Unlocking the UK carrier on my iPhone

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Level 1

13 points

Unlocking the UK carrier on my iPhone

Hi,

I have recently moved from Orange to O2 in the UK. However, I wanted to keep my iPhone so I requested (and paid for) Orange to unlock the phone. I understand that the carrier then submits a request to Apple to unlock the phone.

There are an alarming amount of posts about carriers not submitting requests for many weeks (if at all) and that Apple only take a day or two to complete their side of it. However, the process still seems murky and untransparent as there is a disjoint somewhere. Some users are stating that the carriers are blatantly lying to their ex-customers, which if true needs to be exposed.

Is there a way of finding out if Apple has recieved such a request? Maybe a website where I can put in my IMEI number and see the status... Why is it not possible for the user to simply ask Apple to unlock the phone?

Thanks.

iPhone 4S, iOS 5.1

Posted on Mar 15, 2013 3:24 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

wjosten

Level 10

95,321 points

Mar 15, 2013 3:37 AM in response to RavenTrading

The only way to verify that your carrier has submitted the unlocking request to Apple is to call AppleCare. Apple actually processes these requests immediately, as all that is done is the phone's IMEI number is added to the officially unlocked data base. From the posts we get here, Orange seems to be the carrier that makes it the hardest to get an iPhone officially unlocked...they just don't process these requests in a timely fashion.

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Answer 2

RavenTrading Author

Level 1

13 points

Mar 15, 2013 3:41 AM in response to wjosten

Thanks.

Just called Orange and they told me that it should be done by the 26th March! I requested it on the 6th!!

Amazing how much corporations pay for advertising and yet something so simple can destroy reputations in a matter of days...

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Answer 3

Mar 15, 2013 3:42 AM in response to RavenTrading

As for why its not possible just to ask Apple to unlock your phone, well Apple has no way to verify that people have completed all their contractual obligations with the hundreds of iPhone carriers all over the world. It would cost time and money to setup such a system, even if it were reasonably practical to do so.

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Answer 4

wjosten

Level 10

95,321 points

Mar 15, 2013 3:44 AM in response to RavenTrading

Yep, and as I said, Orange seems to be the worst at this...they just don't process these requests in a timely fashion.

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