unlock o2 phone from NZ using a giffgaff sim card

[cb1025]

I have been given a UK phone that was originally an o2 contract phone. I used it when I was back in the UK on holiday with a giffgaff sim card and so thought it was unlocked (I know now that giffgaff uses the o2 network). When I put my NZ sim card in the phone it asked for an unlock code. I called o2 and they took my details and all that info and said they'd try and unlock it (and I think said they could see the phone on the network using the IMEI) - but that sometimes it didn't work once the phone was out of the UK. They said they'd let me know either way and to leave the giffgaff sim card in for a week. This was over three weeks ago now and I haven't heard anything. It is not cheap to phone the o2 help number from here. Anyway, I just tried filling out the online form. I used my giffgaff number - but maybe I should have used the o2 phone number it was originally connected to? I've just sent o2 a message on facebook too.

Any suggestions? 

Thank you.

[MI5]

@cb1025 Yes, you need to use the O2 number. 

https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/How-to-Guides/Unlocking-an-O2-phone-to-use-a-different-SIM-card/ba-p/1...

Try another sim in your phone now to see if it has been done.

I'll also tag @EmilieT if needed for more help.

[Cleoriff]

Hi @cb1025

How to unlock an O2 phone here

https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/How-to-Guides/Unlocking-an-O2-phone-to-use-a-different-SIM-card/ba-p/1...

How to unlock a giffgaff phone here

https://www.giffgaff.com/unlock

If neither of those work, i would see if you can find a shop in NZ which specialises in unlocking and ger it done there.

Best of luck and welcome to the forum

[Glory1]

Hi @cb1025

You can contact O2 Customer Service free of charge using any phone on +44 800 032 1402. The best time to ring is now, ie between 8-8:30am UK time to ensure you don't spend a long time on hold.

Explain that you typed in the giffgaff number rather than the O2 number in the online form. They should be able to sort you out. If not, please come back to the forum as we have a community manager who's been very successful in getting phones unlocked.

Good luck and let is know how you get on, please.

[Bambino]

@cb1025 You should also check if the phone itself is compatible with the network you want to use in New Zealand.

https://willmyphonework.net/

[cb1025]

Hello everyone, thank your for your replies.

So I've had an email back saying it can't be unlatched because they couldn't find the phone number (as you said). I'm just wondering if I fill out the form with the old number (so I think this should be my brother's number that he is now using in his upgraded o2 contract phone) - how will the security questions work? I put the numbers I had called from giffgaff before - but these won't be tied to my brother's phone number? 

On the email it said that the mycare@o2mail.co.uk email is monitored, so that might be worth a try. Also, I did receive a reply from facebook saying customer service didn't have an email, but saying they wanted to help and asking questions about the phone. I don't want to make lots of separate people all look into the same thing. I'm wondering if it is easier to just call them again tonight. (It was like 8 euros calling from skype last time, but maybe the 0800 part would work if I tried from my UK phone, I just didn't think 0800 worked from abroad). Hmm. Maybe I'll try facebook first.

On the plus side, I checked and think the phone should be ok with my NZ sim (works with 2g and 3g, and says compatible with some 4g so may work) - plus I'm actually using the phone with giffgaff sim card over here at the moment on wifi and for a few texts.

Sorry for the confusion, I don't really know anything about phones. 

[MI5]

@cb1025 yes, you can use the old O2 number but the security answers must match those that the account relates to, so you would need the answers to your brother's security questions.

NZ use standard GSM so the phone will function fine.

[cb1025]

Thank you @MI5

For the current airtime balance on the security questions - he just has a contract phone - so do I just put the contract amount?

I've also been chatting to O2 on facebook who say they want my brother to contact them - so thought I'd give the online form a go with the O2 number first. 

Thanks again

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

If you select the contract option it shouldn’t ask for a balance. It would usually ask for the name of the tariff ie unlimited mins, texts and 5gb data.

[cb1025]

Solved! Thanks everyone. I just filled out the online form using my brother's old o2 number (the original phone number for the old phone I wanted to unlock) - and his current security details (bill/price/plan). I got the unlock code this morning and it worked fine. I didn't do the best job swapping my UK/NZ numbers and conversations between phones (whatsapp/viber/etc), but it's ok, the photos are all backed up anyway and I have the bulk of the conversations. 

Thanks everyone!