Unlocking a wiped iPhone 5

[heliumthief]

Hi. I recently upgraded to an iPhone 6 from an iphone 5, after which I totally wiped the older phone. I now want to give the phone to my father in law, who is on Orange, but when looking at how to unlock the phone I find out I have to get a serial number off it (by typing #o6# or similar). I tried, but short or re-registering on the old phone, and putting the sim back in, I can't get this number. Any ideas?

[drey_p · Accepted solution]

Hi there

The IMEI number will be on the box the phone came in. You'll also find it on the original receipt from when you got the phone. You will also find it on the back case towards the bottom. 

[heliumthief]

That doesn't help. The phone is 2 years old. I don't have the box, I don't have the receipt and the phone is worn on the back due to use. To top it all, I have just spent 45 minutes on hold only to get through to a South African who interrupted me halfway through my request for help to give me a web form to fill in. I told him I didn't have the code to fill the form in with, and he assured me In would find what I was looking for. I looked. He lied. So you will forgive me if I feel pretty annoyed with a company I have had an account with for over 20 years (back to vodac days) is acting so unhelpful. And I don't know who classified this problem 'sorted!' On here, but it wasn't bloody me....

[kids]

As you are unable to see the IMEI on the phone you could just set the phone up again using one of your backups, you do not need to install all of the apps just the basic Apple apps.

You can then check the IMEI from the 'Settings' menu and then wipe it again.