iPhone 3GS Update to OS4

Ironic Namesake · 1 Jul 2010 at 11:51

So I decided to upgrade my 3GS to OS4

Something went wrong, and I had to restore it.

Now its asking me to activate - but the phone is locked and I don't have a SIM card for it that I can activate it yet, may not even work anyway as for unlocking etc. O2 require you to be in the UK, I'm guessing activation is the same.

What can I do, or am I stuck till I can be on a UK network? I only use it to play games / listen to music and haven't had a SIM in it for months.

FreeStream · 1 Jul 2010 at 18:21

Unfortunately I think you are royally stuffed without an O2 sim.

I don't think they have managed to break the new boot rom so you can't jailbreak either. Edit: No they haven't.

All in all, you need to get a O2 UK sim card sent out to you and no activating shouldn't require you to be in the UK.

Blackhawk47 · 1 Jul 2010 at 21:32

Strangely, at some point during the update my iPhone popped up about being activated as if it was the first time I was using it. Best of waiting until you get back to the UK - or can you still use it in airplane mode? :confused:

Kol · 1 Jul 2010 at 21:39

Does anyone know if there is a simple way to downgrade to 3.1.3? I'm certain my battery life is suffering which isn't good for me as I'm out and about a lot.

Can I not restore from a backup I made before I upgraded?

Tummy · 1 Jul 2010 at 21:41

I'm sure I have a o2 sim somewhere.

Would it help having an o2 sim?

Edit, just saw where abouts you are

Okay, you'd probably need to be in the UK for my o2 sim (that I just dug out) to work

Ironic Namesake · 2 Jul 2010 at 04:36

Damn , spoke to Apple support and there really isn't anything I can do , will see if I can find someone with an O2 SIM card here I can borrow. Was annoyed enough that I couldn't get the phone unlocked whilst being here - at least I could still use it to listen to music though !

Gas Panic! · 2 Jul 2010 at 09:32

It might be worth posting the iPhone back to the UK, getting someone to unlock it with O2, and then sending it back to you. If the same happens again you can put any SIM in.

@Kol -- The backup is separate to the OS. It literally backs up just your data, not the entire OS.

Ironic Namesake · 2 Jul 2010 at 10:52

I would do that, but a courier would be £25 each way - and then the chance of getting hit by customs duties when it arrives in Malaysia.

Kol · 2 Jul 2010 at 18:38

Gas Panic! said:
It might be worth posting the iPhone back to the UK, getting someone to unlock it with O2, and then sending it back to you. If the same happens again you can put any SIM in.

@Kol -- The backup is separate to the OS. It literally backs up just your data, not the entire OS.

Ahhh I see. Cheers buddy. Guess not then. Doh!

Mattus · 2 Jul 2010 at 18:52

Yeah, pretty sure the phone doesn't need to go back to the UK - you just need an O2 SIM card. I activated my O2 iPhone for the first time in Germany, without any problems.

Gas Panic! · 2 Jul 2010 at 19:51

Mattus said:
Yeah, pretty sure the phone doesn't need to go back to the UK - you just need an O2 SIM card. I activated my O2 iPhone for the first time in Germany, without any problems.

I meant from an unlock perspective. Activation can happen wherever you are in the world.

Ironic Namesake · 5 Jul 2010 at 03:36

Ok so it turns out I did have my O2 SIM card with me

so managed to get this handset activated and working

Also, the phone does NOT need to be registerered on O2 UK to unlock ... I just got my unlock SMS through and the phone is unlocked and working !!!!

I wish O2 told me that over the phone, rather than telling me I have to be in the UK to get this done :mad: