Unlock a New Phone

[NAB1]

Hello all

Sorry, bit wordy but its an odd situation

I have recently bought a brand new iPhone from a private seller who was told by O2 they'd unlocked it. Long story short, the seller couldnt get on with it & wanted Android so the phone contract has been paid off in full. It now appears the phone is still locked & neither me or the seller seem to be able to get any sense from O2 how to unlock it. We are getting completely contradicting information from the (un)helpful agents. The latest information I have had is the phone has not been used (its brand new!) so no calls have been registed on the O2 network so it can't be unlocked. My understanding is the seller actually made one single long phone call to O2 to pay out the contract/phone & request the original unlocking but this call has not been logged. We have screen shots of all the "chats" where agents acknowledge the IMEI number is locked to O2.

I really not sure where to take it from here. I think some calls need to be made from the phone using an O2 SIM before it can be unlocked but the seller is 500 miles away so I can't just pop round.

I'd be grateful for any suggestions.

Many thanks

NAB1

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

Phone has to be used on the O2 network for a day or two then follow this help https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/How-to-Guides/Unlocking-an-O2-phone-to-use-a-different-SIM-card/ba-p/1...

Unless you already have an o2 sim you can use you'll need a PAYG sim https://www.o2.co.uk/shop/sim-cards/pay-as-you-go

Get the classic pay as you go one.

[Cleoriff]

Hi @NAB1 Advice on unlocking here https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/How-to-Guides/Unlocking-an-O2-phone-to-use-a-different-SIM-card/ba-p/1...

Although if its a PAYG phone it needs to have been on the O2 network for 12mths (except iPhones) before they can be unlocked. Actually the seller should probably have got the phone unlocked before he sold it....unless you knowingly bought it locked?

[NAB1]

Thanks, as I suspected. I can steal my sons pay monthly contract SIM.
When you say a day or two, does that mean a few call in this time or just have the phone switched on so its on teh network?

[Anonymous]

A few calls i would think then the phone number will be registered on their system

[NAB1]

It was Pay Monthly & no, it was advertised as Unlocked complete with chat transcript from O2 confirming this. It now appears the agent who confirmed the phone was unlocked was not being truthful

[NAB1]

Cheers, over a few days or just some calls that would be classed as payable from his allowance?

[MI5]

Just put his sim in it for a day and make a couple of calls.
Look in his MyO2 to see if it shows your phone and when it does, just press the unlock now under device details.

[jonsie]

Yes it would. You need to make a few calls from his allowance. Once registered he can unlock it in My O2 (his) whilst the sim is in the phone and the IMEI is showing.

[Anonymous]

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@NAB1 wrote:
It was Pay Monthly & no, it was advertised as Unlocked complete with chat transcript from O2 confirming this. It now appears the agent who confirmed the phone was unlocked was not being truthful

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Live chat are extremely unreliable & notorious for inaccurate information