cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
1

Ask

2

Reply

3

Solution

Unlocking with friends or family in uk

luden
2: Seeker
2: Seeker

Hi,

I live in France and i have a vodafone uk locked iphone, i have a friend in uk who is vodafone uk customer.

How can my friend in uk can help me to unlock my iphone ?

 

7 REPLIES 7

AnnS
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

Hi @luden 

 

If a Vodafone SIM has not been used in the phone, your problem here is going to be needing a Vodafone UK SIM to be used in the phone on PAYG for 30 days to prove ownership and associate the IMEI number with the SIM.  This will also need a top up and the occasional chargeable activity.

 

You are fortunate having a friend in the UK who will be in a postion to do this this on your behalf.  Your best option will be to send the phone back to your friend who will be able to use a UK SIM in the phone.

 

As an iphone is unlocked by Apple remotely on Apple data base by inserting an alternative network SIM or by synchronising to itunes to complete the unlocking process, after 30 days UK use you will be able to complete the unlocking process in France by following this link: Unlock Your Phone 

 

Hope that helps and answers your question.

 

BandOfBrothers
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

The only other options @luden  are to see if a local Highstreet Store that advertises they unlock iPhones unlock it for you which would come at a cost to you.

 

Or sell the iPhone and use the funds to help buy one that your sim card will work with.

 

If you send it to your friend then use shipping with insurance and take into account the criteria for unlocking is 30 days using the sim in the iPhone and x3 Bill's paid on time if on a pay monthly contract or x30 days usage if a Payg Vodafone sim card which would mean topping it up to make calls etc withinnthe 30 day period.

 

And then it can sometimes take Apple a further 30 days after Vodafone request its unlock to unlock it.

Current Phone  >

Samsung Galaxy s²³ Ultra 512gb Phantom Black.

 

 

Does someone heard about doctorsim.com ?

They say they unlock any iphone and they are in relation with many carriers as vodafone

AnnS
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

Hi @luden

 

It would be worth mentioning that if the phone is not officially unlocked through Apple it will relock when the iOS is updated. 

Your best bet would be to send the phone to your friend in the UK to use on the local network for 30 days on PAYG. 

BandOfBrothers
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

@luden wrote:

Does someone heard about doctorsim.com ?

They say they unlock any iphone and they are in relation with many carriers as vodafone


Personally i wouldn't recommend an online unlocking site because if something goes wrong you don't have a point of contact to go back to for support or a refund.

 

Once a Highstreet Store that advertises they unlock phones unlock the iPhone it won't typically re lock after the iOS is updated @luden  

 

This is from my own personal experience of going down this route.

 

If an iPhone is jailbroken then the only way of updating to a new iOS is to un jailbreak it but this has nothing to do with unlocking an iPhone to all networks.

Current Phone  >

Samsung Galaxy s²³ Ultra 512gb Phantom Black.

 

 

AnnS
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

@BandOfBrothers 

 

If an iphone has been hacked to unlock to the carrier rather than being unlocked by the carrier then it is possible that the phone can relock after updating the iOS.  It basically depends on the unlocking service used at the time and not recommended to use a cheap unlocking service.

 

However, I don't see why, just for the sake of waiting for 30 days, the point of paying for an unlocking service when it will be officially and correctly done without charge through the network.

 

 

BandOfBrothers
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

@AnnS 

 

If that was the case the businesses that offer unlocking would be inundated with customers wanting it re unlocking or a refund.

 

Once unlocked wether an Android phone or iPhone it remains that way.

 

Many years ago when jailbreaking an iPhone could then unlock it to all networks is no more. As in that scenario many years ago if a person then updated the iOS the unlock also broke. This is no more.

 

They don't hack the phones. They simply have the software to unlock them.

 

On a side Note 》 In my opinion it's about time all networks provided unlocked phones out of the box.

 

I'm giving the OP a further alternative to what's been suggested that's all.

 

Of course if they want to pay for shipping to the UK and then pay for shipping again back to where they live, and a minimum top up cost to make calls etc within those 30 days then that's all good too.  :Smiling:

 

 

Current Phone  >

Samsung Galaxy s²³ Ultra 512gb Phantom Black.