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UK iPhone 5s and 5c Thread

DigitriX said:
Hi guys,

I have a question about the unlocking process from Three.

A friend of mine ordered me a 16GB Space Grey (PAYG) from Three this Saturday with an estimation delivery date '11th of October'. Because I live outside UK I'm gonna have to get it unlocked from them.
I just want to ask whether the phone must be turned on or anything for the unlocking process or can we just use the IMEI number labeled on the back of the box?
From what I know I would just need the IMEI number and nothing else. They can unlock it and when my friend bring me the phone, I can turn it on for the first time it will get unlocked when connected to iTunes?
I want to open the box myself, you know...

Thank you!
Click to expand...

PM'd you DigitriX.

TLDR: better your friend does the unlocking from within the UK as it's risk- and hassle-free.

  • No idea if you can unlock outside the UK as not heard of it being done. Lots of unknowns as to what is checked and if the SIM needs to be active and within the UK or not.
  • The phone will almost certainly need wiping (Restore firmware) via iTunes so will need to be out of the box. 3 told me a simple switch of the SIM was needed but that just resulted in a 'Network locked' message. I had to backup/Restore firmware to get the 'Congratulations, your iPhone is unlocked' message, then Restore my backup.
  • I also think the phone needs to be active with a 3 SIM in as 3 will call the number to collect the unlock payment.
  • If your friend is already on a 3 contract he may be able to have them call another number to register/make unlock payment.

I can understand you want to open it first yourself but you might find the first thing you do (after being unable to unlock it) is shipping it back to your friend!
 
aeroalex said:
IT'S JUST CHANGED BACK TO PROCESSING. :mad:

Image

After almost 6 days on 'Preparing for Dispatch' it's now back to processing... I'm furious.

Someone is obviously watching this forum.
Click to expand...

Haha, do you actually have an English word to describe this feeling, I want to laugh and cry at the same time. Hahahaha, aaaa, it's ridiculous, how could it go backwards:mad::mad::mad:
 
spriter said:
PM'd you DigitriX.

TLDR: better your friend does the unlocking from within the UK as it's risk- and hassle-free.

  • No idea if you can unlock outside the UK as not heard of it being done. Lots of unknowns as to what is checked and if the SIM needs to be active and within the UK or not.
  • The phone will almost certainly need wiping (Restore firmware) via iTunes so will need to be out of the box. 3 told me a simple switch of the SIM was needed but that just resulted in a 'Network locked' message. I had to backup/Restore firmware to get the 'Congratulations, your iPhone is unlocked' message, then Restore my backup.
  • I also think the phone needs to be active with a 3 SIM in as 3 will call the number to collect the unlock payment.
  • If your friend is already on a 3 contract he may be able to have them call another number to register/make unlock payment.

I can understand you want to open it first yourself but you might find the first thing you do (after being unable to unlock it) is shipping it back to your friend!
Click to expand...

Could he not solve it this way (I'm asking, not telling):

1. Activate the new PAYG SIM from the order in his existing phone
2. Register to My Three with his own details on this new temporary SIM
3. Fill in the unlock form using these details and the new temporary number
4. After the unlock call/text from Three, open the 5s and put his existing SIM in + plug into iTunes

PS. I had my 5s unlocked by Three the other day. It's enough to swap the SIMs and plug into iTunes – no restore required. You must plug into iTunes after inserting a different SIM, however.
 
BMcCoy said:
Good news: visual voicemail is now available on Orange/EE

Bad news: they're charging £1/month for it, on Orange

:rolleyes:

----------

www.ee.co.uk/vvm
Click to expand...

And the really bad news: it's EE :)

I missed it when I first moved from O2 to EE, but got used to it. Now I've moved on again to Three, I don't suppose I'll ever have it again, but it's not been as big a deal not having it as I thought it might be.
 
BMcCoy said:
Good news: visual voicemail is now available on Orange/EE

Bad news: they're charging £1/month for it, on Orange

:rolleyes:

----------

www.ee.co.uk/vvm
Click to expand...

EDIT: Nevermind! I googled it and it's included on EE 4G plans, it's just on Orange it's £1/month :).

Still really missed it from when I left O2!
 
Last edited:
steve-p said:
I'll check that out, thanks.
Click to expand...
Your welcome. It's free from App Store and it pops a number in ur phone book. U dial that number and it diverts all your voicemail to the app. Hey Presto...Visual Voicemail is back! Hope it works as well for you, I've been using it for yrs.
 
aeroalex said:
IT'S JUST CHANGED BACK TO PROCESSING. :mad:

Image

After almost 6 days on 'Preparing for Dispatch' it's now back to processing... I'm furious.

Someone is obviously watching this forum.
Click to expand...

Mine too… It was on ‘Preparing for Dispatch’ for 7 days but now it has gone back to ‘Processing’. The money was taken out of my account a few days ago… It’s ridiculous! :mad:

(Ordered 32GB silver/white 5S on 23rd)
 
You will never guess what!

IT'S GONE BACK TO PREPARING FOR DISPATCH. :confused:

What the hell is going wrong.

This is the most unorganised order I have ever been involved in.
 
steve-p said:
You're allowed to post to more than one thread a year. Just saying ;)
Click to expand...

it was just some silly humor im still lurking about. the arrival coincides with 2 weeks annual leave still playing around with it.

grabbed the belkin iris screen protector from the apple store and have bought loads of bits and bobs off ebay.

Virgin took the bananas activating my nano sim card(3 days), wasnt until i asked for PAC did it finally get activated. only downside i have so far is Siri's voice has suddenly become so robotic.

if you guys have any questions about functions features pm me i'll happily oblige.
 
aeroalex said:
You will never guess what!

IT'S GONE BACK TO PREPARING FOR DISPATCH. :confused:

What the hell is going wrong.

This is the most unorganised order I have ever been involved in.
Click to expand...


Mine too has just this very minute changed to ‘Preparing for Dispatch’…!

Have you got an expected delivery date? All i have is ‘October’
 
andy9l said:
Could he not solve it this way (I'm asking, not telling):

1. Activate the new PAYG SIM from the order in his existing phone
2. Register to My Three with his own details on this new temporary SIM
3. Fill in the unlock form using these details and the new temporary number
4. After the unlock call/text from Three, open the 5s and put his existing SIM in + plug into iTunes

PS. I had my 5s unlocked by Three the other day. It's enough to swap the SIMs and plug into iTunes – no restore required. You must plug into iTunes after inserting a different SIM, however.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I have in mind.
I can't think of a reason why it shouldn't work. :confused:
 
Has anyone anywhere (AA) been into any store across the UK recently? Are they still being drip-fed irregular orders?

I may try Reading this weekend. Rung them a few times this week and they are very cagey about giving anything away and some inconsistent answers suggest even they are unsure about what they're allowed to divulge.

Are there still queues every morning?
 
wilky76 said:
Hi first post

I originally ordered a 16gb 5s in Grey on the 22nd, got fed up with waiting phoned Apple up asked when they would be shipping they couldn't give me an answer so i cancelled my order.

So i bit the bullet so to speak and ordered a 32gb 5s in grey from CPW, which came next day :), only problem is they lock to the first sim you put in which in my case is 02 as i use Giffgaff, but tbh it's not really an issue with me as i don't intend leaving them anytime soon, and when the time comes to pass this phone on I'll get a 02 payg sim put £15 on it and get it unlocked that way, sometime next year if i decide to get the iPhone 6.
Click to expand...

Welcome :)

I did the same with the iPhone 4S. Bought it locked to O2 and used it on giffgaff. Bought an O2 payg sim And topped up £15. Completed the online form on O2s website to unlock. The £15 was taken straight away and my phone was unlocked within 24hrs. This was Few months after launch, so not sure if O2 allows an unlock straight away at launch of new iPhones .
 
aeroalex said:
It's mental. Has yours changed at all?
Click to expand...

I will soon be mental, it just changed back to Preparing, should be some system problem as my bank is debited.

We should enjoy this joke, or we both be played out. Apple is acting a remedy.

I have feeling that our phones are ready to go...:)

----------
aeroalex said:
You will never guess what!

IT'S GONE BACK TO PREPARING FOR DISPATCH. :confused:

What the hell is going wrong.

This is the most unorganised order I have ever been involved in.
Click to expand...

I would suggest you calling them to see if they have a delivery date for you yet since you've been this state for so long.
 
jockey0924 said:
I will soon be mental, it just changed back to Preparing, should be some system problem as my bank is debited.

We should enjoy this joke, or we both be played out. Apple is acting a remedy.

I have feeling that our phones are ready to go...:)

----------



I would suggest you calling them to see if they have a delivery date for you yet since you've been this state for so long.
Click to expand...

I'm gonna leave it until tomorrow now... If It goes back again, I will flip.
 
BMcCoy said:
Good news: visual voicemail is now available on Orange/EE

Bad news: they're charging £1/month for it, on Orange

:rolleyes:

----------

www.ee.co.uk/vvm
Click to expand...

It's been available for quite some time I believe. I think it was rolled out at the beginning of the year sometime. I only found about it recently myself and by accident. On the positive side its free for me as I'm on EE. I really missed it after switching from O2 to EE and in fact it took me a long time to switch to a different carrier from O2 partly because of this and partly as I was on an original iPhone plan from 2007 which included unlimited data. Its nice to at least have visual voicemail back.

----------
steve-p said:
And the really bad news: it's EE :)

I missed it when I first moved from O2 to EE, but got used to it. Now I've moved on again to Three, I don't suppose I'll ever have it again, but it's not been as big a deal not having it as I thought it might be.
Click to expand...

Not really. Whilst EE is not perfect nor is any other carrier. That said I've only had mostly positive experiences since I moved to EE 4G last November. The only thing I miss is my unlimited data but then none of the 4G plans from any of the carriers have that anyway. I guess that's the price one pays to have 4G.

----------
angel129116 said:
I'm on Three and I just use HulloMail. Works like a charm and I have Visual Voicemail again.
Click to expand...

I tried that when I moved to EE and it works but is not practical and it is cumbersome to use. I rather have built in native visual voicemail.
 
jockey0924 said:
Haha, do you actually have an English word to describe this feeling, I want to laugh and cry at the same time. Hahahaha, aaaa, it's ridiculous, how could it go backwards:mad::mad::mad:
Click to expand...

The guy in the factory putting it in the box dropped it on the floor, so you go back to the end of the queue.
 
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