Vodaphone have told me they won't do it, despite the phone being locked to their network and I should go to Arndale Market. This sounds like a croc of sh*t but thought I'd ask if anyone has any experience of getting an iPhone unlocked in Manchester by a non-network provider...?
Did they say why? Are you still in contract?
I'd try again with Voda, you possibly just got an idiot.
My understanding is that if you are at the end of your contract they must unlock it although they can charge a fee and take weeks to do it. I would tell them you wish to make a formal complaint, assuming hiu are at the end of your contract. I've also been told vodafone is troublesome (and expensive) to unlock unofficially.
Vodafone have always unlocked mine without question and free only normally taken a few hours to do as well.
Sorry should clarify; phone is a replacement bought from Apple store for my friend's smashed up iPhone. She has since upgraded and said I could use the old phone to get a discounted like for like replacement from the apple store. So Voda say that because the phone was not purchased from them, they won't unlock it. Apple don't actually process unlocking themselves, just refer you back to the network provider. Which leaves me unable to unlock the phone unless I get a market trader type place.
Was going to try getting a Voda PAYG sim and then requesting an unlock. Staff in Voda shop said this wouldn't work for reasons above, but think I might give it a pop anyway. Otherwise it's Arndale Market...
@frog I'm lost. The phone bought from Apple store should have been sim free and unlocked, yes ? Vodafone should unlock the other phone, just put the vodafone sim back in it until its unlocked.
I thought phones from Apple Store came unlocked anyway?
I'm with the others the phones from Apple are unlocked.
As soon as you put a sim in, it's normally locked to that network. You need to then get Apple to unlock it. Usually networks will apply on your behalf. Some may charge for this - O2 do it for free if you're a customer. You need to have the original sim for it to work (usually)
If your friend is the original owner then she could apply. Or if you know someone on Vodafone put their sim in and get them to apply.
Otherwise ask Apple directly maybe
I've paid an internet company £50 for unlocking and it was fine
As soon as you put a sim in, it's normally locked to that network.
A common misconception, phone purchased from the apple store are indeed unlocked, phones replaced under warranty effectively become that phone. On the apple database is your imei with its settings and lock status. Old phone gets replaced new phones imei gets put in the olds imei slot, thus becoming that phone.
Voda will not unlock it for you. You need the original owner to request the unlock via the vodafone website.
Plus the market won't be able to do it - Apple will actually generate the unlocking information and it happens through iTunes.
Sorry for the highjack...in a similar boat - insurance replacement for my O2 iPhone4 arrived the day before I switched to EE (and got a new phone), the plan being to give the now shiny handset to the missus. Called O2 as soon as I'd turned it on, they said they had no record of the IMEI on their system...am guessing it takes 24 hours for their end to update or something. By that point i was on EE, so have no contract with O2 🙁
Also tempted to try with a PAYG sim.
By that point i was on EE, so have no contract with O2
Not seeing what difference that makes; O2 should unlock it precisely because you're out of contract.
[url= https://www.o2.co.uk/apps/help/help?qid=1&q1=2&route=unlocking&case=Handset%20Unlocking%20Form ]O2 unlock form[/url].
[url= http://service.o2.co.uk/IQ/srvs/cgi-bin/webcgi.exe?New,KB=Companion,question=ref%28user%29:str%28Mobile%29,CASE=17424 ]This[/url] is interesting though:
If you're a Pay Monthly customer, then you can unlock your iPhone (except the 5c & 5S which can't be unlocked), at anytime for free.
Can't unlock the 5? How come I wonder?
Can unlock the. 5. Just not the s/c yet on o2