... I lost my simcard, can I have a replacement one? SB will replace it free of charge. The SB clerk will only check that your ID matches the registered number - not the IMEI - because they assume that you will not ask for the wrong simcard which won't work in your phone! And on that particular screen/menu your phone model does not show anyway (I leaned over to check with an excuse). Now change the APN and also you're good to go.

Please note: this website does not concurr or condone the violation of SB's APN settings!

Softbank Sucks!

Tommaso