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Our newly unlocked T-Mobile G1 Google Android phone

by on Oct 30, 2008 with 191 Comments">191

SMS messages to and from the G1 with the AT&T SIM work fine

It was a piece of cake. We have unlocked our T-Mobile G1 thanks to the guys over at Unlock-TmobileG1.com.

The process was quite simple. I just opened up the back of the G1, removed the battery, swapped in an already active AT&T SIM card, closed the phone back up, and then restarted it. When the phone had finished booting, it prompted me for an unlock code, which I had received in an email last night.

Nothing complex – just 8 numbers. Each code is different and is linked to the IMEI number for your phone, which you can find by entering *#06# on your phone’s keypad.

5 seconds or so after I entered the code and hit the unlock button, I saw a brief message on the phone saying that it had been unlocked. And that, as they say, was that.

First thing I noticed was an improved signal. AT&T is stronger in my area than T-Mobile. You can see the photos in the gallery below showing the AT&T network name on the G1′s status screen. Note the lack of 3G data, though. The G1 doesn’t support the proper network frequency bands to work on AT&T’s 3G network, though it will work overseas on 2100MHz networks.

The only thing left to do was to see what worked. Unlike when you typically swap a SIM card, I didn’t get a message asking me to re-login to Gmail. I suppose that is because it had no access to data at all. Web browsing and email with WiFi disabled just didn’t work. Somebody is going to have to come up with a way to reconfigure the network APNs before networks other than T-Mobile’s can be properly used.

Update: Well now, aren’t I a moron? Seems there is an APN section in the Wireless Settings, and all one has to do it add an APN for AT&T. In my case, the APN was “isp.cingular”, the user name was “ISP@CINGULARGPRS.COM”, and the password was “CINGULAR1″

Everything still works fine with WiFi on, too, and SMS sending and receiving also worked just fine with the AT&T SIM.

TAGS T-Mobile


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Darcy is the founder of AndroidAuthority.com and our resident Android guru. He follows the latest trends and is extremely passionate about mobile technology. With a keen eye for spotting emerging trends and reporting them, he works hard to bring you the best analysis, updates, and reports on all things Android. Darcy lives and breathes the latest mobile technology, and believes Android will be on a billion devices in the not too distant future.

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  • Kelly

    I can’t believe I posted about the other phone in the very article I read about it in. Oops! Please excuse my stupidity. =)

  • laure

    how to use interent on my G1 with a sim card provided by Vodacom.
    Thanks

  • http://androidauthority.com Nicholas Ahn

    @ Kelly: Yes, overall, it might just be easier to purchase the dev version of the G1, as it is unlocked to work on the GSM service of your choice. You can find the directions to do so here-
    http://code.google.com/android/dev-devices.html
    Note that the dev phone will only be compatible with frequencies that the G1 supports.

    @laure
    I’m not familiar with Vodacom, but you may want to look here- http://www.mobiledatasupport.co.za/htc.htm
    for some settings to edit on your phone.

  • joaquin

    Hi , I have seen the posting from Mariano, I have the same problem “I receive an sms “811 error message every hour” Mariano, which is your carrier? I´m susing Peronal from Argentina.
    Cheers

  • sandra

    Hey guys! I was wondering if someone could please help me. my cousin sold me his unlocked g1[ which he got on craigslist] it is working just fine except i cant go into the market [even when using wi-fi] because its asking me for a google password which he doesnt know because its not his account.is there ANY WAY i can change the log in name so i can log into my own account?
    thanks!

  • Casey

    @Michael Oryl

    Earlier in this post’s comment’s you said the G1 would work in Egypt.

    So far I’ve found the following info:

    Carrier Band
    Mobinil GSM 900
    Etisalat UMTS 2100 / GSM 900 & 1800
    Vodafone GSM 900

    It seems Etisalat would the best option for highspeed data?

    Also, since I already have a contracted (read: working) G1 with T-Mobile. If I unlock it and use another SIM card will I have the same issues others have had with not being able to get past the Google login screen?

    I guess the question is: does the G1 associate the google account per-phone or per-sim card?

    Casey

  • http://www.mobileburn.com/ Michael Oryl

    Casey, the login info is associated with the SIM card, not the phone. That’s what makes it even more tricky. What you should do, I believe, is configure the the data APNs for Etisalat (the best choice, it would seem) into the device before you put the other SIM in and unlock it. That way, it will find the data network it needs for that initial Google Gmail login when you put in the Etisalat SIM card.

    At least that is my understanding of it now. I haven’t unlocked the device in months now and I have to admit to not being 100% clear on it now.

  • Rack

    Hello Guys, I am in UK, brought a english G1 unlocked, will i be able to use my o2 sim in this and its 3G services, and the anderiod market?

  • http://www.mobileburn.com/ Michael Oryl

    If it is unlocked and has the appropriate APN settings for O2, I don’t see why not.

  • Rack

    ok kool thanks for that, i see someone asked about the APN settings before can anyone shed anymore lights on these?

  • Patel11

    I just got my g1 and when i turn it on it asks for the gmail account….i put it in and it still wont go through untill i get a data plan. I cant even get to the main menu. is there any way to get around this problem without buying the data plan

  • http://www.mobileburn.com/ Michael Oryl

    @Patel11 – I don’t think there is.

  • http://www.binaryelysium.com/ Casey

    @Michael and @others,

    I’ve successfully unlocked my G1 and used it with another carrier’s 3G service (i.e., calling+sms+data works). I’ve written some simple instructions here: http://www.binaryelysium.com/blog/2009/01/30/the-vodafone-g1/

    The key, I think, as to why I didn’t run into the gmail-signin-screen problem that others have expressed above, is that my phone was already logged in/activated on my T-Mobile sim card.

    Casey

  • http://www.mobileburn.com/ Michael Oryl

    @Casey – I’m sure that is the case. That is what happened with me. But most of these people are trying to buy and unlock G1 phones without ever having had T-Mobile service. I’m not aware of any way past that short of modifying the kernel.

    Plus, any time you do a master rest on the phone to “start over” for whatever reason, you will have the same login problem (unless, of course, you did something else to prevent that).

  • colleen

    I have a g1 that is only 3 weeks old but honestly I’m not interested in keeping it because I’m swithing plans… would anyone want to buy it? If so please email me..

  • Travis

    Is there anyway to get th 3g to work is it the sim card cuasing the 3g not to work or the unlock that causes the reoblem.

  • http://www.mobileburn.com/ Michael Oryl

    @Travis – 3G access has nothing to do with the SIM card. The G1 supports T-Mobile USA’s 1700MHz 3G network and the 2100MHz 3G networks used in most, but not all, other parts of the world. It won’t ever work on AT&T’s network or other 3G networks that don’t work on those bands.

  • yohana

    yeah i just got a g1 and im on t-mobile and i locked my screen so no one could get on it but i left it in my pocket and when i took it out it said it had 2 many attempts to unlock it and now i have to sign in gmail so it can unlock but my gmail wont work

    so how do i unlock it?

  • http://puneetp.wordpress.com Puneet Puri

    I am in India and want to buy a locked Google G1 from US.

    I am also buying unlock code.

    Can I unlock the phone in india ? ( not in US)

    What is this Google loin screen which most people seem to be getting stuck ? ( mostly international users).

    If I have EDGE sim card here in India , can I insert that and get past Google Login screen , or is their a possibility of me not able to contact EDGE ?

  • http://puneetp.wordpress.com Puneet Puri

    To Michael Oryl ,

    Want to know in what all conditions listed below can I enter my APN(access point network) details into the phone.

    Can I enter the APN details when my phone is :
    a) Locked State ?
    b) Unlocked State ?
    c) Has to be on T-Mobile Network ?

    Thanks ,
    Puneet

  • http://www.mobileburn.com/ Michael Oryl

    @Puneet Puri: You can enter the APNs at any time in any condition. The issue is that you can not get past the phone’s initial Gmail login unless you *already have* data access, which generally means you are on a T-Mobile network using a T-Mobile SIM.

  • http://puneetp.wordpress.com Puneet Puri

    So Michael , if I have understood this correctly .

    a) Then I should not buy a unlocked or locked phone unless ” the user from whom I am buying is willing to do the APN setting(for Vodafone-India, my local Service Provider ) on T-Mobile network and THEN send it to India “?

    After which I will put my EDGE sim and access internet and google softwares will enable ?

    Let me know if my understanding is correct or skewed.

    Thanks
    Puneet

  • http://www.mobileburn.com/ Michael Oryl

    That sounds accurate to me, yes.

  • Pingback: Unlock G1 - Rap GodFathers Community

  • Zara

    I bought a google phone from ameirca and it has been working fine until someone drew so many wrong patterns on it and it got locked. The phone requested for a google account login wihch i do not have. I reset the phone with the Alt+ L and W thing. Now it wants me to create a new account but it keeps saying there is a problem connecting witht the server. The internet was working fine before and Im in NIgeria. Could you please help ?

  • Kisha

    Can I buy the G1 phone and use it on MetroPCS network once it has been unlocked?

  • http://www.mobileburn.com/ Michael Oryl

    @Kisha – No, it is not compatible with Metro’s CDMA based network.

  • jaydee

    i am from the uk and is wanting to buy the t-mobile g1 on pay as you go from america . wen my phone comes can i jus take out the sim they have already given me and put in my t-mobile sim i already have

  • verseuno

    For all those who are stuck on the initial Google set up screen on an Unlocked G1…you must do the following…

    *NOTE: I am using an AT&T sim card..so you must check for other carriers APN NAME/TYPE

    1. hit the menu button
    2. you will see a small pop up window that says APN Settings
    3. Once you hit APN settings you will be taken to another screen with a lists of APN’s…hit the menu button again and it will say NEW APN…
    4. Then a new scroll down list will appear titled Edit Access Point..under Name you type in AT&T and under APN type in wap.cingular

    After you have done these steps just sign in if you have an existing google account or create a new one. You have to make sure the account associated with the phone number on the sim card has a data plan or else it will not work.

    Good Luck!

  • http://myspace.com/jigglepunch Crystal

    Ok here it goes, I did something incredibly stupid. I bought G1 on the internet and it was working fine until I went into settings to see if I could lock the screen that way I did not accidently dial someone while it was in my purse. Well, I pressed the wrong button and accidently locked phone where a certain pattern needed to be inputted in order for screen to unlock. I do not know what it is, so it says forgot pattern? I click on there and it asks for google sign in, again since I am not the one that set it up originally I do not have that info either. I tried to go back and guess the pattern, but now it is stuck on the google login page. Please help!

    (BTW I do have T-Mobile account and dont want to unlock phone to use with another carrier)

  • tompat

    i read almost every post here…but i just need to ask a few questions, I have a blackberry now on ATT with no data plan. i can not send MMS’s or recive them. i want to get rid of my BB but no phones really catch my eye. intil i saw the G1.

    so my questions are:

    1. Can you send and recive MMS’s with no data plan on a unlocked G1?

    2. is it possible to use the G1 with out a data plan?

    3. is there a way you can block the internte usage, so you dont connect when you dont want to?

    thanks for the help

  • xander

    Hey i just bought a unlocked g1 and sorry if this is stupid but i am very new. Ok well i have a problem with my text evrytime i send a text it sends it at the right time, for example it says “sent at 12:21″ but when i recive a text like 5 minutes later it says “recieved at 8:25″ usually 4 hours before so all the texts are out of order so it is hard to read ok well please write back if you know. oh and another quicky is there a way to go on aim with my data plan in canada on Rogers? ok thanks you.

  • Mlane

    Can I unlock my phone and still be able to use my tmobile sim card to work on the at&t network? Because of where I where I work at they dont have a tmobile signal but they do have a at&t signal, but my g1 still will not connect to the at&t network with the tmobile sim card.

  • warren

    Hey. I’m thinking about purchasing a g1. I have an AT&T sim card. I have read most of the comments trying to find some answers. Will most of the applications work on the AT&T sim? I know texting and calling works. But what about youtube, myspace, facebook and yahoo messenger. Will they work if I’m using the AT&T network on an unlocked G!?

  • vic

    i’m from uk and want to buy the g1 handset from t mobile, will it work if unlocked with an orange sim card?

  • sam

    hello plz any body that knows how to get unlock code for my sidekick 2008 should plz help me my IMEI is 358046012171154 you can contact me on keepmoving4life@yahoo.com thanks will be expecting you

  • Vk

    Hi I got the G1 Phone from USA and is unlocked, currently i am in india. When i insert my sim here in india it is asking me to login into Gmail or APN settings, Can anyone suggest me how to come accross this?

  • Jo

    really i have no idea abt it, for unlock t mobile or unlock any other mobiles
    visit
    http://www.unlock-zone.com/

  • Sebastián

    Hi, I have the same problem that has mariano and joaqui:
    “Every 60 mins I receive an sms “811 error message” It seems that the phone is sending an sms with an incorrect number to my carrier. PLS someone find a solution to fix this ?

  • http://www.dlcinc.com alexander-tron

    Hey,

    All you people just go on youtube and search att g1. And a video on setting up att data will show you exactly how to set every thing up. And evan if your g1 is unlocked you first need to sign in to google with a tmobile sim card. Then you power it off put in your att sim card then set up the data.

  • Levi

    If i already have unlimited text and data for AT&T, can I unlock the G1 without buying a T-Mobile contract and still get the data and texting through AT&T?

  • jack c

    can i get my parents to unlock it by using there credit card or do i have to use mine as im only 17.. my parents think its stupid that i cant go on youtube or the android market

  • Sebastián

    Hi, I have the same problem that has Mariano and Joaquin:
    “Every 60 mins” i receive an sms “811 error message”. It seems that the phone is sending an sms with an incorrect number to my carrier. please someone find a solution to fix this ? sameone have the same problem ?

  • Solu

    Hi,
    I have a Gi Android phone, my son was playing with the security pattern and the phone was blocked on saturday.
    It requested for my username and password used for registering the phone which i put in but the phone but is yet to open.

    I opened the mail add used for registering the phone on the computer but up till now i am still unable to use my phone, pls assist.
    Thank you.

  • davis

    Hey my name is davis I have a G1 now and i have and contract with T-Mobile how can i get my unlock code so i can start using other carries thats out there.I need one thats free or a way to get it?

  • Brad

    Just to clarify, the APN, user name and password you provide are open for general use, correct? (the APN was “isp.cingular”, the user name was “ISP@CINGULARGPRS.COM”, and the password was “CINGULAR1″)

    I put them into my phone and they seem to work.

  • http://www.mobileburn.com/ Michael Oryl

    The APN depends on your carrier and the data plan you have. The isp.cingular APN is for people on the smartphone/PDA data plan, which I believe is $30/mo at the moment.

  • Brad

    Thanks.

    To further clarify, I do have at&t and i just signed up online for a $15/mo unlimited data plan. at&t still thinks I have an older phone.

    It is working now, but I was just looking at my wife’s records and that lists wap.cingular

  • http://www.mobileburn.com/ Michael Oryl

    My guess is that if you were to switch to the wap.cingular APN (and the correct login/password that goes with it), then they would never know the difference. If, however, you continue to use the APN for the more expensive plan, they might just start charging you.

    Just a *might* there. I have no real idea, but I don’t think you would see much of a difference with the wap APN, so why not give it a shot to be safe?

  • Kory

    ok i got the g1 and its unlocked. Already got the unlock code but now it wants me to make a google account. I made one and it always says something about its temporary down or something. What do i need to do?

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