PAYG Sim for min. 12 months or can I change provider any time?

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone, I'm thinking about buying an iPhone 5s, but don't want any contracts and want an unlocked, sim-free one with a pay as you go sim. I just realised that, if I buy the pay as you go iPhone 5s from O2, it can only be unlocked 12 months after I buy it, which I don't want. If I buy the phone from a different shop and buy only the pay as you go sim card from O2 and put it into the unlocked phpne, am I bound to use that sim card for a minimum of 12 months as well before I can change profider/ sim cards, or can I do that any time? Say I don't like it or want to go with a different provider after a month, can I just take the sim out and put a different one in and it will work? Thank you very much in advance and happy new year!

[Anonymous]

Just buy the phone from Apple if the 12 months bothers you that much. No doubt the "experts" will be along shortly to offer their advise. I'm just offering what I would do if I was concerned with locked devices.

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

O2 don't put the 12 month restriction on iPhones so if you buy from o2 on PAYG you can apply to unlock it immediately.
The only exception to this currently is the 7 which they are not unlocking at all yet unless on a fully paid up refresh contract.

[MI5]

For reference the unlocking guide is here
https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Other-Products-and-Services/Unlocking-an-O2-phone-to-use-a-different-S...

[Cleoriff]

Or you could go elsewhere to buy it. My son had his iPhone from a reputable seller on Amazon. It was unlocked when purchased and he can use any sim he likes in it. There are good offers everywhere with the sales so you can shop around. Avoiding Ebay of course...

[Anonymous]

it says that it does, though..?

'Pay As You Go customers
If you're on Pay As You Go, your O2 phone can be unlocked 12 months after you bought it.' 

[jonsie]

If you buy from anywhere other than Apple, the phone will probably lock to the first sim inserted but iphones are exempt from the 12 month rule with O2.

[MI5]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

it says that it does, though..?

'Pay As You Go customers
If you're on Pay As You Go, your O2 phone can be unlocked 12 months after you bought it.' 

---

As I said, that doesn't apply to iPhones. 

[adamtemp64]

iphone 7 can be unlocked now mine was a month ago still in contract

[MI5]

Good news.