topic Re: Unlocking my phone in Discussions & Feedback

Unlocking my phone

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 15:19:50 GMT

I seem to be running round in circles at the moment trying to unlock my phone.

I sent in the form (android phone 18 months into 2 year contract) and got a mailed reply saying it's not an O2 phone. (And also giving me an email address to reply which apparently doesn't work any more - not really part of the problem except it's very unprofessional).

I paid O2 a hefty sum at the beginning of my contract & am paying them monthly for the contract & phone. How is it not an O2 phone? Or am I missing something obvious :s

TIA to anyone with ideas.

Re: Unlocking my phone

MI5 — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 15:24:06 GMT

Call CS on 202 and discuss it with a real person.

Re: Unlocking my phone

Cleoriff — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 15:26:45 GMT

No reason why this shouldn't unlock? Android....18 months old....seems a bit weird to me.. if as you say you bought it direct from O2...:smileysad:

Re: Unlocking my phone

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 16:39:04 GMT

Did you get the phone directly from O2 or Carphone warehouse?

Re: Unlocking my phone

MI5 — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 16:42:53 GMT

Makes no difference. If the phone is locked to o2 they are legally obliged to unlock it - OFCOM rules.....

Re: Unlocking my phone

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 16:48:11 GMT

Ahh ... I got it from Carphone Warehouse but I pay O2. That could explain it.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Re: Unlocking my phone

MI5 — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 16:50:58 GMT

If it came from CPW (not one of their online outlets like mobiles.co.uk) it will be unlocked already, so no need for an unlock code.

Re: Unlocking my phone

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 16:58:23 GMT

@MI5 wrote:
Makes no difference. If the phone is locked too2 they are legally obliged to unlock it -OFCOM rules.....

It does make a difference and that is why it got declined. CPW mobiles lock to the first sim card/network used so chances are that it will be locked,but all you need to do is contact them and request the code. Hope this helps

As for Ofcom rules:

Handset locking policies can differ from provider to provider or can depend on the type of device and package being sold to you.

The table below gives you advice on what you can expect if you purchase a handset directly from your mobile provider.

Re: Unlocking my phone

jonsie — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 17:00:32 GMT

Only iphones lock to the first sim....

Re: Unlocking my phone

MI5 — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 17:02:25 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@MI5 wrote:
Makes no difference. If the phone is locked too2 they are legally obliged to unlock it -OFCOM rules.....

It does make a difference and that is why it got declined. CPW mobiles lock to the first sim card/network used so chances are that it will be locked,but all you need to do is contact them and request the code. Hope this helps

That only applies to iPhones and I belive we are talking android here, which, as I said already, are not locked if bought directly from CPW.

Re: Unlocking my phone

MI5 — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 17:04:09 GMT

Anyway, in light of the new info "it's not an o2 phone" is the correct answer from the first post.
It's not anyone's phone as it is sim free.

Re: Unlocking my phone

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 17:19:50 GMT

@jonsie wrote:
Only iphones lock to the first sim....

we have been getting a bit of everything recently, not just iphones, but they always unlatch them ok, they can do it in store if the OP doesn't want to wait

Re: Unlocking my phone

anticpated — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 17:19:54 GMT

I was just about to say that. Almost all CPW handsets are SIM-free with contract phones will all certainity. Prepay PAYG type handsets may be locked to the supplier SIM which gets you a reduction in price. Don't talk to me about O2 knowing the difference between an unlocked and factory supplied handset...we could be here for a while.

Re: Unlocking my phone

MI5 — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 17:22:12 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
As for Ofcom rules:

Handset locking policies can differ from provider to provider or can depend on the type of device and package being sold to you.
The table below gives you advice on what you can expect if you purchase a handset directly from your mobile provider.

The ofcom link you refer to is here http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/phone/mobile-phones/changing-provider/mobile-phone-locking-and-unlocking/

which does not mention CPW because they cannot lock / unlock a phone.

As mentioned, only iPhones lock to the first sim inserted and will lock to the network belonging to that sim - only that network can unlock subsequently unlock it.....

Anyway, we are already drifting away from the true reason for this thread.

Re: Unlocking my phone

viridis — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 17:43:21 GMT

Op, stick a different sim in, you might find its not locked.

Sidetrack:
I'm of the knowledge that CPW do not unlock ANY handset, if you go in and request it, the just load up the relevant networks unlock page as displayed to the public and enter the information for you.

Re: Unlocking my phone

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 17:44:00 GMT

@Anonymous

Lots of guidance on here. When you turn your phone on and it fires up, do you get a full blue screen with the o2 logo during boot up.

If you do it is locked to o2.
If you don't and it is just the phone manufacturer logos you get then it is a sim free phone

Easiest way to check is to get a sim from another network, any network OTHER than o2 / tesco / giffgaff to be sure and see if it will work. If you can make a call you are already sim free. If the phone says sim not recognised it is locked.

Can you let us know?

Re: Unlocking my phone

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 17:44:59 GMT

I have bought several android devices from CPW. At the time they have always been sim free

Re: Unlocking my phone

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 17:55:42 GMT

I don't really have anyone I can swap sims with but if 'When you turn your phone on and it fires up, do you get a full blue screen with the o2 logo during boot up.' is correct, then it's unlocked already as I just get a full white screen saying 'HTC One powered by Android'

Thanks for all the advice and help in the thread ... it's been much appreciated when I was tearing my hair out over unhelpful 'error' messages!

Re: Unlocking my phone

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 17:57:18 GMT

Your phone is sim free already @Anonymous so you don't need to unlock 😆😆😆😆

Re: Unlocking my phone

MI5 — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 17:57:53 GMT

It's unlocked already mate