iPhone 4 Unlock Status After Replacement

[vito]

Hi

Just had my iPhone 4 replaced by Apple due to a hardware fault.

The original unit was unlocked by Three UK, genius said the unlock would carry over. Three UK rep said it's another £15!

Anyone come across this before?

Thanks!

 

[ZombieZakk]

you have to have the new device unlocked whether Three will do it for you i do not know but the unlock is based on the imei so it cannot just carry over its not tied to the sim. you will need to have the new device unlocked.

 

[iFiend]

Hi

Just had my iPhone 4 replaced by Apple due to a hardware fault.

The original unit was unlocked by Three UK, genius said the unlock would carry over. Three UK rep said it's another £15!

Anyone come across this before?

Thanks!

Rep has no clue. Your replacement is always why you had before - make, model, and carrier status.

 

[0007776]

Did you try putting another SIM in? I would assume that Apple would see your previous phone had been unlocked and give you an unlocked one as a replacement, but the only way to know for sure is to insert a SIM from another carrier.

 

[vito]

you have to have the new device unlocked whether Three will do it for you i do not know but the unlock is based on the imei so it cannot just carry over its not tied to the sim. you will need to have the new device unlocked.

I did say to the Three rep that the iPhone 4 developing a hardware fault isn't my fault and I shouldn't have to pay twice!

Rep has no clue. Your replacement is always why you had before - make, model, and carrier status.

Thanks, I had thought that would be the case!

Did you try putting another SIM in? I would assume that Apple would see your previous phone had been unlocked and give you an unlocked one as a replacement, but the only way to know for sure is to insert a SIM from another carrier.

I'm at work and I usually only try a SIM when I'm travelling, I'll see if someone has a Micro SIM I can test

Thanks everyone 😀

 

[PaulyD]

I wondered the same, have an unlock going through with Orange and now my home button is getting a bit funny (typical good timing)

Sometimes needs a few goes to get multitasking up, pressing home button once doesnt always register etc

I knew it was based on IMEI but wondered if this would be carried over if I get it swapped at an Apple store - thought it would but be good to know first hand

 

[ckc]

I had a 3GS that was unlocked by O2 but a few months later developed a problem (nothing to do with the unlock) . I went to my local Apple store where they swopped out the phone but when I tried to use it in Asia a couple of months later I found it locked to Vodafone.

On my return I went back to the Apple store and pparently when Apple replaced the 3GS phone they could see from their system that the unlock did not carry over and as it had a Vodafone sim in it when it was replaced it locked to Vodafone.

Apple could not unlock it, nor could Vodafone as the phone was not originally supplied by them. As Apple did not have any refurbished 32gig unlocked 3GS phones available they gave me a brand new 32gig unlocked iPhone 4 as a replacement and an apology for the inconvenience.

Typical Apple customer ethos 🙂

 

[The Californian]

Typical Apple customer ethos 🙂

Gotta love em!

 

[barachus]

i had my 4 swapped over because of a dodgy home button and the 'genius' told me that the imei lock state of the old phone is carried over to the new imei automatically, i took her word for it
now i think i better go and try another sim in it!

 

[Bobbytoad]

If your phone is unlocked by your network ie o2 three etc then the refurb/replacement handset you get from Apple will also be UNLOCKED. This is from experience returning an unlocked o2 handset, genius confirmed replacement would be the same!

 

[MaxBurn]

Given how good apple is at these things i would think there is some sort of method going on in the background to exchange your IMEI just like we know there is one for the serial numbers. I know my old serial number shows as returned in the warranty checker. I know that took a day or so to process so if you take it home and itunes doesnt say you are unlocked right away wait a day and try again.