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]

I may have misunderstood, but I thought the OP wanted to buy an o2 iPhone 5 when they are in the UK, but then put a Japan sim when they go back to the land of the rising sun. 

[Anonymous]

bandofbro..

yep your correct, hence why I haven't tested as don't have non o2 nano sim.

[jonsie]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I may have misunderstood, but I thought the OP wanted to buy an o2 iPhone 5 when they are in the UK, but then put a Japan sim when they go back to the land of the rising sun. 

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No it's locked to the Japenese network and he wants to use an O2 sim whilst in the UK.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

bandofbro..

yep your correct, hence why I haven't tested as don't have non o2 nano sim.

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Your alot more patient than me dude.  

I'd would have had a nano sim ready and waiting.

I always buy mine from my Apple Store so there factory unlocked.

[Anonymous]

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@jonsie wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

I may have misunderstood, but I thought the OP wanted to buy an o2 iPhone 5 when they are in the UK, but then put a Japan sim when they go back to the land of the rising sun. 

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No it's locked to the Japenese network and he wants to use an O2 sim whilst in the UK.

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Not having a good night with my posting. 

There is a reason why I haven't posted in a while, I'm just not that good at it. 

[jonsie]

Worry not, happens to us all:smileywink:

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

bandofbro..

yep your correct, hence why I haven't tested as don't have non o2 nano sim.

---

Your alot more patient than me dude.  

I'd would have had a nano sim ready and waiting.

I always buy mine from my Apple Store so there factory unlocked.

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I keep on saying I will do that, but never get round to it. Next time ...

[Anonymous]

I'm the OP.  

SoftBank resolutely refuses to issue an IMEI unlock code even if I pay out the last 11 months of the contract and O2 refuses to unlock an iPhone not on their network, so I am stuffed.

I wrote to Tim Cook asking him to put a little leverage on SoftBank about its policy of not unlocking even out-of-contract phones but have little hope it will come to anything.  I guess the best thing to do is either buy an unlocked iPhone or sign up for an iPhone 5 or 5S on contract with O2 in September and then get it unlocked by O2 and bring that back to Japan to use with my Japan SIM when I am here. If O2 will unlock the 5S.

SoftBank is a PITA carrier and locking is a PITA policy.