Problem with unlock French iPhone

Question

Level 1

19 points

Problem with unlock French iPhone

I was buy before 30 days in France official "unlocked" iPhone for 749 EUR.
According to advice in Orange Shop I was first active this with Orange SIM card. According info from another users I must waiting for confirm letter from apple and after get of this is possible use iPhone with anther SIM cards . This process is acording to this maximum 21 days. But until now (30 days after activation with Orange sim)I have not none letter from Apple and this iPhone is locked for using of another SIM always. I have Vodafone SIM in Czech Republic.Where is problem ? Can you give me advice any ? I am afraid, so problem is, so I make activation iPhone with Orange SIM and iPhone is active in Orange site only, but I dont know.... What are your experiences with French official unlocking iPhone ? What is drill - step be step, after purchase of official unlocking iPhone in France ? Where I was come a guster ? Thank you for your help in advance. ...And I am sorry for me bad english........

macbook PRO, Mac OS X (10.5.1)

Posted on Mar 9, 2008 6:26 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Mar 9, 2008 1:56 PM in response to Jirka Dytrt

You perhaps should have read the small print better. The unlocked iPhone only works with a FRENCH simcard. So you can unlock it to work on any French network. This is the terms of the French legal ruling.

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Answer 2

Jirka Dytrt Author

Level 1

19 points

Mar 9, 2008 2:51 PM in response to steve copeland

No. In France are 3 possibilities - 1.) for EUR 399 - licking for Orange sim only , 2.) for EUR 599 for others french sim and 3.) for EUR 749 unlocked for all another sim in various countries. Much users in various countries have the same iPhone and his iPhone is unlock for various sim cards - Spain, Itally, Belgium, Greece etc. without problems...In our county also. But me iPhone is 30 days lock always....I ma not understand to this......

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Answer 3

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,297 points

Mar 9, 2008 2:55 PM in response to Jirka Dytrt

I would think then, you would have to take this issue up with Orange. They are the one supplying the phone, and should have some influence on the unlocking. I wouldn't know of anyone else that you could work through. I'm not sure how the procedure works, unless Apple can provide you with information, since they are the ones to verify the unlock. Good luck.

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Answer 4

Tamara

Level 6

13,744 points

Mar 9, 2008 3:26 PM in response to Jirka Dytrt

I don't believe that the 749 Euro phone will work properly with non-French sims. If this is actually true then you need to take it up with Orange.

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Answer 5

Mar 10, 2008 1:15 AM in response to steve copeland

Please read the legal statement issues by the French courts. It is very clear that an unlocked French iPhone will ONLY work on a French network. It can be ANY FRENCH network which is why it is sold unlocked for all networks. This was all over the press a couple of months ago and if you search these forums you will find pages of debate over the issue.

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Answer 6

jia10

Level 4

1,722 points

Mar 10, 2008 1:24 AM in response to steve copeland

Orange France themselves have been reported to say that unlocked French iPhones will work with any other SIM card, if you pay the highest price. Now, while it is the case that many have found this to be true, it also appears that just as many (?) have had trouble. This issue has been passed between Apple and Orange France, with no resolution that I can find. All the OP can do is get back to Orange France, and get them to fix this, or claim a refund.

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Answer 7

Mar 10, 2008 2:54 AM in response to jia10

according to the news and court reports, early French iPhones were completely unlocked, later ones were only unlocked to work with any French network in line with the court ruling on competition laws.

I stand to be corrected if the situation has changed.

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Answer 8

Mar 13, 2008 11:11 AM in response to steve copeland

You need correcting. All Orange unlocked iphones work with any valid GSM SIM.

I am sitting in Germany with a Blau.de SIM installed, and I have tested in the past all major Euro SIMS ( I work for a telco).

Stop spreading misinformation. Please. The Orange unlock is a full unlock.

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Answer 9

Mar 13, 2008 11:15 AM in response to Jirka Dytrt

If you do not take a Orange contract with the unlocked phone, you need to purchase a 100 Euro prepay credit, then phone Orange Service Client, who will acquire the credit and then process the unlock. The phone is not sold for 749, it is sold for 649 in the shop and the 100 is paid for the unlock fee, but the shop is not involved in the unlock process, it is only done over the phone.

The letter is just a reminder, my unlock was done before the letter came ( in fact I never saw a letter ). 3 days after, I restarted the phone, synced with itunes which announced the unlock.

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Answer 10

jia10

Level 4

1,722 points

Mar 13, 2008 11:17 AM in response to Kevin Brown2

Kevin Brown2 wrote:
You need correcting. All Orange unlocked iphones work with any valid GSM SIM.

I must admit to being a little more than confused about this issue. But I think the point Steve was trying to make was that the earlier phones could work with all SIMs, but recently this has changed, and is no longer possible. Unless you bought your unlocked iPhone recently, then his argument may still be correct?

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Answer 11

Mar 13, 2008 11:18 AM in response to jia10

The only issue was with 1.1.2 which had software problems with non Official countries which caused the phone and SMS app to crash. This was misinterpreted as a "lock" by ill informed people.

1.1.3 fixed this, or an unofficial third party unsupported app called iworld.

The phones were always unlocked, but effectively flawed due to the software issue.

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Answer 12

Mar 13, 2008 11:22 AM in response to steve copeland

"....You perhaps should have read the small print better......"

There is NO small print to this effect. Orange France have made multiple official statements that the phone is a fully unlocked phone. There is NO French legal ruling. French law over and over has mandated a SIM unlocked phone, not a network unlock. By it's very definition a GSM phone is interoperable with any GSM network. Apple sell this clearly marked as a GSM capable phone.

Check you "facts".

Please note I am an Orange France customer with an unlocked phone, in use with various GSM SIMS with NO problems.

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Answer 13

Mar 13, 2008 11:29 AM in response to jia10

No. Where do people get these ideas from. Orange made a clear and unambiguous official statement about this. The French law is clear about this.

As non french residents where are there people getting these rumors from? Nothing has changed.

And in any case, the unlock is FREE after 6 months of ownership for Orange subscribers.

These rumors make my head explode. I notice no one is actually posting any REAL information just FUD.

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Answer 14

GMGuinn

Level 2

290 points

Mar 13, 2008 11:30 AM in response to Kevin Brown2

Alright, we get it...

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Answer 15

Mar 13, 2008 11:35 AM in response to GMGuinn

Um, maybe you get it, but this keeps creeping into the forums time after time. All posted by people who do not live in France or have not purchased or used an unlocked phone. This forum is supposed to be about accurate advice. It is annoying.

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