Australian hackers discovered a product last month that allowed iPhones imported from the United States to be used on their local mobile networks.
Some New Zealand iPhone owners have been quick to follow suit.
A week ago, Kiwi IT company director John Ballinger used a different method to unlock an iPhone to enable it to work on Vodafone's network in what is believed to be the first hack of its kind in New Zealand.
He said some iPhone owners have since used his method, including a friend who had unlocked five phones, with plans to alter another five.
The imported iPhones are locked to restrict their use to the American AT&T network.
Australian computer company Votech, which exclusively supplies the TurboSIM, a $175 tool essential to one method of unlocking the iPhone, said New Zealanders were following Australian hackers' lead by ordering the product in unprecedented numbers.
Managing director Alex Voevodin said he had recently filled 25 orders from New Zealand customers and a large number of New Zealanders were on the waiting list.
He had to shut down his online store at the end of last month when 1500 orders were received in five days.
Normally, sales were about 100 a year.
Trade would continue when a new shipment arrived next week, he said.
One New Zealand would-be hacker, who declined to be named, said he had ordered three TurboSIMs from Votech for unlocking imported iPhones.
TurboSIM and a similar tool, Super SIM, fool the phone into thinking it is operating on an AT&T SIM card.
A SIM card from one iPhone will work in other iPhones and in regular GSM phones, but not vice-versa.
This means those outside the US wanting to get an iPhone will have to wait till Apple has signed a deal with a mobile carrier in their country.
The iPhone went on sale in the US in June and is expected to be launched in Asia Pacific next year.
Mr Ballinger said he had unlocked his phone the same day he received it, using a tutorial on a website.
The only function he was unable to use was accessing the video-sharing website YouTube, which requires encrypted access through AT&T.
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