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Legitimate Unlocking from O2

SpookTheHamster

SpookTheHamster

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 7, 2004
1,495
8
London
Are O2 PAYG iPhones locked to the network?

If they are, has anybody ever asked O2 to unlock the phone, seeing as it has been entirely paid for (unlike a contract phone)?
 
I'd be interested to know this.

It CAN be done.

According to my friend they DO have a code which you can ask for. You then pass this code on to your new provider which they use to lock it on to a specific network.
 
bertpalmer said:
I'd be interested to know this.

It CAN be done.

According to my friend they DO have a code which you can ask for. You then pass this code on to your new provider which they use to lock it on to a specific network.
Click to expand...

Your friend is talking rubbish. That is only for normal phones, not the iphone. You cannot move your iphone to another provider, as O2 need to unlock it. They need to tell apple that the phone is unlocked and then you can use any sim in the phone. Effectively apple then add you phone to their database so that everytime you activate it it knows it is unlocked.

God I hate these a friend of a friends grandmothers nephews dog knows something or other.

Currently O2 is pondering on what they are going to do. They could quite easily say no. It depends if you will be able to buy an unlocked phone from apple to use on any of the providers, whether it is O2, Vodaphone, or Orange.
 
Why can't we (UK) just fall in line and adopt one of the 'better' regulations of another member country and unlock the phones. We adopt all the rubbish regulations so lets add some balance adopt a good regulation for a change.
 
Badfoot said:
Why can't we (UK) just fall in line and adopt one of the 'better' regulations of another member country and unlock the phones. We adopt all the rubbish regulations so lets add some balance adopt a good regulation for a change.
Click to expand...

The "better" regulation is promoting competition --- which the UK has. No other country in the G7 has 5 national carriers.

Go to France, and you have 3 national carriers, all French owned, zero foreign competition, the largest French carrier owning about 45% of the French mobile market. Sure, all three carriers sell the iphone, and you can get them unlock --- but all three carriers were fined by the French government for price collusion a few years ago as well.
 
Now that O2's period of exclusivity has lapsed, there is no longer any viable reason for them to continue refusing to unlock out-of-contract iPhones. To persist with their current stance would be a PR disaster and I expect them to officially change their position in the near future.
 
samab said:
The "better" regulation is promoting competition --- which the UK has. No other country in the G7 has 5 national carriers.

Go to France, and you have 3 national carriers, all French owned, zero foreign competition, the largest French carrier owning about 45% of the French mobile market. Sure, all three carriers sell the iphone, and you can get them unlock --- but all three carriers were fined by the French government for price collusion a few years ago as well.
Click to expand...

Well that's France for you !

What about the other gzillion countries that make up the EU

Wouldn't you like to see unlocked phones in the uk ? What's wrong with that ?

Let US decide who we give our custom to based on their quality of service
 
There is absolutely nothing stopping O2 giving you an unlock code except for the 2 reasons i'll state below:
1. they don't want to despite now not being able to hide behind exclusivity
2. they don't have to because there is nothing in UK law to compel them to
 
bertpalmer said:
According to my friend they DO have a code which you can ask for. You then pass this code on to your new provider which they use to lock it on to a specific network.
Click to expand...

Are you sure he wasn't explaining / getting confused about porting your number in/out?

Badfoot said:
Well that's France for you !

What about the other gzillion countries that make up the EU

Wouldn't you like to see unlocked phones in the uk ? What's wrong with that ?

Let US decide who we give our custom to based on their quality of service
Click to expand...

We already have unlocked phones. I bought my N95 8GB SIM-free from Expansys, and I paid Orange a reasonable fee to provide the unlock code for my old N95. O2/Vodafone don't lock their contract handsets and internet dongles (apart from the iPhone), and Orange/T-Mobile/3 lock everything. All of the networks will hand out unlock codes (except for the iPhone).


I've been enjoying the ability to use any SIM I want to get the best deal, for years. But I don't have an iPhone.
 
cal6n said:
Now that O2's period of exclusivity has lapsed, there is no longer any viable reason for them to continue refusing to unlock out-of-contract iPhones. To persist with their current stance would be a PR disaster and I expect them to officially change their position in the near future.
Click to expand...

I spoke to them just after the vodafone announcement, and their CS rep said they would be unlocking phones soon, now that exclusivity is over.
 
yetanotherdave said:
I spoke to them just after the vodafone announcement, and their CS rep said they would be unlocking phones soon, now that exclusivity is over.
Click to expand...

Just read this which backs that up:

http://www.itpro.co.uk/615877/o2-to-unlock-the-iphone

Also, for the benefit of the above posters NUC's (Network Unlocking Codes) don't work for the iPhone as Apple unlock it via a updated carrier file.

And for reference the other code is a PAC or Porting Authority Code which allows you to move your number from one carrier to another
 
samab said:
The "better" regulation is promoting competition --- which the UK has. No other country in the G7 has 5 national carriers.
Click to expand...

Not true Italy has more than five active carriers. TIM Vodafone Wind 3 Orange and one other I can't remember. Some are local others are clearly foreign. The phones are all unlocked.

The iPhone deals up until now have absolutely sucked, but the 3 offer is getting better.
 
In all probability, I'll be staying with O2 at the end of my contract anyway, especially with the discounted broadband they provide. Once my contract is up, a monthly simplicity deal from them will suit me fine until the iPhone v.4 turns up.

When that happens it'll be time to look at the alternatives, but a reasonably-priced femtocell would probably tip the balance for me.
 
I don't see how O2 are allowed to do this...it's against EU Law, specifically the directive on Unfair Contract Terms.
 
im currently in the process of drafting a legal letter to O2 Ireland about this issue.

the iPhone contract is, in parts illegal and will not hold up in court. i cant go into too much detail now, but if the letter is ignored my legal representitive is ready to go on them!

i will be posting the result here and in other blogs
 
brisweeney said:
im currently in the process of drafting a legal letter to O2 Ireland about this issue.

the iPhone contract is, in parts illegal and will not hold up in court. i cant go into too much detail now, but if the letter is ignored my legal representitive is ready to go on them!

i will be posting the result here and in other blogs
Click to expand...

More power to your elbow, when (not if) you win do you envisage it will apply to all of uk ?
 
Badfoot said:
More power to your elbow, when (not if) you win do you envisage it will apply to all of uk ?
Click to expand...

contract law in the UK is quite similar to Ireland, i can see that even if it doesnt, it will put O2 in a terrible position with its customers, thus forcing them to unlock all iPhones, once the contract is realised in full by the customer.

lucky i have access to cheap, and free legal advice and have a background in pr myself :)
 
Go Go Go,

(Don't forget us pay-and -go OWNERS of a phone we paid ££££'s for & can only use on one particular network)
 
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