iPhone unlockers threatended with AT&T legal action

Launch postponed indefinitely

27 August 2007 8:30 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

You wait 57 days for a software-based iPhone SIM unlock solution and then two come rolling along within 24 hours.

No sooner had Engagdet and iPhoneSimFree.com broadcast their iPhone-freeing news to the world than Uniquephones' iPhoneunlocking.com announced they were about to reveal their $25-$50 solution.

"Were" being the keyword here because shortly after the announcement the team, no doubt spurred on to go public by the rival announcement, posted this message on the site:

"It is now 12N EST – the time when we said we would be offering iPhone unlocking software to our customers. We have the software. It works. And we are ready to go."

"Seems AT&T is a bit annoyed at the idea. A middle of the night phone call from a Silicon Valley law firm is slowing down the release of the software to you."

Evidently AT&T are not keen at having their 5-year exclusivity deal with Apple jeopardised by a bunch of entrepreneurial hackers. The iPhoneunlocking.com team then updated us with the situation via another post:

"The sale of unlocking codes is on hold after the company received a telephone call from a Menlo Park, California, law firm at approximately 2:54 a.m. this morning (GMT)."

"After saying they were phoning on behalf of AT&T, the law firm presented issues such as copyright infringement and illegal software dissemination."

"Uniquephones is taking legal advice to ascertain whether AT&T was sending a warning shot or directly threatening legal action."

"Until an assessment is made of the potential of legal action, Uniquephones is unable to release the unlocking software for sale."

"The company spokesperson also said that the company would also be evaluating what to eventually do with the software should they be legally denied the right to sell it."

The legal proceedings seem to have been slowed down somewhat with this happening over the weekend, but expect lots more news here on Pocket-lint.co.uk next week...

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Phones, iPhone, Apple, Mobile phones, AT and T