How to Downgrade iPhone 3G Baseband 02.30.03 to 02.28.00

By Gary Ng on May 1st, 2009 94

A lot of people out there mention they don’t necessarily “care” about having an unlocked iPhone 3G. The benefits of having an unlocked iPhone 3G will enable you to…

1a. Use SIM cards from any carrier. This comes in handy when you’re traveling the globe.
1b. Use your iPhone 3G with new GSM carriers in Canada once they get fully setup, enabling you to escape the wrath of Rogers.

The iPhone 3G can be unlocked via the installation of yellowsn0w via Cydia. Now, yellowsn0w requires 2.2 firmware in order to be installed. But the problem lies in 2.2.1 firmware, which includes a new baseband update.

So that means…

2.2 firmware = baseband 02.28.00 = fully unlockable with yellowsn0w
2.2.1 firmware = baseband 02.30.03 = cannot be unlocked

How to by pass this? Well, you can use PwnageTool to create a custom 2.2.1 firmware that has the 2.2 baseband (what I am on now). This will keep your baseband at 02.28.00, enabling you to unlock your iPhone.

But what about if you’re on 2.2.1 firmware and the 02.30.03 baseband? Are you out of luck? You were, but that was until a week ago 3G Baseband Downgrade was released by pH, EvilPenguin, and BigBoss.

How to Downgrade your iPhone 3G Baseband from 02.30.03 to 02.28.00

1. Find out the version of your iPhone 3G’s bootloader. If your iPhone was manufactured prior to September 2008, you are on the 5.8 bootloader. Any phones after that are on 5.9 bootloader (which means no downgrade at this point in time).

Here’s how to figure out what version you have by looking at your iPhone’s serial number:

In case you’re not sure when yours was made, you can find out by checking the serial number on the back of the device. The third, fourth and fifth digits of teh serial number show the date. If they are 8 followed by a 36 or lower (xx836xxxxxx), you should be fine. Users with the 5.9 bootloader shouldn’t have any adverse effects from running the downgrade; it should just not work for you.

2. Download 3G Baseband Downgrade via Cydia (BigBoss repo) and install it.

3gbasebanddowngrade

3. Run 3GBBD and follow the instructions. After it’s done, you should now be on the 02.28.00 baseband!
4. Install yellowsn0w to test that your iPhone now works with another carrier’s SIM!

How Will 3GBBD Benefit Me?

Well, a lot of people updated directly to 2.2.1 on their iPhone 3G within iTunes. Doing so brings the new baseband that comes with 2.2.1.

Now, with this 3G Baseband Downgrade tool you can reverse the mistake you made in the first place. Definitely worth giving it a try. Let me know how this has worked for you!

Founder and Editor-in-Chief of iPhoneinCanada.ca. Follow @iPhoneinCanada and on Google+. Click here to save 20% OFF at ZAGG.com with coupon 'iphoneinca'!

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  • dashparr

    I tried this and it said “failed”. After that, my iPhone lost it’s carrier and displayed “searching…”. After a hard reset, my iPhone was back to normal but unfortunately no baseband downgrade.

  • dashparr

    I tried this and it said “failed”. After that, my iPhone lost it’s carrier and displayed “searching…”. After a hard reset, my iPhone was back to normal but unfortunately no baseband downgrade.

  • dashparr

    I tried this and it said “failed”. After that, my iPhone lost it’s carrier and displayed “searching…”. After a hard reset, my iPhone was back to normal but unfortunately no baseband downgrade.

  • dashparr

    I tried this and it said “failed”. After that, my iPhone lost it’s carrier and displayed “searching…”. After a hard reset, my iPhone was back to normal but unfortunately no baseband downgrade.

  • GregoriusM

    What carriers are going to GSM within the next 3 years that makes this worthwhile?

  • GregoriusM

    What carriers are going to GSM within the next 3 years that makes this worthwhile?

  • GregoriusM

    What carriers are going to GSM within the next 3 years that makes this worthwhile?

  • GregoriusM

    What carriers are going to be offering GSM in the next 3 years that makes this even worth considering?

  • GregoriusM

    What carriers are going to be offering GSM in the next 3 years that makes this even worth considering?

  • GregoriusM

    What carriers are going to be offering GSM in the next 3 years that makes this even worth considering?

  • Guest

    Still need some help? Check out the forums… http://www.iphoneincanada.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=5206 & http://www.iphoneincanada.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=5240
    Unfortunately there are many with 5.9 BL or even higher :(

  • Guest

    Still need some help? Check out the forums… http://www.iphoneincanada.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=5206 & http://www.iphoneincanada.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=5240
    Unfortunately there are many with 5.9 BL or even higher :(

  • Dusty

    Still need some help? Check out the forums… http://www.iphoneincanada.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=5206 & http://www.iphoneincanada.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=5240
    Unfortunately there are many with 5.9 BL or even higher :(

  • Peter

    I downgraded but i don’t have another sim to test. But the downgrade process went smooth.

  • Peter

    I downgraded but i don’t have another sim to test. But the downgrade process went smooth.

  • Peter

    I downgraded but i don’t have another sim to test. But the downgrade process went smooth.

  • http://giobautista.com Gio

    “A lot of people out there mention they don’t necessarily “care” about having an unlocked iPhone 3G.”

    I am one of those people, I change carriers once the contract expires (every 2-3 years) but I think I only switched from one carrier to another once and have been with for years since, I only travel out of the country once a year.

    My question would be: How often do you change carrier? How often do you travel to other country? How often do you make/receive phone calls when you are in some country? If you change carrier and travel more than approximately 10-15 times a year then unlocking is necessary.

    Changing carrier can be expensive since you have to break your contract and pay the penalty and transferring your number can also be a pain in the a**… if you’d be lucky you don’t have to send your “change of number” notice to each one of your contact. When I travel, I travel for vacation. I try to be disconnected to the real world and relax and that includes no phone calls from bosses or business associates (I’ll check the emails later) but if ever I need to make a phone call, I will use the phone from the hotel.

  • TK

    so what you’re probably saying is; just stick to using Skype when traveling?

  • TK

    so what you’re probably saying is; just stick to using Skype when traveling?

  • TK

    so what you’re probably saying is; just stick to using Skype when traveling?

  • skyngai

    I used to have a 2.2 3G with BB 2.28, but the mute bottun broke and I had a replacement earlier this year. They sent me a 2.21 with BB 2.30.
    My serial # is xx9093xxxxx does this mean mine is BL 5.9 and unable to do the downgrade?
    ps: This mean my phone was manufactured at 2009 week 9 right?

  • skyngai

    I used to have a 2.2 3G with BB 2.28, but the mute bottun broke and I had a replacement earlier this year. They sent me a 2.21 with BB 2.30.
    My serial # is xx9093xxxxx does this mean mine is BL 5.9 and unable to do the downgrade?
    ps: This mean my phone was manufactured at 2009 week 9 right?

  • skyngai

    I used to have a 2.2 3G with BB 2.28, but the mute bottun broke and I had a replacement earlier this year. They sent me a 2.21 with BB 2.30.
    My serial # is xx9093xxxxx does this mean mine is BL 5.9 and unable to do the downgrade?
    ps: This mean my phone was manufactured at 2009 week 9 right?

  • dashparr

    Sorry I don’t know the answer, I just wanted to say my silence button also broke earlier this year, I just glued it back together (a little loose, but no biggy). Good to know that they give you a 2.2.1 with BB 2.30, I got mine in July and have BB 2.28 with 2.2.1 firmware (thanks to pwnagetool) meaning if I care about unlocking I shouldn’t trade in my phone. My serial is xx828. I remember getting my iPhone in the 4th week of July.

  • dashparr

    Sorry I don’t know the answer, I just wanted to say my silence button also broke earlier this year, I just glued it back together (a little loose, but no biggy). Good to know that they give you a 2.2.1 with BB 2.30, I got mine in July and have BB 2.28 with 2.2.1 firmware (thanks to pwnagetool) meaning if I care about unlocking I shouldn’t trade in my phone. My serial is xx828. I remember getting my iPhone in the 4th week of July.

  • dashparr

    Sorry I don’t know the answer, I just wanted to say my silence button also broke earlier this year, I just glued it back together (a little loose, but no biggy). Good to know that they give you a 2.2.1 with BB 2.30, I got mine in July and have BB 2.28 with 2.2.1 firmware (thanks to pwnagetool) meaning if I care about unlocking I shouldn’t trade in my phone. My serial is xx828. I remember getting my iPhone in the 4th week of July.

  • ddd

    i need help mins say 83832 dose that mean its 5.9?

  • ddd

    i need help mins say 83832 dose that mean its 5.9?

  • ddd

    i need help mins say 83832 dose that mean its 5.9?

  • ddd

    i need help mins say 83832 dose that mean its 5.9?

  • http://www.iphoneincanada.ca Gary

    We now have number portability so changing numbers from one carrier to another is quite easy. When I mention changing carriers, I am speaking about another GSM carrier that would emerge so we are not forced to choose Rogers for GSM in Canada.

    As for the travel part, it’s always handy to pop in a local SIM card into your iPhone 3G to call people you know when you’re on vacation, instead of bringing along another unlocked phone. :)

  • http://www.iphoneincanada.ca Gary

    We now have number portability so changing numbers from one carrier to another is quite easy. When I mention changing carriers, I am speaking about another GSM carrier that would emerge so we are not forced to choose Rogers for GSM in Canada.

    As for the travel part, it’s always handy to pop in a local SIM card into your iPhone 3G to call people you know when you’re on vacation, instead of bringing along another unlocked phone. :)

  • http://www.iphoneincanada.ca iPhone Fan

    We now have number portability so changing numbers from one carrier to another is quite easy. When I mention changing carriers, I am speaking about another GSM carrier that would emerge so we are not forced to choose Rogers for GSM in Canada.

    As for the travel part, it’s always handy to pop in a local SIM card into your iPhone 3G to call people you know when you’re on vacation, instead of bringing along another unlocked phone. :)

  • JJ

    awesome, this worked for me after trying every thing else, I do travel a lot and this saves paying roaming rates while overseas, plus the fact you can use your iphone as a modem for you laptop overseas (just buy a prepaid data plan) and forward your normal number to over seas through a cheap calling plan, it makes about a 90% saving on calls.

  • JJ

    awesome, this worked for me after trying every thing else, I do travel a lot and this saves paying roaming rates while overseas, plus the fact you can use your iphone as a modem for you laptop overseas (just buy a prepaid data plan) and forward your normal number to over seas through a cheap calling plan, it makes about a 90% saving on calls.

  • JJ

    awesome, this worked for me after trying every thing else, I do travel a lot and this saves paying roaming rates while overseas, plus the fact you can use your iphone as a modem for you laptop overseas (just buy a prepaid data plan) and forward your normal number to over seas through a cheap calling plan, it makes about a 90% saving on calls.

  • Anonymous

    And it worked for me as well… great way to get the old broadband for those of us that don’t use Macs and couldn’t do the pwnge tool.

  • Anonymous

    And it worked for me as well… great way to get the old broadband for those of us that don’t use Macs and couldn’t do the pwnge tool.

  • Joost

    And it worked for me as well… great way to get the old broadband for those of us that don’t use Macs and couldn’t do the pwnge tool.

  • Vancouveriphoneunlock

    I tried on a phone with XX830XXXXXXXXX, it did not work.
    Any other suggestions?

  • Vancouveriphoneunlock

    I tried on a phone with XX830XXXXXXXXX, it did not work.
    Any other suggestions?

  • Vancouveriphoneunlock

    I tried on a phone with XX830XXXXXXXXX, it did not work.
    Any other suggestions?

  • Vancouveriphoneunlock

    I tried on a phone with XX830XXXXXXXXX, it did not work.
    Any other suggestions?

  • Jimbo2NR

    Tried on a phone 834 and didn’t work either :(
    Sucks cause I’m travelling next week

  • Jimbo2NR

    Tried on a phone 834 and didn’t work either :(
    Sucks cause I’m travelling next week

  • Jimbo2NR

    Tried on a phone 834 and didn’t work either :(
    Sucks cause I’m travelling next week

  • Jimbo2NR

    Tried on a phone 834 and didn’t work either :(
    Sucks cause I’m travelling next week

  • Bilal unlocking

    Hi ,
    I am Bilal From Pakistan ( plz help me My iphone 3G 8GB is lock ) and do not Downgrate ?

    ????????? bootloader 5.9 to bootloader 5.8 ?????????? plZ Help Sir plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

  • Bilal unlocking

    Hi ,
    I am Bilal From Pakistan ( plz help me My iphone 3G 8GB is lock ) and do not Downgrate ?

    ????????? bootloader 5.9 to bootloader 5.8 ?????????? plZ Help Sir plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

  • Bilal unlocking

    Hi ,
    I am Bilal From Pakistan ( plz help me My iphone 3G 8GB is lock ) and do not Downgrate ?

    ????????? bootloader 5.9 to bootloader 5.8 ?????????? plZ Help Sir plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

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