Unlocking iphone 7 plus after PAC code has been activated

[Aike]

Hi,
I have changed provider with one of my family phones and have asked for a PAC code from O2.
All went well and the new provider activated the code.
Unfortunately only than I found out that the phone was locked to O2.
I enquired and was told to fill the form in the my O2 app to request the phone to be unlocked.
Completed that and got confirmation that it will take 24 hours.
I called O2 the next day and they said they speed it up or check it again from there end, if nothing happens (I should reveive an email) to call back the next day.
So next day I had to call back as no email came. In the meantime the phone number has changed to the new provider and son cannot use his phone at all now. (School has started and e tickets need to be applied.)
When I phoned O2 again they advised me that the 1. request from the app had not gone through to them and the first they new about it was when I called the previous day. It was activated from than and will take three days. I have to wait until Friday to receive the email.
Friday came and went no email. When I called again I was told I did not receive an email because I have to go to carphone warehouse to get it unlocked.
So if I had not called nobody would have told me.
The phone is locked to O2, why do I need to travel the world (town) try to find parking, etc. to get the phone unlocked with a third party and who guarantees that this will happen and I am not getting send away from there with diferent excuse.
Please advise and help. I need this phone ready for school bus tickets for Monday.

[MI5]

Carphone Warehouse won't help you so don't waste your time.
There are some issues with unlocking phones currently and the only way is to get @EmilieT to assist, however, this won't be until Monday now I guess.

[Darwin01]

I have exactly the same problem. This is so frustrating. I have been unable to use my phone for over 3 days now. According to the chat operator, O2 is experiencing some technical issues with the unlocking process. She also claimed that the issues have been resolved. Nontheless, I am still unable to use my phone and I anticipate this situation will not be fixed anytime soon. Such an awful service for such a straightforward procedure. 

Do you know if the problem (i.e. exceeding promised unlocing time target) would entitle to some sort of compensation?  

[MI5]

No compo I'm afraid but @EmilieT will help you on Monday too

[Cleoriff]

@Darwin01Not sure about any compensation to be honest. However one of our community managers @EmilieT has managed to get phones unlocked when customers have had problems. I have tagged her to this post and no doubt she will answer you on Monday.

[Darwin01]

Thanks a lot MI5 and Cleoriff. 

[Unlockingphone]

My sympathies are with you. I have had exactly the same issue. After 6 days going through something very similar to you I have ended up going to an independant shop to get the phone unlocked. O2 eventually realised what i had been telling them for days, which is, if you have ported your phone number over to the new provider before the phone is unlocked you are stuffed,! The unlock process requires a working sim card to be in the phone, but as soon as you port (pac code) over, o2 close your account and you have no signal. Therby not being able to use old or new sim provider. The guidance and instructions on this are appauling. This has broght my business into chaos not being able to receive calls or texts. Totally reliant on wifi. 

So yes I am sorry for you, but I am hoping the independant shop can sort this, although they have said even that can take up to 7 days. Good luck!

[MI5]

Not sure who told you that but it's incorrect. iPhones can be unlocked via the IMEI and is done completely on Apple's servers.

[jonsie]

Other phones will receive an unlock code which will work on the network ported to. Its O2 having a general, as yet unresolved unlocking issue which will probably be a simple backlog, and matters not about a working O2 sim as long as the phone has been used previously on the network.

[EmilieT]

Good morning @Aike & @Darwin01, I'm sorry you've been stuck for a few days with this - I've just sent you both a Private Message to get a few more details so we can have someone look into it for you 

Thanks @MI5 and @Cleoriff for the mentions!