Unlocking an O2 phone to use a different SIM card.

[MI5]

Please note: all new O2 devices are sold unlocked, so you just need to test a different SIM in the phone before you request unlocking. If it is indeed locked, then you can follow the rest of this guide.

Note also that since June 2018 it is completely free to unlock any O2 phone at anytime.

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If you want to use your O2 contract or PAYG phone with a SIM from another network, ie a local SIM when on holiday, you will need to release the network lock.

If you have a monthly contract it is free to get your phone unlocked......

Any phone can be unlocked (No exceptions).

The easiest way is by using the link found in your MyO2 Unlock (this assumes that it is the current phone you are using is the one you want to unlock)

If you want to unlock a phone you have stopped using, all you need to do is submit this form manual form taking care to enter the correct details. Pay attention in particular to the security question as this is the most common cause of failure.

PAYG as above.

If you have just purchased a PAYG phone which was previously supplied by O2, insert an O2 Simply PAYG SIM free sim and top up. Make a few calls to register the phone on the network then fill out the form as above manual form

Business users can also submit the form for a free unlock.

Once the form is submitted it can take upto 28 days to receive the unlock code but it is usually much quicker - Typically within 7 days.

You will receive the code with instructions on how to complete the process with your specific handset, but in general, you insert a non O2 SIM card and enter the code when prompted.

For iPhones you will not receive a code. Just replace the O2 sim with one from a different network once you receive notification that it is unlocked.

If the unlock fails first time, try connecting to iTunes to complete the process, but this is not required for every phone.

Note: Unlocking the phone does not relieve you of any contractual obligations. You still need to complete your minimum term as agreed.

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Note for iPhones:

If you’ve already requested an unlock for your iPhone but you feel it hasn’t worked, try the following:

1) Insert a non-O2 SIM in the phone

2) Connect to Wi-Fi

3) Go to Settings > General > About, and enter your Apple ID and password, and you should be good to go.

If it’s still not working, please contact customer services on 202 or 4445 or post on the community so we can escalate the issue for you.

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[MI5]

Welcome

[AW2]

Hi Everyone, 

So I have made a cataclysmic error! I ordered a new sim from a different network provider to replace my current O2 sim, and through my own stupidity I entered the code incorrectly too many times (i read the wrong websites and misunderstood what I was meant to do). So after the 5 attempts I am not allowed anymore. Is there anyway of undoing/refreshing this? 

I have an android phone.#

Thank you!

[jonsie]

Depending on your phone type you may have hardlocked it now

[MI5]

@Martin-O2 should be able to help you @AW2 

[AW2]

@MI5 thank you!

[MI5]

 @AW2 

[AW2]

@jonsie it's a Sony Xperia xa ultra. Is there any way I can find out?

Cheers!

[MI5]

@AW2 

Might be best for you to private message @Martin-O2 as I don't think he saw the tag.

It's definitely hardlocked now due to too many failed attempts.

[AW2]

@MI5 I have messaged him. Thank you again for your help!

[Andrew11]

Please send me an unlock code for Microsoft lumia 550 - 355132078658103 - mobile number 07873993313

[gmarkj]

This is a public forum @Andrew11, so anyone and everyone can see it.
Please come back and remove your number.
If you want to unlock your phone to use another sim in it, the best way is to use the My o2 app and request it there.

[Simple]

The phone I am trying to unlock is an Lumia 550 which my husband bought in 2017. It is locked to the o2 network.   After a struggle with the forms I eventually received an unlocking code which has not been accepted on the Lumia as there is not enough space to enter it. I am at the end of my tether as I could not find a way to explain the problem on the live chat. Can anyone advise me please?  I have been a loyal customer with o2 but the difficulty I am experiencing with this issue is testing that. It seems obvious to me that the reason they make it complicated is to keep us tethered to their network. What's new!

[MI5]

@Simple 

I'd call O2 rather than chat Guide: Coronavirus Community Help and Support 

[Simple]

Thank you MI5 for the advice to phone. I phoned customer service and spoke to a lady who took some time to understand my problem. In all humility I suspect it was my inability to articulate this small yet obviously complicated situation. However, she did say she would call me when she got an answer from the relevant  department. That was over 24 hours ago. I expect I will have to buy another phone but it galls me that I have to do that. 

[pgn]

All links to the 'manual form' are broken - is there a different place to look for those who need to unlock a phone from pre-2018?

I found this one, can it be dropped into the guide above, please, @Martin-O2?

Thanks!

[Martin-O2]

Thanks @pgn I've updated the links to the current form. 😊

[pgn]

Thanks - that's a lot better 👍

[MrAngry2]

Good evening people, I am having exactly the same problem as everyone attached to this thread. I have placed a new sim card from a different provider in to my phone and I get a message reading  invalid sim, network unlock code required. I have followed all the help and support suggestions but to no avail, I tried on chat, spent 43 minutes on the phone trying to get the network unlock code from o2 but was put on hold 3 times and eventually got told it was a technical issue!! 

Having read all the other comments attached to this thread, I am thinking that this is a deliberate tactic used by o2, to try keeping us with them a bit longer so that the extra days we're trying to leave they can charge us for.!?  I shall be going into Chester City tomorrow morning and into the o2 shop to get it sorted and if it is not sorted before I 

[MrAngry2]

Sorry I  pressed the wrong button while typing. What I was saying is, if my issue is not sorted before I return home tomorrow afternoon, I will be writing a letter of complaint to o2 and to Ofcom regarding this. I have screen shot all the comments on here as proof of this so called technical issue, that has been ongoing since 2016, when the first post was written.... As already commented, I own the phone that needs unlocking but can't use it because o2 won't give me a network unlock code? 

It is very suspicious that the exact same technical issue has not been sorted since 2016. Amazing that o2 do not have the technical staff to fix this ongoing issue and haven't had them since 2016.. Let's see what Ofcom have to say about it..

[KBTen]

@Martin-O2 I'm trying to unlock an old iphone 7 and cannot see where in the my02 app to do this, the help says to click on "more" in the menu banner but that option does not exist.

I've tried using the form here Unlocking an O2 mobile to use on a different network | Help & Support | O2

but keep getting an error message once you get past the first page.

Could you advise please?

Thanks

[gmarkj]

Are you using the o2 sim in the iPhone @KBTen ?
Your My o2 needs to recognise the iPhone before the option will appear, so use that for a couple of days.

[Chrisholmes90]

I have an old iPhone 8 that I would like to sell and haven't used for several years.

It's no longer registered in MyO2 (my upgraded phone is on there now), and the manual form linked several times previously doesn't work, and hasn't for a while based on the reply a couple above (error after submitting information).

The guidance on the O2 website is frustratingly bad - referring to menu links that don't exist.

Any help?

[MI5]

@Chrisholmes90 

Quickest way would be to use an O2 PAYG sim in the phone (or borrow any O2 sim) so that it is registered back on the network. You can then request the unlock through your MyO2.

[summne01]

Been trying to unlock my Mums O2 iPhone7 plus for weeks so she can give it to her grandson. She's forgotten her online secret work and can't submit letters from it. They've refused to help. I've tried Unlocking an O2 mobile to use on a different network | Help & Support | O2 but the page responds "oops, something went wrong - we've got our best technicians on it." I've raised a complaint. It's 4 weeks since and I've got to wait another 4 weeks before I can raise the complaint to the Ombudsman. It's an 8 year old iPhone ***. Jesus - the red tape and officious nature of this industry is astonishing.

[gmarkj]

Is there no-one else with an o2 phone that could use it for a couple of days @summne01 and then request the unlock?

[iPhoneuser-2000]

A manual form is insane - I need to be able to use the phone now, because my current phone isn't working and needs to be serviced. Also, I don't have an alternate phone number to put on the form. 

[frogzelda]

Hi,

I received an email from 'O2referrals@o2mail.co.uk' after successfully submitting an 'unlock' request for an iPhone 6s, handed to me by a relative, that had been lying in a draw for several years. They confirmed that it was on O2 from day one. The phone is SIM locked.

The message was as follows: (I have removed pertinent information for obvious reasons).

"Dear Mark AXXXXXX Thank you for your unlatching request for IMEI
3XXXXXXXXXXXXXX. The mobile number that you provided is 07XXXXXXXXX.I'm
sorry, we have not been able to unlatch your device at this time. The
reason given is: The IMEI - 3XXXXXXXXXXXXXX has not been used on our
network with the MPN provided, so it will not be possible to unlatch
it.Thank you, UXXXXX"

I purchased an O2 PAYG SIM and have activated it, created an O2 account, added the supplied telephone number to the account, and used the phone for a bit sending / receiving texts and calls, then used the 'Unlock' option (which accepted the inputs) so can anyone please throw some light on how to get this phone unlocked?

I have trawled through these forum pages, and can see that many other people seem to be having difficulties, going back over the years, with getting phones unlocked from O2.

I have seen contradictory information elsewhere about how this should be done and I find that the information regarding this on the O2 web site itself very vague to say the least.

In contrast, I recently got an old iPhone 4 unlocked from what was originally 'Orange' via the 'EE' website in literally two minutes by submitting the IMEI number into their checker and Wham!, it was sorted.

Any advice on getting this resolved will be much appreciated.

[Cleoriff]

@frogzelda 

Since requesting the unlock via your new account, have you tried a different sim in the phone?

If the answer is yes and it's still locked then I would give up on O2!

Personally, I would now take the phone to any generic mobile phone shop or market stall and ask them to unlock it.

It's not ideal but as O2 are failing to sort it, then this is the only option left.

Best of luck.

[frogzelda]

@Cleoriff Thanks for the quick response.

Just tried my 'Three' SIM, no joy.

In fact, much to my surprise the iPhone popped up a message saying 'Activation needed....' (something like that) and then went into what looked like when you have erased the phone for a new user mode..

When I ejected the sim and put the O2 one back it was all back as it was. I have never seen that before.

Anyway, I forgot to mention in my original post that an 'IfreeIcloud' carrier report did say that it was "Locked Carrier: UK O2 Tesco".

Does that mean that I need to contact Tesco Mobil?

Also, what worries me about taking it to a shop to get it unlocked, won't they just jailbreak it?  And then next restore / erase it will be back to being locked as I understand.

One things for sure, no matter what the outcome of this, I will be avoiding O2 in future.

[Cleoriff]

@frogzelda 

Try Tesco Mobile. I've googled and come up with this link:

https://www.tescomobile.com/help/device-help/unlock-your-phone/unlock-your-tesco-mobile-phone 

Let us know how you get on. 😉

[frogzelda]

@Cleoriff Thanks again.

I've just submitted a request via the above link and its accepted it. It says it might take seven days for a response, so I will keep you posted.

One thing during the process that presented as a red flag to me was that I had to confirm that I had made a call on the phone. I obviously ticked the box to be able to proceed, but I think it will be looking for some sort of registration on their network. Does that mean I'm now going to have to get a Tesco Mobile sim card of some sort?

This could end up far from being 'free' to unlock a phone which if I understand correctly, should be, and more to the point is a legal duty of the relevant network carrier to action in the first place.

We'll see what happens.

It seems to me that it is always assumed that the phone you are trying to unlock is currently being used on the carriers network. It is as if there is no (clear anyway) procedure for situations like mine, which are not uncommon, where a phone that has been acquired has long since been out of service, but still locked to some carrier somewhere.

Just reading through this forum supports this observation.

Thanks again for your help.

[Cleoriff]

@frogzelda 

All carriers now sell unlocked phones. O2 stopped locking phones in 2018, although it was the year after that when new iPhones were sold unlocked on O2. (I suppose that was Apple being a bit 'precious') Of course, if bought direct from Apple OR Samsung etc, their phones were never locked to any network.

Re your phone, I did notice Tesco say it will take up to 7 days.

I do hope it works out for you.

Re your other query about it being unlocked by a market stall or generic mobile phone shop ( new ones are opening up at a rate of knots where I live!) I know in the 'bad old days' they would lock again if you tried a 2nd network but I don't think that happens now. My youngest bought a second hand phone 2 years ago and had it unlocked at a market stall. He went with O2 but after a year could get a better deal with EE and had no issues at all. The phone remained unlocked.

Also, I suppose consideration is given to the 'lifespan' of any phone nowadays.

[frogzelda]

@Cleoriff Yes, I did notice that Tesco say it could take seven days. Thanks for the good luck mention!

If all else fails, I'll give the market stall approach a go.

I agree, like in this case, being an iPhone 6s its effectively classed as obsolete, but its the principle of the whole thing that annoys me. I know plenty of people that are still happy using these (and Android) old phones.

These carriers are happy to have raked in the money when phones were locked to their networks, but seem to have a 'can't be bothered' approach when it comes to doing the right thing "Ah, its our time and effort, we won't make any money out of this, lets not bother..."

As I mentioned, I got an old iPhone 4 unlocked from EE (was on Orange) in two minutes on the Web, no hassle, done.

The trouble is, you can't really ever get to talk to a 'real' person about anything in this day and age, what with AI and Bots etc.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to come back with your responses. As I say I will report back the final outcome, whatever it is!

[Cleoriff]

@frogzelda 

Look forward to hearing from you again with (hopefully) good news xx

[frogzelda]

@Cleoriff Hi,

Guess what?

I decided to submit another unlock request to O2 in exactly the same way, ie via the 'unlock' option within 'My O2', and shortly after got the following reply:

"This is the Msg Body** THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE **Hi,Your iPhone
unlatching request for IMEI 3XXXXXXXXXXXXXX has been completed. Hi, it's
O2. We've unlatched your iPhone as requested. You can now use a non-O2
sim in your phone if you wish.Thank you, UXXXXX."

And Hey Presto! it is now unlocked.

I don't know what an earth is going on, but I am glad that it is now resolved. I did reply to the original email they sent, the one that I pasted into my earlier posts, saying politely, but strongly that they are duty bound to unlock when requested, but I honestly don't think that would have made any difference - but who knows.

Nothing is ever straight forward it would seem with technology...

What a farce this whole thing is, but anyway once again thanks for all your support along the way!!

[Cleoriff]

@frogzelda 

What really excellent news. I'm delighted for you even though it's been more than stressful!!

Thankfully it's now sorted. Good job!

[dk651]

Help. I have an old iPhone 7 Plus I am giving my daughter. I’m on 02 but I want to put an EE SIM card in as 02 service not great where we are. I’ve rung 02 3 times now over past 2 weeks and get told something different each time. I’ve given them the IMEI number to unlock and they say 72 hours and then nothing happens. Last time they said it was a week as they had to speak to Apple. This is mad. I don’t know what to do. 

[dk651]

Help. I have an old iPhone 7 Plus I am giving my daughter. I’m on 02 but I want to put an EE SIM card in as 02 service not great where we are. I’ve rung 02 3 times now over past 2 weeks and get told something different each time. I’ve given them the IMEI number to unlock and they say 72 hours and then nothing happens. Last time they said it was a week as they had to speak to Apple. This is mad. I don’t know what to do. 

[MI5]

@dk651 

Nothing we can do here, sorry.