You will have to have iTunes and before you leave with your AT&T SIM in the iPhone connect to iTunes and Restore your iPhone as a NEW iPhone (not from backup, but do a backup before trying this). You will get a message that says "Congratulations, your iPhone is now unlocked." After that you only need to remove the AT&T SIM when you get to Israel and replace it with one from there that works with iPhones and activate the phone. You won't need iTunes to activate it.
You will have to have iTunes and before you leave with your AT&T SIM in the iPhone connect to iTunes and Restore your iPhone as a NEW iPhone (not from backup, but do a backup before trying this). You will get a message that says "Congratulations, your iPhone is now unlocked." After that you only need to remove the AT&T SIM when you get to Israel and replace it with one from there that works with iPhones and activate the phone. You won't need iTunes to activate it.
The AT&T portal does NOT unlock the device. It merely asks AT&T to approve and provision the unlock with Apple's device activation database. The actual process of restoring the device in iTunes is what then processes that unlock and applies it to your device.
You need to process your unlock in iTunes if you want the unlock to be applied to your device.
This is about the "paperwork" end of things. You still have to activate your phone by erasing it and running the setup assistant.
You should be able to do with without iTunes. You will need to sign out of iCloud, so you will need either data or wifi.
Once the phone starts with your new SIM, you should be on your new cellular network.
Erase your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Apple Watch - Apple Support
That is correct. Before you can link to a new provider you will need to backup the device to iTunes, remove the old SIM, insert the new SIM so you can use the account to which that SIM is connected. You need to activate the new provider account when you get to the foreign country. It will not work here nor will the phone.
After I get the "congratulations" message I can then restore my backup for apps/data etc?
You also said "replace it with one from there that works with iPhones and activate the phone." When the foreign sim card is installed what will have to be done to activate the phone?
Thank you.
Yes all I want to do is change sims.
So as I said in my original post I was unable to unlock my device with att unlock portal and you told me to do the iTunes unlock thing.
If I have another device that WAS succ unlocked with the unlock portal do I need to do anything else with that device before going to Israel and inserting an Israeli SIM card?
Hi again. I have not had a chance yet to connect to iTunes but went to Verizon's site and entered the imei and got this. Does this mean anything or do I still have to do the iTunes restore thing?
Only the provider can do that. When in another country you will need to find a local provider.
Follow up question. If I put in a Sim card from another carrier besides AT&T and it works, woll that tell me if a foreign Sim card will work?
The provider told me it was unlocked. For some reason they said I need to back up and restore on iTunes in order to complete the unlock process, which did not sound correct to me.
In that case I have a problem. We are going to Israel and will not have a new Sim card until we arrive. Does this mean that even if the phone is unlocked I will not be able to use it?
Before I do that what if I put in a Verizon SIM card and if the phone works am I good to go?
Use the AT&T SIM to unlock it.
Yes.
Just follow instructions on your iPhone.
If you are going to move to Verizon from AT&T you will need to get a SIM from Verizon. If this is an iPhone 7 you won't be able to move to Verizon.
Do I need iTunes to unlock my phone from carrier
