iPhone 4 iOS 7.0.6 nightmare!

[iMore Question]

Right okay, here's my series of unfortunate events.

My girlfriend who inherited an iPhone 4 off a past relative had no use for it in the state it was in. Gave it to me unactivated with no knowledge of it's past or anything. Being (slightly) tech savvy I thought I'd try and sort it out for her.

I've managed to bypass the activation screen, get it to sync with iTunes, the lot. The only thing I'm unable to do now is unlock it. Having no information on this iPhone means I'm having to do this all with just the device itself.

It's on iOS 7.0.6, baseband 04.12.09, no idea what carrier it's on.

My question is, if I were to find out the carrier of it by either testing a ton of different SIM cards or otherwise, would I have any chance at unlocking it? Either using an online IMEI permanent unlock or through software (Cydia etc.)?

If not, will there ever be a solution? Or is it forever destined to be a glorified iPod?

CHEERS

 

[anon(4698833)]

You really only have a couple of unlock options these days...a direct carrier unlock (which, given it's an iPhone 4, I would imagine it would be out of contract long enough to receive it from them)...or the expensive private party unlocks online (most of which are $100+ and there's no guarantee on them).

The jailbreak unlocks don't work anymore...over the last year or so, the carriers implemented a series of rules and settings that prevent that kind of thing now, so you're kind of stuck with the two options above.

I would contact the carrier first to see.