Hack the iPhone

GSM information

Since the iPhone is a GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) phone, you potentially have access to numerous codes that can be entered on your phone's keypad to either give you information about your phone (like your IMEI) or to activate or deactivate features (like call forwarding, barring and SMS delivery reports to name a few).

Here's a sample of some of the codes you can try.

*#06# - Displays your International Mobile Equipment Identity (or IMEI for short). The IMEI number is used by the GSM network to identify valid devices and therefore can be used to stop a stolen phone from accessing the network.

*#21# and press Call. Settings for call forwarding for calls, data, fax and sms.

*#30# and press Call. Calling line presentation check.

*31# (followed by the number you are dialing) - Sets outgoing "Caller ID" to be private.

#31# (followed by the number you are dialing) - Sets outgoing "Caller ID" to be visible.

*#31# (followed by the number you are dialing) - Displays current setting of outgoing "Caller ID". (Disabled = visible, Enabled = private).

*#33# and press Call. Check for call all barring.

*#43# and press Call. Determine if call waiting is enabled.

*#61# and press Call. Check the number for unanswered calls. Shows the number for voice call forwarding when a call is unanswered. Also shows the options for data, fax, sms, sync, async, packet access and pad access.

*#76# and press Call. Check whether the connected line presentation is enabled or not.

*225# and press Call. Bill balance for postpaid accounts only.

*646# and press Call. Check the minutes for a postpaid account only.

*777# and press Call. Check the account balance for a prepaid iPhone.

Here are some sites that list some more of these codes:

• Codes to be used with GSM phones.
• GSM codes.
• GSM feature codes.
• GSM features that aren't widely known.
• iPhone Dev Wiki - Phone codes.
• More secret iPhone codes.

I know the GSM codes are impossible to remember, so a reader (thanks Foob!) whipped up this pocket guide (and a handy to do list and calendar to boot) that you could bring with you to jog your memory.

Here's a blog on how this pocket guide is made, with plenty of images to show you how to fold it up. PagePacker makes pocket-sized books.

Field Test menu

The Field Test menu is used to view various engineering parameters, such as signal strength, frequency band, tower ID, et cetera. This is a menu that lets you look at the inner workings of the iPhone from a telephone technician's view. The great majority of iPhone users will never need access to this menu.

You get to this menu by entering *3001#12345#* and press Call. If you'd like to see what all the screens look like in this menu click the images below.


To exit the Field Test menu push the home button.


This is one of the nicer icons I've found for this program.



For more information about the technical side of this menu check out this site, and this site.

The SIM card

Unsure if your iPhone SIM will work in phone X or if SIM Y will work in your iPhone? There is a very detailed thread (with pictures even) over at Howard Forums where this is spelled out pretty clearly.

This graphic is from Apple's user's manual. I find the best way to remove the SIM is to use a push pin to pop the tray out just a little bit (it won't come out very far) and then hook the inside of the hole (or just angle the push pin inside the hole) and pull the tray out.




I had already activated an iPhone with AT&T and then decided to test out how it would react to my T-Mobile SIM and my Cingular SIM, which I was using in other phones. The photo on the left is with the T-Mobile SIM, the one on the right is the Cingular SIM.