Simlock Confusion

[DannyDrama]

I'm confused about the way this works on the IP5.

If you buy a 'device only' in the US they seem to be unlocked.

If you buy the same in the UK, the phone locks to the first network it's used on.

Does the same apply in the US or is it different? Also, once I get it factory unlocked (officially) will it stay as such or lock to the next network?

Thanks.

 

[verwon]

I'm confused about the way this works on the IP5.

If you buy a 'device only' in the US they seem to be unlocked.

If you buy the same in the UK, the phone locks to the first network it's used on.

Does the same apply in the US or is it different? Also, once I get it factory unlocked (officially) will it stay as such or lock to the next network?

Thanks.

In the U.S. it will depend what you buy there are same you can pay full price for, but are still locked to your chosen carrier...

But there is another you can purchase as device only that isn't locked to any carrier....

And no, a factory unlocked phone stays unlocked.

 

[steve-p]

If you buy the same in the UK, the phone locks to the first network it's used on.

Only if you bought the phone from CPW. If bought direct from Apple the phone is permanently unlocked. If bought from a network, it's locked to their network unless they agree to unlock it. Those are the only three scenarios.

 

[nebo1ss]

Only if you bought the phone from CPW. If bought direct from Apple the phone is permanently unlocked. If bought from a network, it's locked to their network unless they agree to unlock it. Those are the only three scenarios.

You can buy from Apple Sim locked to carrier or SIM Unlocked and you pay a different price. Only full price phones from Apple are SIM unlocked.

 

[DannyDrama]

Only if you bought the phone from CPW. If bought direct from Apple the phone is permanently unlocked. If bought from a network, it's locked to their network unless they agree to unlock it. Those are the only three scenarios.

What do you know, I did get it from CPW. Nearest apple store is a days' march away so that was my only option, much to my annoyance. I wasn't being impatient, my old phone broke.


On another note, I'm on O2. I sent them an unlock request and today I got an email about unlatching. Is that what the networks call it? I damn near discarded it as a scam because never in years of reading tech and network blogs have I heard that term.

 

[steve-p]

I've never heard that term either, and that's the sort of mistake that would make be suspicious too.

 

[DannyDrama]

I've never heard that term either, and that's the sort of mistake that would make be suspicious too.

It wasn't a mistake though, that's what's unusual. It was in the subject and content of the email. Glad I'm not paranoid though It also says 2 different times for an iPhone unlock on the O2 site. First it says 3 days, then it goes up to 10 when you fill the form in. I got mine in 2.

I've put the new sim in and activated the phone with it, now I've put the old sim back in. It's not asked me to activate again. Does it ask you to activate every time a new sim is inserted or only ones unknown to the phone?

 

[utvn]

So, do I need to use the old att sim card to get it activated first and then put in the new carrier sim card?

 

[steve-p]

I've put the new sim in and activated the phone with it, now I've put the old sim back in. It's not asked me to activate again. Does it ask you to activate every time a new sim is inserted or only ones unknown to the phone?

Once the phone is unlocked you can swap SIMs without activation I think, as long as the SIM is active anyway. It's been a long time since I had a locked phone. I think it was the iPhone 3GS on O2 back when they had it exclusively. I've moved networks twice since then

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So, do I need to use the old att sim card to get it activated first and then put in the new carrier sim card?

Not sure about AT&T phones specifically, as we are talking about UK networks. Maybe someone in the US can help.