HT201643: Use cellular networks on your iPhone and iPad while you travel internationally

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sankoei

Q: i am in south africa, my phone is locked to orange network in the uk. how do i unlock it?

i am in south africa, my phone is locked to orange network in the uk. how do i unlock it?

iPhone 4S, iOS 5.1.1

Posted on Sep 9, 2012 10:11 AM

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Q: i am in south africa, my phone is locked to orange network in the uk. how do i unlock it?

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  • by Allan Sampson,

    Allan Sampson Allan Sampson Sep 9, 2012 10:12 AM in response to sankoei
    Level 10 (123,464 points)
    Sep 9, 2012 10:12 AM in response to sankoei

    Only the carrier an iPhone was sold as carrier locked with can officially unlock the iPhone. In this case, that would be Orange in the UK. You need to contact Orange in the UK.

  • by modular747,

    modular747 modular747 Sep 9, 2012 10:13 AM in response to sankoei
    Level 6 (19,343 points)
    iPad
    Sep 9, 2012 10:13 AM in response to sankoei

    Contact Orange in the UK.  Only the carrier the phone is locked to can authorize unlocking.

  • by sankoei,

    sankoei sankoei Sep 9, 2012 10:13 AM in response to sankoei
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 9, 2012 10:13 AM in response to sankoei

    i want to use another sim in south africa!

  • by modular747,

    modular747 modular747 Sep 9, 2012 10:14 AM in response to sankoei
    Level 6 (19,343 points)
    iPad
    Sep 9, 2012 10:14 AM in response to sankoei

    The only way you can do that is if Orange (UK) unlocks the phone.

  • by sankoei,

    sankoei sankoei Sep 9, 2012 10:24 AM in response to modular747
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 9, 2012 10:24 AM in response to modular747

    i bought the phone from the original owner. orange will notunlock it.

  • by Allan Sampson,

    Allan Sampson Allan Sampson Sep 9, 2012 10:24 AM in response to sankoei
    Level 10 (123,464 points)
    Sep 9, 2012 10:24 AM in response to sankoei

    Return it and get your money back.

     

    Purchase an officially unlocked iPhone instead.

  • by wegras,

    wegras wegras Sep 9, 2012 10:28 AM in response to sankoei
    Level 6 (15,194 points)
    Wireless
    Sep 9, 2012 10:28 AM in response to sankoei

    Orange do unlock iPhones in UK but generally only for customers and that means

    the iPhone is operating in the Orange network in UK

  • by modular747,

    modular747 modular747 Sep 9, 2012 10:40 AM in response to sankoei
    Level 6 (19,343 points)
    iPad
    Sep 9, 2012 10:40 AM in response to sankoei

    You should have asked about unlocking before purchase.

  • by sankoei,

    sankoei sankoei Sep 9, 2012 11:39 AM in response to modular747
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 9, 2012 11:39 AM in response to modular747

    Bought an ipad, and then the iphone. but will this will defenitly be my last apple product. I would rather buy another product like Samsung who do not try to control their customers by forcing you to register with the manafacturer and then you must contact your service provider to deregister before you can sell YOUR property! Don't see this as sour grapes, i have spoken to a lot of apple owners and they all came to the same conclusion: Apple wants to control, and that is how they have seen their backsides years ago, looks like they are on the same path again! Or are there only a few of us who sees that?

  • by stevejobsfan0123,

    stevejobsfan0123 stevejobsfan0123 Sep 9, 2012 11:41 AM in response to sankoei
    Level 8 (43,997 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 9, 2012 11:41 AM in response to sankoei

    Or are there only a few of us who sees that?

    Yup!

     

    This is true of ALL phones. When you buy it on contract, it's locked to the carrier. It's not how iPhones work. It's how cell phones work.

  • by Allan Sampson,

    Allan Sampson Allan Sampson Sep 9, 2012 11:46 AM in response to sankoei
    Level 10 (123,464 points)
    Sep 9, 2012 11:46 AM in response to sankoei

    Hogwash.

     

    Idle threats are for losers. Anyone serious about such a threat would just do it. Why wait, sell both now. Be sure to purchase antivirus for that swiss cheese for security mobile OS that is Android.

     

    This is no different with ANY carrier locked phone. With every carrier locked phone, only the carrier can unlock it, not the manufacturer.

     

    This has EVERYTHING to do with Orange in the UK with this iPhone since the iPhone was sold as carrier locked with Orange in the UK.   Apple also sells the iPhone as officially unlocked and can't unlock an iPhone that was sold as carrier locked without the carrier requesting it.

     

    The control in this case is with Orange in the UK and the same with any carrier an iPhone or any cell phone is sold as carrier locked with.

  • by sankoei,

    sankoei sankoei Sep 9, 2012 11:47 AM in response to stevejobsfan0123
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 9, 2012 11:47 AM in response to stevejobsfan0123

    When I buy a cell phone/pad, I do not have to connect it to iTunes or any other software to get it working? I just put in my sim and it works?

  • by stevejobsfan0123,

    stevejobsfan0123 stevejobsfan0123 Sep 9, 2012 11:49 AM in response to sankoei
    Level 8 (43,997 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 9, 2012 11:49 AM in response to sankoei

    You don't have to connect an iPhone to iTunes, either. If you put a SIM in and it "just works," then you have an unlocked phone. You chose not to buy an unlocked iPhone. You can just as easily choose not to buy an unlocked Samsung phone.

  • by deggie,

    deggie deggie Sep 9, 2012 11:50 AM in response to sankoei
    Level 9 (54,773 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 9, 2012 11:50 AM in response to sankoei

    "I just put in my sim and it works?"

     

    Unless the cell phone is locked to another network, regardless of which brand it is, then you will have to unlock through the original provider.

     

    Very few iPads are locked, only those that were sold with a subsidy through a cell phone provider.

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