Albert is the codename for Apple's centralized activation servers, which handle device restriction policies and store Carrier Lock statuses. When an iPhone connects to the internet during initial setup, it requests a specific policy ticket from Albert to determine its network lock status.
This closed-loop server architecture explains why cellular restrictions are incredibly difficult to bypass locally. When a provider authorizes a network unlock, they update the device's status in Apple's central activation database. The next time the phone connects to the internet, Albert issues a new activation ticket that instructs the baseband to accept previously restricted SIM cards.
