Changing iPhone Operator Logo

Are you tired of having some plain text operator indicator in your iPhone display?
How about replacing it for something more hi-tech and stylish?
How to replace the operator text for a nicer logo?

That's what I'm about to explain to you...

For instance, in my case, my iPhone showed Vodafone Portugal indicator "VF P" which now became a much nicer Vodafone symbol:

Top: the new improved Vodafone logo
Bottom: the old "VF P" text

Although it requires some messing around with files, you don't have to jailbreak your iPhone, nor hack it any complex way - we'll be using the official ipcc file (iphone carrier configuration files) and just replace the default images the iPhone displays.

For that, you first need to get your carrier/phone operator .ipcc file. (You can use this method, to get it from apple itself - just be sure you get the correct file for your carrier/country; and doule check you choose the latest version.)

As always, the first step is to make a full backup before messing with anything else. Although this is a straightforward low-risk procedure, you never know what might go wrong.
Which reminds me....
[Disclaimer: I'm not responsible for anything going wrong and ruining your iPhone!]

Once you get the .ipcc file for your carrier:

1. Change the .ipcc file extension to .zip;
2. Unpack the file to a working folder;
3. Inside the payload folder you'll find your carrier folder (something like: Payload/Vodafone_pt.bundle) and you just need to replace those two png image files for some new ones (keeping their original names).
   For instance, for Vodafone and Optimus (you could use these):
   
   
4. Then you just need to pack everything into a new .ipcc file
   
5. And then you can send the altered ipcc to your iPhones using iTunes, by pressing the ALT key while choosing restore. It will ask you for a file location; choose the one you've just crated and it's done!

Update: If iTunes doesn't let you select the .ipcc file, on a Mac you'll have to do this:

defaults write com.apple.iTunes carrier-testing -bool TRUE

... or, in Windows:

“%CommonProgramFiles%\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\defaults.exe write com.apple.iTunes carrier-testing -bool TRUE”


This is how you change your carrier logo in the iPhone without jailbreaking.

The end result:

P.S: Of course, nothing stops you from choosing any other custom made image to show off your iPhone - just customize it as you please. You can have your iPhone displaying your loved ones, favorite team, or any other thing in there.