Using iPhone In Spain

[gemz4the1]

When I go on holiday I usually use my iPhone with the O2 sim and it will swap to Movistar when I get there.  Even though I am on unlimited texts to UK mobiles (capped at around 2000 I believe), it charges me to send texts, which I know it happens to everyone as it is outside the UK so obviously charges will always apply. 

I have read posts about unlocking the iPhone, which I want to do as I have also read that, even though I purchased it unlocked from Apple, as soon as I put the O2 sim in it then it locked to O2.

My question is, if I get my phone unlocked and then when I am on holiday, could I purchase a Movistar sim and use it? Will my iPhone work with that sim? Will it be any cheaper for calls, texts and data? Movistar is the only network that I know in Spain.

I know that people recommend using wifi when possible and using apps like whatsapp, viber and bbm, however not everybody use that.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I've looked into the locking scenario.

Im told by the apple specialists and geniuses in the apple store that o2 is one sim card that does not lock out the iphone. Others do.

Have you tried an alternative non Uk sim in the phone Gemma ?

If you paid full retail price for the iphone then it wont lock out.

The contract handsets do.

[gemz4the1]

No I haven't BoB.

O2 is the only network that I'd use in the UK.  If I had a Movistar sim then i'd try it.  I just don't want to mess around trying to unlock it in the hope of being able to use it, and then when I get there then it won't work 😞

If the phone is not locked to O2 then does that mean it is unlocked just to all UK networks or would it be unlocked to Movistar?

[Anonymous]

It would accept ALL sim cards Uk or foreign.

Just try another non o2 Uk nano sim in it.

[gemz4the1]

Ok I will do.

One more thing, just to be certain, if I put a non O2 sim in my phone, will it mess up my data and other settings or will it just a simple swap in and swap out?

[Anonymous]

No it wont mess anything up.

When you put your o2 sim card back in you will get the carrier update settings back.

All your looking for is for the other network name to show in the status bar or if you get the sim not recognised style message.

I sometimes wish the iPhone had a spec to hold more than one set of APN settings etc so it was easier to switch networks !

[gemz4the1]

I've just ordered an EE 4G sim online - do I just put the sim in or do I need to top it up to activate it first to check if it will work?

[Anonymous]

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@gemz4the1 wrote:

I've just ordered an EE 4G sim online - do I just put the sim in or do I need to top it up to activate it first to check if it will work?

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I played around with an EE payg 4G sim in my iphone 5 to see how it performed on the 4G network as o2 did not support it.

Im trying to remeber if I had to top up though to activate it.

Edit : Still got the leaflet the sims came attached to.

Just says pop in the sim and turn it on.

Top up with £10.

Choose your add on's for data , minutes and texts.

[gemz4the1]

All phones should be unlocked and stay unlocked to any network, no matter what sim you put in it.  It would make life a lot easier for (almost) everyone

[Anonymous]

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@gemz4the1 wrote:

All phones should be unlocked and stay unlocked to any network, no matter what sim you put in it.  It would make life a lot easier for (almost) everyone

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A nice thought but as some form of subsidy is sometimes levied against a phone by the network they want you to use their services to recoup some of it.

What was outrageous was when CPW sold the iPhone 5 at full retail cost {same price at apple} and put in their small print that the phone would lock out to the 1st sim inserted into it.

A lot of people missed that and were stuck on that network until the network itself started unlocking them for customers.