unlock my phone

[Anonymous]

Im looking for some help, i have a galaxy alpha i bought at heathrow (pay as you go, over 2 years) LOCKED to o2, yet when i ask to get it unlocked I cant seem to get any help. I had a previous phone a c3322 which i had registered and i took the sim from that and used it in my alpha, i didnt put the alpha on my account page. Now i have deleted the c3322 hoping to put in my alphas imei etc to register it, but see that if i want to do that it will text me, lol. i lost the sim ages ago, and im now in singapore and wanting to use my alpha. I even went as far as putting an extra £15 on the lost sim so that i can get it unlocked, this is a pretty aggravating circumstance, ive bought a phone and its locked to o2, yet when i last asked i got told as it wasnt an o2 shop they cant unlock it.....WTF, to be honest i dont give a monkeys what shop i bought it in, i was LOCKED in to O2 so O2 should be the ones to deal with it. a sim unlock code isnt a lot to ask for after two years of being locked into your network.

[Cleoriff]

Hi @Anonymous Have a look at this guide about unlocking http://www.o2.co.uk/help/phones-sims-and-devices/unlocking-an-o2-mobile-to-use-on-a-different-network

If you have any problems you really need to contact CS http://www.o2.co.uk/contactus

Edited to add ...I notice you state you lost your sim. It may well be you have a bar on your account. Only O2 can lift this if so...

[MI5]

You can't unlock it from abroad I'm afraid.
It needs to be registered on O2-UK first.

[Anonymous]

The phone may be locked to O2, but they won't be able to unlock it unless it was purchased directly through them. Did you purchase it through a 3rd party? If so you'd be best off contacting the store.

[jonsie]

Actually only o2 can unlock legitimately though there is always the local mobile shops....

[MI5]

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@Anonymous wrote:

The phone may be locked to O2, but they won't be able to unlock it unless it was purchased directly through them. Did you purchase it through a 3rd party? If so you'd be best off contacting the store.

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Unfortunately, this info is wrong.

Only the network that applies the lock can unlock kit, unless as jonsie has stated, you "break in" through other means.

Certainly "stores" have no ability to legitimately unlock any phones they sell locked to networks (nor would it be legal).

[viridis]

The "soft unlock" rarely lasts past an update too, most market/store/mate on pc unlocks will lock again within a few months

[Cleoriff]

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@viridis wrote:
The "soft unlock" rarely lasts past an update too, most market/store/mate on pc unlocks will lock again within a few months

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I never knew this! Blimey a waste of time long term then? (Unless the phone is so old it wont receive any more updates)

[MI5]

Nor a factory reset.

[Anonymous]

Some phones latch onto the first network they're used with, which means that just because a phone is locked to a network doesn't mean they have locked it. And O2 can only unlatch phones bought directly through them.