Network can lock iphones bought from Apple??

I've had this issue too.

I had bought an iPhone 6 from the Apple Store at Regent Street, London, then because it was faulty they replaced it with what they told me was a new iPhone 6 (not in a box). I was using a Tesco Mobile sim at the time, so put that in the replacement phone to activate it, and it all worked fine.

Then today (five months later), I've moved to BT Mobile and my phone won't accept the new sim. I first contacted BT but they said the phone must be locked to the previous network. I have spoken to Apple, they said the phone should not be locked to a network when bought directly from them, but then said it must be Tesco's fault. I contacted Tesco, they said it was Apple's fault and it's how their phones work (even though I've never had this happen before).

Tesco have made the request to unlock the phone, but it could take from 5 to 20 days! So I'm stuck without a phone until that is done and nobody has taken ownership or explained how this is possible.

Yep - I've just experienced this too. With darling EE. I am SOOOOO frustrated with them!

I called apple support to check what's going on. I've just bought a new iPhone 7 direct from Apple and not associated with any contract or network carrier. This is an unlocked phone, as is my old iPhone 5, which is the one that raised this issue. I absolutely want to make sure EE are not going to illegally lock my new iPhone to their network!

I moved my EE sim (sim only monthly) over to my new iPhone 7 last night. All sweet - set up beautifully (thanks apple 🙂). I then wanted to use my old iPhone 5 with another sim - one I've even used in it before - my Australian sim. Well, this is when it gets weird. Instead of just switching carriers, my iPhone 5 wants to do a new phone setup. And then it gives me this message that the sim is not supported under activation policy assigned by the activation server. Not a hardware issue. Asks to insert sim from a supported carrier or request it be unlocked by my carrier. Hmmm... should NOT be locked though!

Called EE. Their line of argument - its apple who "lock the phone to the network carrier, the first time a sim is inserted". They say they can unlock it, but as its a phone that wasn't purchased on contract through them, I must pay £8.99 for the privilege. I told them this is not something apple do. I have inserted other sims into this very phone before and not had an issue. I told them it was something EE had done. They refused to budge.

I called apple. No - they NEVER lock a phone to a network where that phone has been purchased as an unlocked phone. The lovely tech support guy told me this is something that only network carriers do. He suggested a factory reset would resolve the problem. It didn't. Phone is still locked and won't recognise the non-EE sim.

So - its EE being dodgy. Its EE in my opinion doing something illegal. Fight on....

Has anyone else been able to resolve this?

edited: additionally, I have also tried the non-EE sim in my new iPhone 7 - and it works. So I know its not the sim that's the issue. Its definitely the iPhone 5 handset that's been locked to EE.

Where did you buy the iPhone 5? It sounds like it was Carphone Warehouse, who only sell "unlocked" phones that lock to the first carrier they are used with. Yes, a scam, but they have been getting away with it for years. If you bought it from Apple unlocked, and you have the receipt that says so, take it to an Apple store and they should be able to resolve it.

LDB71 wrote:

that is not what apple told me. he looked up the IMEI number on their database. He confirmed, as far as apple is concerned, its an unlocked phone. Its EE.

Believe what ever you want to.

I purchased the iPhone 5 directly from apple as an unlocked phone. Actually this specific handset was a replacement phone Apple issued me when I had an issue with my original. It comes direct from apple and should be unlocked. I do not understand how EE can do this. It has to be illegal.

Thanks for the suggestion to take it into the apple store. I will do that. 🙂

If it shows as unlocked on Apple's database then it is. That is the master data source that is used when a phone is activated. Restore iOS using iTunes, which forces a new lookup in Apple's database. The only way EE can lock the phone is to notify Apple that it is locked; if they do that, when someone at Apple looks it up it will show as locked to EE.

Thanks Lawrence, I tried this as was instruction from the apple tech. unfortunately it didn't resolve the issue. something fishy is going on here and I'm clearly not the only one dealing with this, reading other posts on this thread.

Of course I did, that would be why I said that an iPhone purchased from Apple (as you say yours was) should not lock to the first carrier, but in reply to your post that said you have never known of this to happen I pointed out how it can.

Anything else?

Hi all.

I've had bother with this today also!

I purchased my 6s Plus direct from Apple Store. Popped in my existing Three sim and away I went with no problem. I year or so later I got it replaced due to a faulty motherboard. Like the previous commenter in the thread, it was replaced with no box. Three sim inserted and away I went again. However today I put in an EE sim to check if the signal was better in our area. Removed, and replaced with original Three sim. WHICH NOW DOESN'T WORK!!

The phone won't activate!

I contacted Apple, and they stated that the device was now showing as locked to EE.

So I contacted EE.

EE told me they don't know why this happened, and the device will be unlocked again. ( I'm still waiting for this to happen).

Pretty ****** off to say the least!

Hi all,

Same situation here.

I have unlocked iPhone 6 Plus which is worked fine until I made a hard reset a couple days ago.

Apple support told me that device is never locked and should work but it doesn't. They also said that for some reason, iPhone became locked to AT&T and they submitted unlock request for me.

AT&T approved unlock request but phone still can't be activated with any of my sim cards of the local carrier.

So I have a situation when:

- Apple telling me that iPhone is unlocked and never been locked AT&T should know what's going on

- AT&T telling me that unlock request is approved and I'm ready to go

- iPhone telling me that I still need another sim card to activate...

Nice! No idea what to do next

Sometimes you need to restore iOS to complete the unlock process.

Connect the phone to your computer and click the Restore iPhone button. After the restore completes if the phone is unlocked you will see the message "Congratulations, your phone is unlocked." If you don't get this message it is still locked.

SO HOW DID THIS HAPPEN... ????

Carphone warehouse will be something (everything ) to do with it

an iPhone purchased direct from Apple in UK is NOT locked to any carrier and never will become locked

If you buy an iPhone from CPW as unlocked ie not on contract, it wil indeed be unlocked and sama price as from Apple

However the iPhone will then lock to the first sim that is inserted some stunt they pull and have been doing it for years

It would appear from your story CPW have found a way to lockthe iPhone when they sell a sim only contract although I cannot think how

It would appear from your story CPW have found a way to lockthe iPhone when they sell a sim only contract although I cannot think how

I fully realise you purchased the iPhones from Apple

there is no way a UK iPhone will lock to a carrier UNLESS it is purchased from CPW or it is purchased from a carrier at a subsidised price

Apple purchased iPhones, certainly do not lock to any network ever

Apple have nothing to do with locking to a carrier nor is it of any interest .They provide a database which holds records of all iPhones and their status

is locked or unlocked at Carriers insistance

The carrier and CPW activate the lock at point of sale directly to the database and if they later agree to unlock, the serial # is released and you then

restore as new and the activation server releases the lock on the iPhone and it then works with any carrier

I'm afraid you're wrong.

In my experience, all the iPhones I have ever bought (4, 5 & 6) direct from the Apple store in the UK become locked to the network I use - EE.

It's a real pain in the backside when I want to hand the phones down to someone on another carrier as it costs me £8.99 each time - and I have to wait 10 days for the unlock too! I've logged three requests in the last week so I can move three phones in the household from EE to another network but it gripes when you think you're getting an 'unlocked' phone from Apple!

How can this be allowed as EE hasn't subsided my phone one iota!!