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Is my new iPad unlocked?

E

EBreakingWave

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 24, 2010
84
0
uk
Yesterday I got an iPad 3 on contract with Orange UK.
For the past week I had been searching online to see whether a contracted iPad would be locked to a carrier or be unlocked like the ones sold directly from Apple.

I have a 1st gen iPad that I take to the US that has an AT&T sim which I would've like to have used in the new iPad.

After searching all over it appeared that contracted iPads were locked to their carriers. I called Orange and they told it would be and they could unlock it for me at a cost for £20 after 3 months of using it.

So I got the iPad yesterday knowing if it is locked, I'll just take my original iPad on holiday with me and wait until the 3 months was up and get it unlocked by Orange.
Last night after setting it up I put the AT&T sim into it to see what it would say.
To my surprise the iPad recognised it from AT&T, when I click "view account information" a message pops up saying this device is only compatible with a 4G LTE sim card and that the sims can be purchased from an AT&T store.

So is my iPad not locked Orange as first thought and will be able to use an 4G sim card without any issues?
I'd hate to get the sim it needs and then it says "sorry this sim is invalid".
 
I think if it is sold on-contract, it will be locked. But Orange maybe too lazy to lock every iPad sold in the UK. I am not 100% certain with Orange.

Whereas, in the US, no iPad is sold with a long term contract and with a heavy discount, that is why none of the US iPad is locked. You are free to swap SIM's (however it's likely it won't work either because VZW iPad is incompatible with AT&T iPad, and Sprint and T-Mob are not compatible either). Their networks simply do not check to see if your iPad is locked or not, and will display the account page regardless. So if AT&T is at the top of the Orange network's PRL (pref roaming list), then you will see the AT&T account page.

You'll need to physically put a AT&T SIM card in your iPad to find out if your iPad is locked or not. I would find an AT&T store, either try to get a SIM card out of the demo iPads, or get a free SIM out of them by saying if it work for you, you would sign up immediately.
 
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It is on a 24 month contract with Orange. Got it on a bundled deal with a iPhone 4S.

I do have an AT&T 3G sim that I use in my 1st gen iPad. When I access the Cellular Data setting on it and turn it on, it shows No Service in the top left, and I can log into the Account information part.

When I put the sim into the new iPad, I get the same No Service, when I click account info thats when it shows a message saying to insert an AT&T 4G Sim.

If the iPad is locked to Orange would I get to see that particular message?
 
Hm, if it was sold through Orange, it's odd that it's telling you to put in an AT&T SIM card. I would go to an Orange store and ask them what's up.

Tuck
 
From your description, I think your Orange iPad might be locked. Because it said "No Service" when you inserted the AT&T 3G SIM in it.

iPad 3 should work with either an AT&T 3G SIM or 4G SIM. The only difference is the APN settings stored on the SIM.

See this article here:
http://www.theipadguide.com/faq/can-i-use-my-iphone-4-data-plan-micro-sim-card-ipad-3g

Follow the steps above to reset your iPad/SIM swap, if your iPad is not locked, your iPad should then be able to work with the new APN settings.
 
It says No Service on the 1st gen iPad too.
Maybe I should've mentioned I am in England so it would say no service for AT&T.

Also I don't have APN as an option in cellular data
 
EBreakingWave said:
It says No Service on the 1st gen iPad too.
Maybe I should've mentioned I am in England so it would say no service for AT&T.

Also I don't have APN as an option in cellular data
Click to expand...

Oh, I thought you were traveling in the US at the moment.

In that case, you can just get a PayG micro SIM from any one of the major network operators and test it out. If it is locked, it won't accept any other SIM except the SIM from Orange.

Or order a free SIM from Three and use a micro SIM cutter to cut it down.

https://www.three.co.uk/Support/Free_SIM/Order
 
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I got a Vodaphone and Three sim card to try. And they we'rent accepted by the iPad. Got a message saying "only sim cards from the carrier are supported".

I've looked all over and I can't seem to find anything for unlocking with a Jailbreak. Atleast not for an iPad :(
 
dchao said:
I think if it is sold on-contract, it will be locked. But Orange maybe too lazy to lock every iPad sold in the UK. I am not 100% certain with Orange.

Whereas, in the US, no iPad is sold with a long term contract and with a heavy discount, that is why none of the US iPad is locked. You are free to swap SIM's (however it's likely it won't work either because VZW iPad is incompatible with AT&T iPad, and Sprint and T-Mob are not compatible either). Their networks simply do not check to see if your iPad is locked or not, and will display the account page regardless. So if AT&T is at the top of the Orange network's PRL (pref roaming list), then you will see the AT&T account page.

You'll need to physically put a AT&T SIM card in your iPad to find out if your iPad is locked or not. I would find an AT&T store, either try to get a SIM card out of the demo iPads, or get a free SIM out of them by saying if it work for you, you would sign up immediately.
Click to expand...

I bought my new VZ Ipad in the USA about 6 months ago at best buy with no contract .. and assumed I could just swap out my simm when I'm in Asia with Smart bro or Globe ..etc since they are GSM. I'm told now that I can't do that. I have not tried the last time I was over .. but am going back to Asia in about a month and was thinking of taking my Ipad .. but no reason if it won't work with any generic GSM simm ... VZ assures me that it won't and that I need to purchase a roaming contract .... I've read a lot about this and still don't have definite answers ... ANYONE KNOW? I don't want to take my ipad over unless I can pop a smartphone simm into it and use it on their GSM data towers. I'm really hoping I can get a solid answer on this.
 
When you buy an iPad from a service provider such as orange or Three your device will be locked to their service.
All you have to do is contact your providers customer service and request they unlock it. They cannot refuse. They will ask you to fill out an online form and charge you between £10 and £15.
Do not try to unlock it any other way and do not try to get the unlock code from cowboys on the Internet.
I have done this and buy PAYGO sims on holiday with no problems and have an orange back up sim for when I got no service in the UK.
This is the only way to do an unlock on a service provider iPad!
If you bought your iPad from Currys or Argos with a provider sim it should be unlocked.
Good luck.
 
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