This is a genuine explanation – I PROMISE I haven’t been on the rob.

Mate lost his iPhone, got a replacement and then subsequently found the original, which has been blocked by O2.

Can it be

a) ‘Unlocked’ at a back-street phone shop?
b) Jailbroken to allow it to work on another network?
c) Used as a paperweight and not a lot else?

Just phone up O2 and explain. I would expect them to unlock it.

I think the only way to unlock an iPhone is for the person who got it locked to call their network and get it unlocked.

Basically, without doing anything illegal, or O2 unblocking it, you can’t do it. So O2 are worth a try.

It isn’t the phone that is locked, it is that it is registered as a stolen phone on the database used by the networks.

There are ways to pretend it is a different phone by making it show the wrong imei number, but they are a pain, can supposedly be detected by the network (and obviously traced back to whoever’s sim is in it), and properly illegal so phone shops won’t usually do it (unlike unlocking, which is fine).

Joe

The ime number will recorded as stolen or missing.

Have you paid for the replacement? if not, then you don’t want to report finding it if O2 or insurance charges you.

If you own both then get it unlocked.

I think it was an insurance replacement, yes. I won’t bother asking for it off him then. Cheers!

Unlocking and unBlocking are 2 different things. Unblocking is illegal, unless maybe the operator does it.