Does The iPhone Work In My Country?

The iPhone is (for now) a United States release, and only works with the AT&T carrier there. There are no plans to release it in your country, and no other GSM carrier SIM card works on the device... so if you expected it to work with GSM carriers CLARO and Telefonica's CELTEL (both GSM 1900)... their SIM cards will not work, as it has been designed for AT&T exclusivity by Apple.

However ... The only way to get these carriers to work with the iPhone is to manipulate the device in a way that is not supported by Apple. Users are not permitted to discuss hacking techniques here on this forum as it is against the Terms of Use.

But search Google with the simple terms and you will probably find what you are looking for. Be prepared to read through instructions and go at it on your own with this one.

The iPhone does not work in Honduras, but it can be made to work there.

If you want to, you can purchase an iPhone and seek out the alternative method I described. It is possible. But again, even my words alone cannot guarantee you that it will work. It CAN work, but the nature of modifying the phone is so insecure and unsupported. You might be successful and get it to work as a modified device... or you could end up paying for a broken piece of junk if you're not careful. (I would think that this guy you mention is selling it probably for more than the retail price, if he expects to make money off the sales.)

So all in all ... Apple will not help you to get it to work there. You have to go it alone to modify it.

It's not that Apple isn't thinking big ... it's just that Apple currently doesn't see individual countries that have enough market potential to push a product release. That's why they're thinking first of Europe (where GSM use is huge!) even before Canada, where large carriers like Rogers dominate a span of provinces north of the U.S. ... Asia comes next afterwards, and then they'll see where all this goes... maybe with other countries, especially the third-world nations where the majority probably won't even be able to afford an iPhone.

I hope you weren't being sarcastic ... as my family is also from one of these considered "third world" countries... how else would I have known about Telefonica, anyways?

It's just, in the views of a company like Apple (or any big business) there isn't the appeal to market in our motherlands just yet. Europe and Asia appear to be where it's at. I have friends from Honduras whose families, to be honest, can't afford things like iPhones. I wasn't making biases. I'm speaking the way I've seen it from my experiences.

Don't forget the Canadians! Many more of them can bring market potential from an iPhone release, and Apple STILL hasn't said anything on their end of availability there. Let alone Honduras or, say, Peru.

Thomas Miller6 wrote:
At this moment, the iPhone can only be activated with a USA address and other criteria. It may be able to be used in other countries with roaming charges, which are outrageous.

Not true. The iPhone works in ANY country and it can be activated EVERYWHERE.
Of course ONLY if using methods which aren't officially supported or approved by Apple.

Since I'm not permitted to give out details (do a Google search, use the words iPhone, unlock and hack but BEWARE of rogue sites trying to sell you an unlock!), a few hints:

1. a software unlock is available but it works with FW 1.0.2 (latest) and it will be "gone" as soon as you update to a newer FW version
2. the software unlock requires to activate the iPhone first and to change it to a "writeable" state. Both requires certain methods NOT approved or supported by Apple, one reason why your iPhone warranty may be affected too by doing this.
3. software unlocking the iPhone requires basic computer skills and it works best using OSX but it works with Windows too.
4. applying the software unlock incorrectly (not following the instructions step by step without ANY deviation), may brick your iPhone, putting it in a state where it can't be recovered anymore and you need to send it in to Apple. It doesn't happen too often but it has happened to a couple of people, so make sure you READ the instructions first, print them out and read them again before applying the software unlock.
5. a point and shoot application isn't available yet for the software unlock but the current methods require very little skills since they're using a graphical interface instead of command line utilities.
6. a point and click application may be available soon to allow a simple software unlock even for novice computer users.

It is sad that Apple went the wrong way (in my opinion) to market the iPhone, selling it freely to anybody on this planet, not provider-locked, would have allowed even higher numbers of sold phones and people wouldn't get angry at the locked phone policy Apple started with AT&T.

Another thing: there are already tons of third party appliations available for the iPhone, unfortunately the same thing here...NOT supported or approved by Apple. Some of these applications allow a free configuration of the "Springboard" of the iPhone, making it possible to have 30(!) icons on the screen, you can scroll them down very easy. There are many many other interesting applications like the WiFi stumbler or even an Apache webserver.
The iPhone community is huge right now and I just hope that Apple understands that this community is only on their side if Apple really stays "neutral" like they promised in an interview. If Apple would start to fight the community, the outrage would be incredible.

997TT wrote:
Not true. The iPhone works in ANY country and it can be activated EVERYWHERE.

*That is not true either.* The iPhone could theoretically work only in countries where GSM is the standard cellular network, and only in any of the four supported bands. For example, the iPhone will NOT work in South Korea or Japan at all, since their networks are primarily CDMA. Korea has a fledgeling 2100Mhz GSM frequency, which the iPhone does not support. If you look in the blogger sites that are reporting the compatibility of the iPhone abroad, not every country is listed.

3. software unlocking the iPhone requires basic computer skills and it works best using OSX but it works with Windows too.

4. applying the software unlock incorrectly (not following the instructions step by step without ANY deviation), may brick your iPhone, putting it in a state where it can't be recovered anymore and you need to send it in to Apple. It doesn't happen too often but it has happened to a couple of people, so make sure you READ the instructions first, print them out and read them again before applying the software unlock.

A number of the more recent methods are not provided with instructions, surprisingly. There is absolutely no guarantee that even by following ALL instructions will the alternative method be accomplished.

It is sad that Apple went the wrong way (in my opinion) to market the iPhone, selling it freely to anybody on this planet, not provider-locked, would have allowed even higher numbers of sold phones and people wouldn't get angry at the locked phone policy Apple started with AT&T.

You know, you started out by saying you weren't "permitted to give out details" about this method, then you went ahead and talked about it anyway, and then instead of really addressing the hints about this method, you just went into an opinionated manifesto about how Apple should understand things your way (excuse me, or the ways of the 'iPhone community')

The man just wanted to know about his iPhone's compatibility in Honduras.

and since this has come out..
Riddle me this:

Have you noticed the amount of posts about people saying there phone is stuck with a apple on the screen, completly locked or bricked.... I am willing to bet this is due to your so called, it will work everywhere in the world...

next time say:
I will work everywhere in the world or kill your phone...

At this moment, the iPhone can only be activated with a USA address and other criteria. It may be able to be used in other countries with roaming charges, which are outrageous.