Unlocking woes, iPhones works on O2, but O2 says its not their device to unlock

[jelbear]

looking for some help

I have been kindly given  an old iPhone SE (gen 1), which the previous owner was allowed to keep when his employer at the time upgraded his work phone, since then it has been used on O2 for a few years by his wife on PAYG so I'm told.

I  now plan on using it as a first phone for my daughter, however there is little to no O2 signal around us for it to be of any practical use for her, so want to use it on a different network. I have got an O2 PAYG sim and loaded it with some credit and made some phone calls to register it on the network, the phone on an O2 sim when i can get signal works fine. Putting in an EE or vodafone sim gets a sim block error. However I note it also works on a Giff Gaff sim also.

I have completed the unlocking form through MyO2, but was sent the following disappointing response

I'm sorry, we have not been able to unlatch your device at this time.

The reason given is:

This is not an O2 device, it will not be possible for us to provide an unlatching code

A bit of reading seems to imply this might be because it was originally a business device that might have been provided through an intermediatory or the like but still on the O2 network, however my friend informs me that the employer he originally got the phone from closed down a couple of years ago, so there no way to check who that might have been.

Any ideas about where I go from here? 

basic IMEI check says its not stolen, and it was completely blank, not locked to any apple ID

Thanks in advance for any help

[jonsie]

I'll ask @O2Lisa  or @O2Waqas if one of them can advise you further on this in the morning when they start work @jelbear 

[MI5]

@jelbear 

You could also try calling business customer service and explain the situation to them. 

http://www.o2.co.uk/contactus

[O2Lisa]

Morning all 

Thanks for the tag @jonsie 

For security when unlocking a device we need to be able to see the order, if you haven't ordered the phone and we're unable to see this on your account for security it may be declined.

I'll message you privately @jelbear and look further in to this for you 

[jelbear]

A bit of an update

I ended up deciding to take a gamble and pay for a Network operator  check, as my friend was sure his ex-company was on O2, decided on DoctorSim as they were referenced in a MACWorld.co.uk article and it was only £4, so not a huge amount to risk if a scam. But means this free, cheap starter phone for my daughter is begining to become not so free. The results came back as an O2 Tesco lock

So here is hoping that the result is accurate and it might explain a few things. Looks like I need to go through the Tesco's unlock procedure, so its another PAYG sim, more money wasted on initial credit just to do an unlock and hopefully they will release it. And who knew Tesco's would offer business mobile accounts!

But considering all these virtual networks (Tesco, Giff Gaff, Sky......) piggy back off O2, why couldn't O2 just tell me its a Tesco's O2 variant lock straight out, Instead of the blank wall appraoch. O2  must know what devices these vitual providers are locking to their network so why be obstructive.

But thank you to those people that responded with helpful suggestions it is appreciated, fingers crossed Tesco's will be helpful.

[jonsie]

Good luck with Tesco @jelbear but the credit won't be wasted as she can use it until you've had your money's worth