I did the same except the Apple Store insisted on activating it in store with the PAYG sim.
It's been with the iPhone contract sim ever since and O2 have unlocked it for me.
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iPhone Unlock in UK - 10th November
- Thread starter alexph
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I did the same except the Apple Store insisted on activating it in store with the PAYG sim.
It's been with the iPhone contract sim ever since and O2 have unlocked it for me.
You said you got it off eBay, had it already been first time activated by the previous owner, that is where you problem may lie.
So I read this thread just now and got really excited ( i go back and forth from the UK to the USA a few times a year).
However, when I called o2, the representative told me that O2 can unlock my phone, however the instant I insert a new SIM card into the phone that is not O2, it will CANCEL my o2 Iphone 3gs Insurance coverage!!! I've already paid into this for a few months and really like the fact that I'm totally covered if I lose / drop/ break/ get robbed.
Anyone else know about this? I didn't find a reference in the thread to losing your insurance coverage if you ask o2 to unlock your iphone (and then you actually use that unlock). Makes zero sense to me - i'm STILL tied into an o2 contract.
However, when I called o2, the representative told me that O2 can unlock my phone, however the instant I insert a new SIM card into the phone that is not O2, it will CANCEL my o2 Iphone 3gs Insurance coverage!!! I've already paid into this for a few months and really like the fact that I'm totally covered if I lose / drop/ break/ get robbed.
Anyone else know about this? I didn't find a reference in the thread to losing your insurance coverage if you ask o2 to unlock your iphone (and then you actually use that unlock). Makes zero sense to me - i'm STILL tied into an o2 contract.
I'm curious as to how they'd even know you put a different card in. As long as you don't cancel your original O2 account. You don't have to tell them you put a different card in, and legally they can never find out.
If you have paid for the insurance and are still paying for O2 service I can't see that they'd be allowed to do that. There's nothing legally stopping you having service from two seperate providers.
I'd phone back and get that double checked.
I wonder if the o2 rep was told that I won't be covered if I lose the iPhone without my O2 sim in it?
She told me, that what people are doing is cancelling their insurance first so they don't pay again then unlocking their iphones. So I think this seems to be what she believes. I can try to call back and ask again..
At last, it's unlocked! 
First registered on the 9th, tried again on Monday and got the text this afternoon.
First registered on the 9th, tried again on Monday and got the text this afternoon.
At last, it's unlocked!
First registered on the 9th, tried again on Monday and got the text this afternoon.
Well done - glad your is now unlocked. I am now receiving increasingly concerned calls from the CS department. From what they have told me many of those that registered on 9th were not processed as they only started capturing data on 10th - can you believe it.
However my phone seems to be causing them even greater problems. They tell me that due to my phone having been removed from the network and number ported over to VF, even though they have made it active again using a P&G, their systems still keep rejecting it when they try to unlock.
I have no idea if I am being given the run around (not sure why they would be) or even if this is true, but will give them till tomorrow close of play, otherwise will go to Plan C.
I think in the O2 Insurance terms, it states your O2 insurance is only valid when your O2 SIM is in your iPhone. So while its out, your iPhone isn't covered by them. But I'm sure that doesn't mean they cancel your insurance. Furthermore, I wasn't aware you had to plug your iPhone into iTunes each time you swap SIM. My iPhone is on O2 and legally unlocked and I don't have to sync with iTunes when I want to swap SIM.
You only have to sync with iTunes the first time you use another SIM after you've been notified it's unlocked. Once it's registered with Apple you can just swop the SIM card as and when you please.
This is utter BS. iTunes communicates ONLY with Apple servers and has nothing to do with any carrier whatsoever.
That O2 representative is clearly talking out of his ass. They simply can't know what SIM was in the phone and it doesn't affect the insurance.
My 3gs pag unlocked after asking 3 times. This now makes it my primary business phone. I can now use it while on business travel without the hassle of roaming or having a second unlocked phone. NOW it's a serious phone, not just a nerdy accessory. Well done O2, I will stay with you out of choice now while in UK, as long as your service is acceptable, which it has been to date. This is how things should be. To those in US, you have my commisserations (that means empathy (almost same as sympathy)) or to put it another way, ha ha de ha ha.
I just got my 3G unlocked. In theory it should not have been unlocked at all until after the 4th december, as that is when the 12 months are up for my pay&go. In fact O2 thought it could not be unlocked till the 16th as my first 3G broke after 2 weeks and carphonewarehouse replaced it, so O2 thought that is should not be unlocked till then.
So on wedneday I put in 2 requests. One under the pay&go sim, and one under my coorporate O2 sim which I have had for 10 years. And today I got a text to my coorp phone saying the iphone is unlocked. And just tried it and it is.
That is really convenient as I have just been outsourced, and might be transferred to another provider.
So now have both my 3G and my 3Gs unlocked.
So on wedneday I put in 2 requests. One under the pay&go sim, and one under my coorporate O2 sim which I have had for 10 years. And today I got a text to my coorp phone saying the iphone is unlocked. And just tried it and it is.
That is really convenient as I have just been outsourced, and might be transferred to another provider.
So now have both my 3G and my 3Gs unlocked.
I have finally had my 3GS unlocked - horay!
I have also got a second hand 2.5G iPhone that I wanted unlocked, this came without a SIM as they had upgraded to the 3G when that came out.
Speaking to the nice lady at O2 she advised me not to get a Pay&Go SIM and put that in as it will show up as not being able to unlock for 12 months, she advised me to put in my current 3GS phone number on the form, which I did and a short time later I received a text and the 2.5G is now unlocked!
I have also got a second hand 2.5G iPhone that I wanted unlocked, this came without a SIM as they had upgraded to the 3G when that came out.
Speaking to the nice lady at O2 she advised me not to get a Pay&Go SIM and put that in as it will show up as not being able to unlock for 12 months, she advised me to put in my current 3GS phone number on the form, which I did and a short time later I received a text and the 2.5G is now unlocked!
Just got the 'Congratulations your iPhone has been unlocked' message in iTunes.
Tried using an old un-opened Orange sim and seemed to have worked. But I get the no service messgae on my iPhone? Anyone know why? Tried a restart etc
Quick update
Following my earlier post,
https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=8868766#post8868766
Got a call back from O2 CS yesterday, saying that "both my handsets were unlocked and that I should connect to itunes etc." Told them I have not received a SMS about it and they said " we can do it without a text'
They have also unlocked my 1st gen iphone and my 3g as well.
Got my credit for the line rental as well, so all in all can't fault them.
Happy days.
Following my earlier post,
https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=8868766#post8868766
Got a call back from O2 CS yesterday, saying that "both my handsets were unlocked and that I should connect to itunes etc." Told them I have not received a SMS about it and they said " we can do it without a text'
They have also unlocked my 1st gen iphone and my 3g as well.
Got my credit for the line rental as well, so all in all can't fault them.
Happy days.
O2 have the ability to not only tell if 1 of their sims is in the phone registered on your account, its all traceable via the IMEI number. They can also tell what handset is being used with 1 of their sims.
Something they have been able to do for at least 5 years.
O2 have the ability to not only tell if 1 of their sims is in the phone registered on your account, its all traceable via the IMEI number. They can also tell what handset is being used with 1 of their sims.
Something they have been able to do for at least 5 years.
That's true, but I don't believe they can also trace the IMEI when it's not on their own network (IE not their own SIM installed) I don't think the networks talk to each other in that way, there'd be millions of IMEIs flying all over the place to each and every GSM network? If another SIM were installed in the handset as far as the original network would be concerned the phone could be switched off? The only time networks talk IMEI with each other would be when a phone is being blacklisted surely?
