why o2 locked my sim free phone?

[azlc]

I've bought more than two years ago an iphone SIM FREE and used in the beginning with a vectone sim and after with an o2 sim. Now I want to use a different provider and I've fund my iphone has been locked by o2. This phone was bought from carphone warehouse as SIM FREE and not from an o2 shop. Why did o2 lock my phone without my permission? I want my phone to be SIM FREE again and I don't want to pay £15 to unlock my phone (this is the price the customer service told me to pay for unlock) because this is my SIM FREE phone and it should have not been locked in the first place, as this phone belongs to me and not to o2.

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

CPW iPhones lock to the first sim used so I guess your first network ran on o2 network as a MVNO.
Follow help here to unlock
https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/How-to-Guides/Unlocking-an-O2-phone-to-use-a-different-SIM-card/ba-p/1...

[jonsie]

CPW should have made you aware that iPhones they supply are only 'sim free' until the first sim you insert, at which point the phone would lock to that network. It could have been any network but unfortunately it's locked to O2. Although other network unlock charges vary....

[EmilieT]

Welcome to the forum @azlc 

Did the answers above help explain why your phone is locked? Did you get any any additional info from CPW or O2?

[azlc]

I've used my iphone the first two month with a Vectone sim and the last two years with o2 sim (when I swiched I didn't  have any problem). I've bought a Sim free phone to be free to use with any network I don't want to be lock by o2. I still want to use my o2 sim but in another phone and another sim in this iphone. I can understand the lock if the iphone was from an o2 shop (and maybe with a deal) but this phone was bought as sim free from CPW and I want it stay sim free. If o2 lock my phone where is my freedom???

[MI5]

Your phone was NEVER sim free I'm afraid.

[azlc]

was sim free because before o2  I've used the phone with other providers and when I've called apple customer service they confirmed the phone was sim free and has been locked by o2 after

[MI5]

Sorry but that is impossible.
Anyway you need to follow the advice given now to unlock it as there is no other way.

[jonsie]

unless you bought direct from apple or maybe giffgaff it was never sim free.