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How to unlock my iPhone Xs

effell
3: Seeker
3: Seeker

Hi,

 

I bought an iPhone X on a Vodafone contract from Carphone Warehouse in July. It was damaged and replaced by insurance in September. I wanted to use another network's sim in it but found it locked so filled in a request to unlock it however initially I was told that the IMEI wasn't registered and I need to use my Vodafone sim continuously for 30 days to be able to unlock. I have been using my original Vodafone sim in it since then but when I tried the unlock form again, I was told that the I need to use the sim for more than 30 days to be able to unlock it. It has definitely been more than 30 days (since late September) since I have been using the vodafone sim in it so I contacted customer service by chat and they told me that since I bought my phone from Carphone Warehouse, I need to contact them to unlock it. However I have read stories on this forum that that's not right and it will be Vodafone who will need to unlock as CPW are not responsible for unlocking. I am not sure what to do next?

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

GemmaP
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

Hey @effell 

We'll unlock the phone for you, if you've had a Vodafone SIM card in for the past 30 days.

If you've had no luck with the online form, drop us a message on Social with a link to this thread, we can chase this up with the NUC team for you 🙂

View solution in original position

5 REPLIES 5

GemmaP
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

Hey @effell 

We'll unlock the phone for you, if you've had a Vodafone SIM card in for the past 30 days.

If you've had no luck with the online form, drop us a message on Social with a link to this thread, we can chase this up with the NUC team for you 🙂

BandOfBrothers
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

That's right @effell in that CPW cannot unlock an iPhone to all networks.

This has to be requested by the network to Apple.

What maybe the issue is that the phone was replaced under insurance and not i assume via Vodafone so the imei won't match the one that was originally supplied. Vodafone will need to manually update your account records to show the new imei so then the unlock request form will complete.

 

On a side note…

 

An iPhone is not unlocked via inputting a Nuc {unlocking code} like other phone models are, but instead is unlocked remotely by Apple themselves and their Database.
So no actual Nuc is sent by Vodafone UK. 
The Vodafone Network lets a person know by email it's unlocking has been requested to Apple after accepting your Nuc online unlock request. (Please Check Spam Inboxes too)

Please Note > The iPhone isn't actually usually unlocked to all networks at this stage when Vodafone email you.

What happens is Apple then process the Networks request and occasionally this can take Apple approximately from a few days upto a further 30+ days sometimes from Vodafone's email to complete an unlock request made by a Network.
To complete the process please periodically insert an active i.e. connects to mobile network data, alternative Networks Sim Card in the iPhone with hooking upto iTunes is only typically needed if its an iPhone 4 or older although it wouldn't harm to do so. 
From the iPhone 5 onwards there's not normally the need to hook up to iTunes to complete the process.
When it's unlocked you should see a pop up message and the alternatives Networks name will show in the iPhone's status bar. 

Current Phone  >

Samsung Galaxy s²³ Ultra 512gb Phantom Black.

 

 

Thanks for the replies. It seems like the issue is due to the fact that I got it from CPW which means Vodafone have no record of my device, just the plan details and further complicated by the fact that the original phone was replaced by insurance. I have been in contact with the NUC team via FB and they are helping me to resolve the issue so will hopefully get somewhere soon.

Thanks for the update @effell, our Facebook team will be able to get everything raised to our NUC team. The timescale could be increased if we have to request the code from Apple, however, it sounds like everything is now with the correct team to do this 🙂

Thanks all, my phone was unlocked on Friday which was quicker than I expected. The Facebook team were great helping me out along with the NUC team. I just wish the online chat were a bit more helpful in pointing me in the right direction instead of asking me to contact CarphoneWarehouse who have nothing to do with this process.