Bought unlocked refurbished iphone11 but o2 won't unlock SIM

[andy1875]

I am an o2 customer along with my partner.  I recently bought her a refurbished iphone11 which is unlocked but when I tried to change her old phones o2 SIM to the new phone it tells me that the  'system SIM' is locked.  I phoned o2 and the person there told me since I did not buy the phone from them they could not help and that I would need to contact who I bought the phone from.  I used to have this problem in the past when I was not an o2 customer but I thought now that I am an o2 pay monthly customer I would not have this problem any more.  Can someone tell me if o2 is right and they still not not help people who do not buy from them.  thanks in advance.

[Enlli]

If the SIM works in another phone then it is OK. SIM cards are not locked to a particular phone

One the iPhone  go to

Settings->General->About->Carrier Lock

If is says locked then the phone is carrier locked and you need to go back where you bought it

[MI5]

@andy1875 

O2 can only unlock phones that are locked to O2.

You need to go to the network that locked it to get it unlocked.

Guide: Unlocking an O2 phone to use a different SIM card 

[andy1875]

Thanks for your answers.  I bought the phone from backmarket which was advertised as unlocked.  I will check what you said Enlli, re. Settings->General->About->Carrier Lock  to see if it is locked and send it back if it says locked.  

[andy1875]

I did the  Settings->General->About-   It actually says : 'Network provider lock No SIM restr.... '  I am guessing that means it is not restricted by any SIM and the ad I bought it from was correct.  I have sent for a new SIM from o2 and will take it from there.  It is strange that it says there are no sim restrictions and my partners SIM from the phone she still uses shows as system SIM' is locked.    

Thanks for your help once again guys

[MI5]

@andy1875 

Are you sure it's not a sim pin your wife has set on her sim card?

If you remove a sim from a phone with a sim pin, it will need the pin inputting before it will work.

"system" sim might also suggest it's flagging an esim, so I'd be inclined to do a full rest on the phone to be sure anything in there is fully deleted.

[andy1875]

Ok, just to see, I just tried my SIM in it and it worked so I tried my parter's SIM again and although it initially showed the same system SIM locked warning, that went away and it now works.  I think I maybe should have gave it more time maybe.  thanks again, if you had not said what you said I would nit have checked again.

[MI5]

Happy to help.