Unlocking iPhone 5s problems

[Stevelewis85]

Hi there,

On 8/10/13 I purchased an iPhone 5s on O2 contract. I also had a Samsung Galaxy s3 on contract with yourselves, but didn't get on with the phone. I therefore gave the Galaxy s3 to my fiancé and wanted the iPhone 5s to use myself. However, i wanted to keep my vodafone number and continue to use that contract, so the vodafone sim was used in the iPhone despite it being purchased from O2. I have recently upgraded my contract with yourselves to the iPhone 6, and so sold the iPhone 5s. When doing so, I presumed it was unlocked given it was purchased for O2 but I had been able to use it with yourselves. I have now received a complaint (via ebay) as it turns out that it is locked to yourselves. Had it been locked to O2, they don't charge to unlock, but I believe you charge £19.99, which is ridiculous given it wasn't purchased from you. The phone had been restoredto factory settings, so can I get it unlocked? I need this sorting urgently as I am facing having to refund the buyer and receive negative feedback etc.

Thanks
Steve

[Stevelewis85]

I should add that I still have the 02 receipt showing imei number etc

[AnnS]

@Stevelewis85 

Unless the phone was not officially unlocked by O2 and would have relocked when updated, the phone should not be locked to Vodafone.

Vodafone won't be unable to unlock the phone, Vodafone can only unlock phones which they have supplied, the IMEI number won't even be on the database.

You are going to have to go back to O2 about getting the phone unlocked, they were the provider of the phone.

If you post on the O2 Community forum, they should be able to advise you.

There is further info on unlocking a phone from Vodafone on the link below.

http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Unlocking-NUC/Unlocking-your-phone-FAQs-NUC/td-p/1754114

[Stevelewis85]

I have already been to O2, it was my first port of call, and they was unable to unlock (they call it unlatch) the phone due to the fact that an O2 sim was never used in it. I hadn't told them any of the info I have given on here, as far as they was aware the phone had been used on their network, but when they tried to unlatch it came up that the phone had never had an O2 sim in it. I have read on other online forums that the phone would have been locked to the first network used in it?

[AnnS]

@Stevelewis85 

There is your problem, the O2 SIM was never used in the phone and it locked to the first network SIM used in the phone.

Unfortunately, this is going to cause a lot of problems, Vodafone can't unlock the phone, it was supplied by O2.

You really should have used the O2 SIM in the phone first and then ask them to unlock it to all networks.

[Stevelewis85]

I would have done had I known that it would become locked ... But I didnt! Wasn't aware iPhone locking was different to any other phone. I however don't understand why if a phone is locked to Vodafone they can't unlock it.

[Amanda]

Hi @Stevelewis85 

We'll need to look into this further to see what we can do. Please email us here and we'll be in touch.

Thanks, 

Amanda