With All Due Respect...

Hi all.

Posting this to get some info for a friend, so any advice would be much appreciated.

My friend's brother has sent his old iPhone4 to her in Australia. Turns out that it's still locked to Orange back in the UK though. I'm wondering if anyone knows definitively how this iPhone could be officially unlocked as though it had been factory unlocked? By my understanding of iPhones (not much, as I've never had one), then they are officially unlocked by the network carrier contacting Apple and having them update their database of unlocked iPhones. So would all that's needed be the IMEI and some sweet talking to Orange (EE) by the iPhone's original owner (my friend's brother)? Would there be any actual need for Orange to physically handle the phone, or for the iPhone to have an Orange SIM in it at any point in order for it to be unlocked? Would the iPhone just have its network lock removed upon next having a data signal post Apple's database being updated, or something like this, or does something need to be pushed to the phone using the network that the phone is locked to?

I'd rather she could have this done officially via the carrier as jailbreaking then unlocking would invalidate any warranty. Plus she wouldn't be comfortable with possibly bricking her phone. Oh, and any resets or updates to iOS would also return the carrier lock unless it was officially ("factory") unlocked, as far as my limited knowledge of iPhones goes.

If anyone has been through this themselves then I'd appreciate advice that I can pass on to her.

Ta very much!

With All Due Respect...

Ah, she's just told me that her brother wasn't the original owner after all. So I'd guess that makes unlocking it officially out of the question?

DML

i did mine over the internet with O2 prior to making my move to Australia next month hopefully. The actual unlocking took 48 hours and I got an email to confirm. I assume other carriers offer a similar service so worth a look on the Orange website? Of course, I had to have completed my pay monthly contractual obligation to O2 which I had done.

With All Due Respect...

Cheers for the reply. Orange/EE has no such web based service unfortunately. Also, it seems they've now made it a case of unlocking iPhones only for the original owner and only after at least 6 months usage on their network (used to be 3 months but they changed it to 6 months from March of this year). Oh well, it was worth asking. She'll have to get her brother to sweet talk Orange or just jailbreak it instead.

DML

Do they have a 'web chat' service? That was what I actually used and he took me through the process. Assumed if one provider did it they all would. Perhaps not

With All Due Respect...

You have to phone Orange/TMobile/EE up to request them to process it.

I know O2 are easier to use (well, that's if a web chat or form can be considered easier than making a phone call), as I did it your way with my network locked Android phone that I got from them on contract a year odd ago.

So, it seems the moral is - don't buy network locked handsets, if at all possible! (And as a personal, partially on topic, mini rant - don't buy Android handsets from O2 if you want to install custom ROMs, as they're the only UK network that will not allow the bootloader to be unlocked on handsets whose manufacturers give the facility of a bootloader lock in the first place).

Just for knowledge for any others who may see this in future, the iPhone unlock is completed once Apple have processed the request by a network provider, and the iPhone has then subsequently been connected to iTunes. No need to push anything over the original network, or to have a SIM.

Oh well. This iPhone thing's really not my problem - I was just trying to help someone. This has done my head in so I think it's now beer o' clock!

jennifer.evans

Hi mate go to a 4n shop the repair type shops ask them can they unlock your phone all they need is the imei number your email address so they can contact you when it's complete they do not need any thing from the old owner of that phone I know this because I bought 2 iPhone5 and got the one unlocked took about three weeks to complete.
Have you checked the imei number status online if the phone is showing unlocked on the imei it should work in Aus.

With All Due Respect...

Cheers for that. I'll let her know to look out for them and ask. Everywhere she's asked have wanted $250+ to give it a go. That's a ridiculous amount to spend on a 2 generation old iPhone in my opinion, especially considering it could be done officially for £20 if Orange would play ball. The places haven't even been clear with her whether it'd be a "factory" unlock or just a simple jailbreak that anyone can do for free. I haven't checked the IMEI out myself, but her Australian SIM won't work in the phone and I've been told by her that it's locked to Orange. I'll just walk her through a jailbreak if the places out there keep asking for silly money. If it gets bricked she can have my phone if she wants, then I'll have a good reason to get a shiny new tech toy for myself!

jennifer.evans

Hi mate you don't need the phone just ask her for the IMEI number and you do it from here in the uk in one of the phone shops.good luck.

With All Due Respect...

Ta. Aye, of course - I think my brain switched off last night! I'll ask around in town then. I've found an online site that does it officially, but I'm trying to gauge how reputable they are (and it's still £80), as there's a lot of scammers out there and Apple are only supposed to deal with official requests from network carriers. She'll be right!

jennifer.evans

Personally I wouldn't do it online just have look about for a phone repair shop but it did cost me about £70 I didn't ask the network provider I just walked in shop and asked can you unlock my phone to any network he said yes gave him details and bing it was done. They do it through apple them selves.

With All Due Respect...

Rogers a trout. I'll get on it. Or maybe I'll just buy her an iPhone5 for her birthday that's coming up soon instead, if she's really that bothered about a phone. Hardly a thoughtful present though! :-)

sign

http://mobilefonecode.com/?page_id=2

With All Due Respect...

Ta. I've asked for a quote. I'll see whether it's much different to what I find over here.

sign

http://www.oneunlock.com/en/