Unlocking of 'sim free' iphone 4s

Question

Level 1

1 points

Unlocking of 'sim free' iphone 4s

I'm wondering if anyone has any bright ideas,

about 6 months ago i decided i needed a new phone however still had 6 months left on my contract before i could cancel or upgrade. so i went to the carphone warehouse and paid nearly £500 for an iphone 4S which was apparently sim free, i was advised that although the phone would lock to the first sim card i put in there but it would be easily unlocked if i restored the phone in itunes. So i've waited until my contract is up, plugged the phone in and low and behold i can't unlock the **** thing. I have been to apple who told me to go to t-mobile, who told me to go to carphone warehouse where i purchased the phone, who told me to go back to apple. I'm now feeling rather peed off that i have spent £500 on a phone ive only had 6 months of use out of.

has anyone rectified this problem? I dont particuarly want to go to another source to unlock the phone as often they jailbreak them and this will void the warranty of the phone. just looking for an answer of how i can get the **** phone to be unlocked so i can use another network provider.

UK suggestions only please! thanks!

iPhone 4S, iOS 5.0.1

Posted on Jun 17, 2013 1:44 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 17, 2013 1:47 PM in response to _chloe___

Unfortunately, this is a common scam of Carphone Warehouse. Your phone is locked to the first carrier whose SIM you inserted, and only that carrier can unlock it. Carphone Warehouse is the only seller in the UK (and probably the world) who does this. The only place to purchase a truly unlocked phone in the UK is direct from Apple.

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Answer 2

wegras

Level 6

15,311 points

Jun 17, 2013 1:50 PM in response to _chloe___

Carphone Warehouse sell iPhones "sim "free BUT they uniquely lock to the carrier whose sim is first used

Thats it

The only source of an unlock is from the carrier who holds the lock

They will have to approve the unlock

The only source of NON Carrier locked iPhones in UK is Apple and CPW charge £1 less than Apple

where as with the Apple purchase the iPhone will work on any carrier for ever

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Answer 3

Ethmoid

Level 6

11,488 points

Jun 17, 2013 2:34 PM in response to _chloe___

Okay, as has been pointed out by other posters, you phone is sim free rather than unlocked, which means that it will lock to the first carrier sim card that you insert into your phone.

Now for the unlocking part of it.

Do you have a T-Mobile sim card in your phone at present? If the answer to that question is yes, then T-Mobile are the ONLY ones who can unlock the phone for you. In the UK, all the phone companies will unlock phones.

Apple cannot help you at all because they are unable to unlock phones and have nothing to do with the unlocking process. It is the phone company that you have a contract with and it is them and them only who can unlock your phone for you.

Contact T-Mobile again and tell them that you have one of their sim cards in your phone and you would like them to unlock your phone for you. Don't let them fob you off. Keep on because ultimately, Carephonewarehouse can do nothing, only T-Mobile, who's sim card you are using in the phone.

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Answer 4

jhappahc

Level 4

1,140 points

Jun 17, 2013 1:46 PM in response to _chloe___

look over this artical http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5014

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