How can I use a foreign SIM in a Japanese Apple store bought iPhone 4s?

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How can I use a foreign SIM in a Japanese Apple store bought iPhone 4s?

Recently I bought an iPhone 4S from the Apple Store in Ginza (I have just moved to Japan) and took it with me on holiday to Australia. Not wanting to pay extortionate roaming charges I bought myself an Australian Alstra SIM and put it in my phone. My phone kept saying that the SIM was invalid. We checked that it was fine in other phones and came to the conclusion that for some reason my phone would not take it. The Apple store in Sydney then told me that my phone was locked, I told them that this should not be possible as l had bought the phone from the Apple Store. They said there was nothing they could do.

I am very angry because it looks like I have been sold something that I do not now own. Is it possible to get iPhones in Japan that will support other networks (ie have I been sold a dud) or, if not, can they be unlocked (I'm going to be going to the uk soon and will again want to put a local SIM in)?

Thank you for you time and the support that Apple seems unwilling to provide (I have already asked these questions at the Genius bar and received shrugged shoulders)

Posted on Jul 20, 2012 7:17 PM

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Answer 1

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,309 points

Jul 20, 2012 7:23 PM in response to bdux

In reviewing this support document by Apple http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1937, it appears the phones sold in Japan are carrier locked. Your receipt from Apple should state the carrier it is locked to. The carriers are the only ones that can authorize the unlock of a device. The problem noted in the document is that it appears the Japanese carriers will not unlock iPhones. When you purchased the iPhone from Apple, did you indicate you wanted an unlocked phone? Did you purchase the phone at full price, or did you purchase it subsidized by the carrier?

You were sold a locked phone. Whether or not they sell unlocked phones, I do not know, but I answered the unlock question above.

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Answer 2

bdux Author

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Jul 20, 2012 8:33 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

Thank you Chris that is very helpful. I paid full price for an Apple Store phone (there was no indication about locking at the time and I didn't ask as I bought it without contract and from the store so just assumed. Although I did wonder why it was that you couldn't buy them online), must be about 3 months ago now. I then later signed up to a data contract with SoftBank.

It would seem (from other sources too) that all Japanese phones in Japan are locked to Japanese networks and that this is currently a requirement to do with managing phone usage. So I can (again apparently) use any Japanese SIM in my phone but no other! I will have to see what I can do about getting the phone unlocked...

Thank you again, I have leaned a valuable lesson about asking more questions at the time of purchase

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Answer 3

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,309 points

Jul 20, 2012 8:45 PM in response to bdux

Sorry about what happened, but again, it has to do with where and how you purchase the phone and what you tell them you want. As far as using ANY Japanese SIM, the phone is locked to whatever carrier you have now, which would make it impossible to use with another Japanese carrier. Since you have a contract with Softbank, that is who you are locked to, and as indicated on the support document I provided you, they will not unlock the phone. I would see if you could sell the phone and purchase an unlocked phone from Apple, just this time indicate that you want an unlocked phone, not a contract free phone. They are two different things. Good luck.

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Answer 4

bdux Author

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Jul 23, 2012 8:37 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

Right, I can now factually say having checked and rechecked at independent sources including Apple Japan and my network provider: it is impossible to (legally) buy a phone in Japan that is not locked as it is currently Japanese law that they must be. There is a suggestion that this law is going to be reviewed. Therefore it is only possible to get phones unlocked at independent places as the big chains are not going to break the law. It is apparently very easy to officially change ownership of the phone though so I guess that is the next step.

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Answer 5

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,309 points

Jul 23, 2012 8:42 AM in response to bdux

While you can seek to get a phone unlocked by another source, this is not an official unlock. Having it done in this manner will only have it unlocked until you go to update software. At that time, you will end up locking the phone back to the original carrier. If you do not want to use the phone on the carrier that it is locked to, your best recourse is to sell the device to someone that wants to use that network and purchase an iPhone for the network you are interested in using.

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