How do I find out if my phone is locked to 02 or not?

[Anonymous]

I want to find out if my Samsung Galaxy i9300 is locked to O2 or not?  I bought the phone from Tesco on an o2 (2 year) monthly contract which is coming to an end soon.  I want to keep the phone for another 12 months, but I need to change the provider and use a Vodafone pay monthly SIM instead (so that I can get a signal in mid Wales).  Help appreciated.  Thanks.

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

Usually contract phones bought from Tesco are locked.
If you dial *#1234# and you have an "O2U" CSC it would also indicate a lock.
The easiest way to check though is to put a Voda sim card in and see if it registers or not......

[Anonymous]

When you turn your phone on does the screen go blue with a large o2 on it? If so then yes it is locked.

Either way as a contract customer you can unlock your phone for free. Just do a search on here for unlocking form or wait a little while and one of the team will surely send you a link. Your code should arrive in a few days. Follow the instructions then you can use it on any network (although the o2 logo will still appear at start up and software updates on your phone will be o2 controlled)

[MI5]

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@Anonymous wrote:
When you turn your phone on does the screen go blue with a large o2 on it? If so then yes it is locked.

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Not a 100% indication - It is possible to have an unlocked phone with branded firmware still....

[Anonymous]

Thanks Rich. Wasn't aware of that. 😀

[MI5]

It's OK mate - Never known one unbranded but locked but have seen many the other way round.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your reply MI5.  I dialled the code and got 'CSC: I93000XAGMK6' - so not sure what that tells me.  I've got a Voda PAYG SIM, but unfortunately it's the wrong size.   So I'll have to get one and try that to see if it registers on my samsung.  

[MI5]

OXA is generic UK firmware so there is a good chance you are unlocked
Happy days......

[Anonymous]

Yay - hope so. I'll let you know once I've tried a Voda SIM. Happy days indeed (hopefully). Thanks very much.

[MI5]

No worries