O2 does not unlock iPhone 5 even if it was not bought from O2!

[Anonymous]

I bought my iphone 5 from Carphone warehouse on it's release, it was supposed to be SIM FREE, little did I know it gets locked to the first SIM that is inserted in to the phone.

After my contract ran out with O2, now with the ability to shop around, O2 refuses to unlock my phone, while in the same time refuse to match any offers on other networks for contract renewal.

I think this anti compeitive, espically 6 months after it's release, with iPhone 5 in pentful supply. All other networks now freely allow their phone to be unlocked, with O2 refuses to do so, even though I did not buy my iPhone from them in the first place!

[Anonymous]

iPhone 5 even when bought sim free has been locked to O2 in some cases. O2 seem to take control of sim free phones and refuse to unlock them. Only posting what I have heard.

[jonsie]

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@Anonymous wrote:
iPhone 5 even when bought sim free has been locked to O2 in some cases. O2 seem to take control of sim free phones and refuse to unlock them. Only posting what I have heard.

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That's when bought from independents such as CPW and is mentioned in the small print on their web page. This doesn't happen when buying from Apple.

[Anonymous]

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@jonsie wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:
iPhone 5 even when bought sim free has been locked to O2 in some cases. O2 seem to take control of sim free phones and refuse to unlock them. Only posting what I have heard.

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That's when bought from independents such as CPW and is mentioned in the small print on their web page. This doesn't happen when buying from Apple.

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...Usually

[Anonymous]

As far as I am concerned sim free should mean sim free, and not sim free with conditions attached. When people pay out £500 or £600 without any contract involved O2 should not lock MY phone.

[Anonymous]

It is the T&Cs of CPW (and other 3rd party retailers) that the phone will lock to the network.

It isn't O2 sneakily hijacking your purchase, it is the terms of the shop you purchased it from. It would lock to any network which you put a sim in it for.

[Anonymous]

I think I will purchase my iphone5 sim free from Apple and use a Vodafone sim. Just to be on the safe side and avoid an O2 lock-in!

[Anonymous]

As mentioned above - if you buy it from Apple you can use any sim card. The phone will not be locked to that network.

If you buy it from CPW - any sim you use (O2, voda, etc.) will lock it to that network.

Buying from Apple is the best solution as you are free to go from network to network.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the advice opium.
Why do O2 make a phone purchase so consumer unfriendly?

[Anonymous]

I don't understand what it is that O2 have done wrong?

This is about a purchase made from CPW.

If you bought it from O2 then that would be a different story - as I believe it is getting a bit ridiculous now that O2 still don't unlock the iPhone 5. We can only hope that this will be allowed ASAP.

[Anonymous]

The very reason I will not use O2. After being an O2 customer for over 10 years I feel O2 are not behaving in a fair manner and will therefore take my custom elsewhere.