Moving to UK with iPhone 5 and need O2 IMEI unlock for my O2 Pay & Go SIM

[Anonymous]

I am moving temporarily to the UK from Japan with my SoftBank-locked iPhone 5. I already have an O2 iPhone Pay & Go Sim that I have used in a previous unlocked 3GS when on business in the UK. But what I would really like to do is to get this iPhone 5 IMEI-unlocked by O2 so I can use it with my O2 SIM (I know I need smaller nano-SIM or must cut the old 3GS sim to the nano-SIM size) so that I can use my O2 Pay & Go account while in the UK for the next 9 months. Then, when I go back to Japan, I will replace the O2 SIM it with my SoftBank SIM.

In summary, can I bring my own iPhone 5 to O2 and get it IMEI-unlocked to use my O2 Pay & Go SIM?

Does O2 have a mechanism for doing this?

[Anonymous]

Hi,

02 will not unlock an iPhone 5 so it works on all Networks thats not latched to it.

You need to get your own countries Network to unlock the phone to all networks.

Then you can easily pick up a Nano sim from an 02 High-Street Store.

Or arrange a roaming agreement with your Network.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Sadly, that is not the answer I wanted to hear.  SoftBank Japan will not unlock ANY of its phones—even those that are out of contract after 2 years.  That is why I wanted O2 to do it!

Arranging a roaming agreement for 6 months with SoftBank would require a second mortgage and is not an option.

Oh well, guess I have to buy an unlocked 5S when they are released in September either in Apple Hawaii or Apple France or where unlocked iPhones are easily found dammit.

This locking of phones is a real PITA scam by carriers.

[adamtemp64]

or from apple uk stores they are also unlocked

[Anonymous]

Possibly, but Apple UK has a nasty habit of charging in £ for the $ cost in the USA, which is a 50% premium when £1 = $1.50.

BTW—for you speednet test fans, here in Tokyo where I have 1 Gbps FTTH, my speedtest is usually 700 Mb/s down and 300 Mb/s up. THAT's broadband.  It is not going to be fun getting used to 8 Mb/s ADSL speeds back in the UK.

[Anonymous]

The cost of the iPhone 5 16gb in an Apple Uk shop is £529 = $796.30

My speed test in the Uk at home on WiFi is 35mb download and 7.67 upload.

On the 02 Network i get 6.98mb download and 2.98 download.

That is some broadband speeds in Tokyo ! More info please.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the price information. That model is $649 in the Apple Store US and I don't feel like paying Apple UK a $150 premium when I already have a good Softbank 5. I keep hoping that the hackers might come up with an unlock solution before September .....

Ran a speednet test on my connection this morning—688 Mb/s down and 201 Mb/s up.  Next time a UK pol starts blabbing about "Broadband Britain" remember those figures—most of the UK has been sold a crock when it comes to Internet speeds.

[Anonymous]

I believe o2 are now unlocking the iPhone 5 as the unlocking form no longer says that iPhone 5 will not be unlocked.

I tried last week before going on holiday, and entered all my info on the unlocking page for my iPhone 5, and a few days later I got confirmation text saying my iPhone is now unlocked and that I just need to connect to itunes to complete.

I did all that, but haven't yet put a non o2 sim in my phone to test, but I am fairly confident my iPhone 5 is now unlocked.

[jonsie]

The OP's phone isn't locked to O2

[Anonymous]

The unlock procedure is not finalised until you fit another networks nano sim whilst hooked up to iTunes.