Unlocking an iPhone 5 (Pay & Go)

[Anonymous]

Hi All,

Hoping you can help...

Bought an iPhone 5 from Apple directly (therefore unlocked?) and put an O2 payg sim card in it. This appears to have locked it to O2 as when I try to use a Three sim it says 'Sim Not Valid' (and won't activate).

I believe that to unlock the iPhone 5 I need to pay £15 (from my payg credit) which isn't a problem, but my question is... If I do this, then use another payg sim card in the phone (from Three for example) will it just re-lock the phone to Three? Is this the case with iPhones when used on payg?

I used to have a contract phone and an unlocked phone is exactly that, but seems to be different for payg?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

Sam

[adamtemp64 · Accepted solution]

Once unlocked it stays unlocked just use the online o2 unlocking form here  https://www.o2.co.uk/apps/help/help?qid=1&q1=2&route=unlocking&case=Handset%20Unlocking%20Form ensuring you have the £15 credit on it

[MI5]

If you bought from Apple with an O2 sim then it would lock so you need to use the form to get it unlocked.
Once unlocked this way, it stays unlocked.

[Anonymous]

An unlocked iPhone purchased from Apple will not lock out to the first sim placed in it.

Something's not right with the iPhone.

Did you pay full price for the handset ?

You could re visit the apple store instead of having to pay out £20.

£15 for the unlock and the rest to latch your sim to the imei of the iPhone.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the quick response (and adamtemp64)

So just so I'm certain... if I unlock using that form, it will be permanently unlocked so I can use any sim (contract or pay and go) and those sims will not lock it to that network?

Thanks again, much better than O2's actual customer service who had absolutely no idea!

Sam

[MI5]

Yes, perm unlock.

[Anonymous]

Yes it remains unlocked.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply.

Perhaps they didn't give me an unlocked phone to start with. Strange!

I'm pretty sure it was unlocked - was purchased directly from Apple (through a friend who works there and managed to get me a bit of a discount) but was brand new/sealed. 

Not too worried as long as the unlock is permanent and any sim can be used in future which it sounds like it is? Thanks!

[MI5]

The confusion arises because Apple sell SIM Free and also PAYG phones. The PAYG phones will lock to the first sim inserted. The SIM free ones will always be unlocked.

[Anonymous]

@MI5

This subject matter came up not too long ago in another thread.

I visited my local Apple Store and asked that very question because of that thread.

I was told that it depends in what SIM card you use to activate the iPhone with.

The 02 SIM card does not lock out the iPhone.

T mobile for example does.

But if you activate with an O2 SIM card first and then use a t mobile it will not Lock out.

Seems unfair that any network has the ability to lockout something you have paid full price for.