Will updating the carrier settings (UK TESCO/O2) lock a possibly unofficially locked iPhone?

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Will updating the carrier settings (UK TESCO/O2) lock a possibly unofficially locked iPhone?

I'm a bit scared to update the carrier settings on my *secondhand* iPhone 4. It is on one of O2's partner carriers (which O2 in itself is a partner carrier with telefonica); TESCO Mobile. This is why I am scared to update:

Tesco mobile are prone to lock users to their network
There was a guy on applecare who said that apple never locks unlocked iPhones. (Oh, and we fought over antennagate, because it's an iPhone 4.)
I have already gotten the 'Latest Carrier Settings' and yet iOS 7.0.6 (or whatever) and iTunes still bug me to update to the 'Latest Carrier Settings'.

I am scared to update mainly because I BOUGHT the (unlocked) iPhone secondhand, therefore, the iPhone 4 could've been locked unofficially by a 3rd party, etc. I don't want my iPhone locked, because it HAS to do me for years to come (even though it's not the latest and it lags when you scroll) and I don't have the money to get it unlocked OFFICIALLY OR UNOFFICIALLY.

Please help me get my head around on whether I should update or not, I just want to stop this message from coming up and from my finger accidentally touching the 'Update' button and it permalocking my iPhone and me having to may more than what the phone is worth, just to use it on a different network.

PLEASE HELP ME!

Thanks!

iPhone 4, Mac OS X (10.7.3), unlocked (currently, anyway)

Posted on Mar 3, 2014 12:41 PM

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Answer 1

wegras

Level 6

15,305 points

Mar 3, 2014 12:57 PM in response to weeowey

you buy a tesco iphone and yes ALL UK carriers lock the iPhones they sell to their network .Tesco do offer unlocking if the requestor meets their terms

which is that the iPhone is active on their network and the customer is active either on a contract or PAYG

You can call AppleCare and they may tell you who if the Apple database shows the iPhone is carrier locked

regardless of anyone hacking the iPhone

Updating the iOS will relock if the unlock was a third party hack

Tesco is a fully approved Apple carrier ( the O2 link is not relevant )

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Answer 2

weeowey Author

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Mar 3, 2014 1:01 PM in response to wegras

thanks for your quick reply. i have updated the phone, so, now (thanks to you) i know that it is an official u/l. from what i remember, when i called applecare, i did ask him if it was a factory unlock, but i'm not sure what he said. but im still not sure whether to update the carrier settings.

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Answer 3

weeowey Author

Level 1

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Mar 3, 2014 1:02 PM in response to weeowey

oh, and it isn't carrier locked , but it could have been in the past..

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Answer 4

wegras

Level 6

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Mar 3, 2014 1:05 PM in response to weeowey

the carrier settings have nothing to do with the carrier locked status ,if you have already updated the iOS and it still works on a different sim it must be unlocked

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Answer 5

weeowey Author

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10 points

Mar 3, 2014 1:10 PM in response to wegras

so, will it lock if i update the carrier settings or not? Is it possible to check apples DB yourself?

i'm quite confused. this is my first (usable) iPhone 4 and i bought it from Cex (not the crappy ann st. one) in Park centre, Belfast. (just letting you know that)..

sorry if i am being awkward, I have adhd and it makes it hard for me to do stuff that require any level of concentration (just to clarify that)

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Answer 6

ssschmidt

Level 5

5,444 points

Mar 3, 2014 1:13 PM in response to weeowey

Carrier settings update should not lock your phone to a specific carrier. An OS update would. You should be fine.

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Answer 7

weeowey Author

Level 1

10 points

Mar 3, 2014 1:15 PM in response to ssschmidt

thank you. but i still have the latest settings on my phone, as I called up tesco on my phone and they gave me the settings.

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Answer 8

weeowey Author

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Mar 3, 2014 1:17 PM in response to weeowey

is there a way to tell if it is locked, even without using a different sim?

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Answer 9

wegras

Level 6

15,305 points

Mar 3, 2014 1:18 PM in response to weeowey

well you clearly do not understand we are all users ,this is a USER to USER forum no Apple staff here

I cannot check anything

the carrier settings DO NOT as I have already said lock an iPhone they simply ensure the correct data is on the iphone to connect to their network

IF you have already updated the iOS and the iPhone is still unlocked it IS UNLOCKED

I cannot find a way of saying it clearer

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Answer 10

weeowey Author

Level 1

10 points

Mar 3, 2014 1:22 PM in response to wegras

ok thank u i will update, i still feel doubty about updating tho, it's just baked in there.. thanks for your help.

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Answer 11

wegras

Level 6

15,305 points

Mar 3, 2014 1:23 PM in response to weeowey

call Applecare in UK

0844 209 0611

and they may confirm the unlock status ,will put your mind at rest

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Answer 12

weeowey Author

Level 1

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Mar 3, 2014 1:23 PM in response to weeowey

It was quick, let's hope it was painless...

thanks

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Answer 13

wegras

Level 6

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Mar 3, 2014 1:24 PM in response to weeowey

you're welcome

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Answer 14

weeowey Author

Level 1

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Mar 3, 2014 1:27 PM in response to weeowey

because im just like that (and that "08..." numbers are expensive) I will not call that number, I will call my local apple store, instead when I get round to it. what baked it in there was this indian guy on applecare, whom i was fighting with him about antennagate. I had to rm that because i felt it was racist but i say things like that 24/7 because i am sometimes not aware of what I was saying... but this time i kinda was... (sorry)

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Answer 15

weeowey Author

Level 1

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Mar 3, 2014 1:31 PM in response to weeowey

he actually was about to explode @ some point. I do feel sorry for him, but hey, who fixed the cracked screen on my phone? an indian guy at a cart. he did id drn cheap, tho! I would recommend him, if it wasn't for the piece of dirt that got trapped in the front camera glass. 😟

meh.

I'm learning to control that racism thing... this won't help. I vent it out on a private blog that only has 1 link on the whole web. mine. :s

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