Unlock iPhone 5S on the Refresh Tarriff

[Anonymous]

Hey guys!

I took out a new refresh contract with the iPhone 5S. I needed it unlocked as I need it for use on two networks, when I enquired about the unlock on live chat, I was told they would unlock the handset, but only after the phone plan had been paid in full.

I then called customer services to check this information was correct, and I was assured it was, so paid the phone plan in full, went back to live chat, and they submitted a unlock request.

The next day - an email arrived from 'back office support' stating they are not yet authorised to unlock iPhone 5S handsets!

I spoke to customer services again who stated that was incorrect and passed it back through! Im a little worried as I dont want it to go past my cooling off period and then they say that cant do it! 

Anyone here in the same boat or successfully had your iPhone 5S unlocked?

[Anonymous]

Not yet, Ofcom don't take up individual cases but monitor the industry as a whole, although they did say if they identify widespread evidence of delays in unlocking, they will take action. So the more people who contact Ofcom about this, the more likely something will be done.

The Ombudsman won't take the case until early January, and then the process takes about 12 weeks, by which time O2 will probably be unlocking the 5s and 5c anyway.

[perksie]

We told you most of this, if we thought a complaint might succeed we would have said so.

O2 have been in the business a fair time and liaise with Ofcom and TS and the other regulators and have a very good idea of what they're doing.

You have no argument with O2 as they didn't sell you anything, but with CPW who is the retailer, so you're way off course here.

[Anonymous]

You keep trying to deflect this onto CPW for some reason.

It is nothing to do with CPW.

It is O2 who are refusing the unlock.

[Anonymous]

You also seem keen on dissuading people from pursuing what rights they may have.

Do you work for O2?

[Anonymous]

As other people have stated CPW as the retailer should be the ones doing the unlocking.  However they are notorious for not doing this - when I was with Vodafone I bought a phone from CPW and was told by posters on the Voda forum that I would have this problem.

And no, I don't work for O2!

[perksie]

I don't know where you think arguing here will get you, if you have now complained to the correct regulator you will have to wait until they get back to you.

If you had wanted an unlocked phone you should have gone to Apple directly and paid the full price.

[Anonymous]

Apple unlock iPhones on request from the network. CPW can't arrange it because it's not their lock.

When people buy phones they know will lock they don't generally expect networks to refuse to unlock them.

Ofcom have said they will take action if they receive enough evidence of unlocking delays, so maybe they will, maybe they won't.

[perksie]

If O2 aren't unlocking for their own customers they aren't going to for CPWs, and CPW were well aware they would lock to the first network used.

Only Apple supply sim free phones that don't lock.

You agreed to the O2 unlocking rules by buying the phone and using it with an O2 sim.

I wish we could help you but there is no solution to this.

[Anonymous]

OK, well thanks anyway for your input.

One last question - will the fact I bought the phone from CPW prevent me from unlocking it when unlocking starts in a few months time?

[perksie]

Yes of course they will.