How can apple let carriers lock thier devices even when you purchase them unlocked directly from an apple store?

Why bother paying over $1000.00 to purchase an unlocked iphone from the apple store only to have it locked by your carrier anyway?! The only reason i purchased it outright is so that i could change carriers whenever i want!

iPhone 5

Posted on Apr 19, 2013 11:26 AM

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17 replies

Apr 19, 2013 1:08 PM in response to tonefox

You are completely wrong my friend, if you buy an unlocked iPhone from the apple store and connect it to any carrier it then becomes locked to that carrier, even if you don't hook it up at the apple store and go to a carrier after, they still lock it. Please don't make comments unless you know what you're talking about, thanks.

Apr 19, 2013 4:23 PM in response to KiltedTim

It is you who is shooting thier mouth off, i have the reciept from the apple store as an outright purchase without any carrier. I then proceeded to go to the bell store and buy a sim card for the phone. I recently sold this device to a friend who is with telus, I HAD TO PAY BELL $75.00 TO UNLOCK THE PHONE TO WORK ON THE TELUS NETWORK! So if i am wrong please tell me how, and i also spoke to apple customer care and they backed the issue of carriers locking factory unlocked iphones to thier specific carrier once activated on that network.

Apr 19, 2013 4:29 PM in response to tonefox

I already had an existing contract with over a year left until the end date (which is why i purchased outright as bell wouldnt even sell me one at full price, only to new customers). So like i said i purchased the phone from apple directly, then went to bell to get the proper size SIM card ( as i was coming from a non-lte device). Once the sim card was insterted and activated, my phone became locked to bell mobility.

Apr 19, 2013 4:41 PM in response to Allan Eckert

I originally made this to be a discussion page for anyone having the same issues, not for people to tell me that i dont know what im talking about. I guess i should have stated that i live in canada, our carriers seem to do whatever they want. Also i dont require any help on the issue it has been resolved, this was meant to be a discussion topic.

Apr 19, 2013 4:51 PM in response to imobl

The outcome was as I stated, the phone became locked to my canadian carrier (bell) and my resolution was to pay $75.00 to have it unlocked. The one correct statement is that yes, apple will NEVER lock your device, only a carrier will do so. At least thats what i was told by the apple care representative. Once i talked to Bell they also stated that all canadian carriers perform these locks, even to unlocked devices directly from apple. I just want to know if anyone else in canada has had this same issue?

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How can apple let carriers lock thier devices even when you purchase them unlocked directly from an apple store?

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