UK Unlocked iPhone 6 Purchase

[JamesK1975]

Hi All,

I'm currently looking to get an unlocked iPhone 6 (64gb). I have a branch of John Lewis nearer to me than an Apple store so I was considering getting the iPhone from there. The added bonus being they provide a 2 year warranty as standard.

However, while reading a couple of user reviews I noticed someone had commented that the iPhone purchased from John Lewis SIM-locks to the first SIM card inserted into the iPhone. I contacted John Lewis and they confirmed it...

"I have reviewed the product information and can confirm that the first sim card used on the iPhone 6S Plus will be locked to the network provider. All iPhone's do this and if you wish to unlock this and use a different sim card, this can be done by contacting Apple with your serial number that can be found on the box."​

I don't believe that all iPhones do this. I've brought my last two iPhones from from the Apple Stores and they definitely didn't SIM-lock to the first SIM inserted as I'd changed providers during ownership, and I had no issues using different SIM cards in the phones. I certainly didn't need to make contact with Apple.

So are the iPhones that John Lewis sell different to the Apple Store, or is the sales representative from John Lewis wrong?

 

[Azzin]

JL have removed that text from their website now.

We noticed it straight away and someone contacted JL who responded that iPhones are unlocked and SIM Free.

 

[Farsider]

All iPhones don't do that. You can buy a fully SIM unlocked iPhone from the Apple Store that remains SIM unlocked after the 1st SIM has been put in. Its been that way for years in the UK.

 

[iEs]

Hi All,

I'm currently looking to get an unlocked iPhone 6 (64gb). I have a branch of John Lewis nearer to me than an Apple store so I was considering getting the iPhone from there. The added bonus being they provide a 2 year warranty as standard.

However, while reading a couple of user reviews I noticed someone had commented that the iPhone purchased from John Lewis SIM-locks to the first SIM card inserted into the iPhone. I contacted John Lewis and they confirmed it...

"I have reviewed the product information and can confirm that the first sim card used on the iPhone 6S Plus will be locked to the network provider. All iPhone's do this and if you wish to unlock this and use a different sim card, this can be done by contacting Apple with your serial number that can be found on the box."​

I don't believe that all iPhones do this. I've brought my last two iPhones from from the Apple Stores and they definitely didn't SIM-lock to the first SIM inserted as I'd changed providers during ownership, and I had no issues using different SIM cards in the phones. I certainly didn't need to make contact with Apple.

So are the iPhones that John Lewis sell different to the Apple Store, or is the sales representative from John Lewis wrong?

Sim free for iPhones are unlocked at first until you put the first SIM card in it and it will lock to that network. Apple, however, sell fully unlocked iPhones and can switch different carriers at anytime you please to (=

 

[JamesK1975]

Thanks for the information. I've also had it confirmed elsewhere that John Lewis and Carphone Warehouse in the UK sell iPhones that SIM lock upon insertion of the first SIM. So it seems that JL customer services representative was correct.

I'll now be getting my iPhone from an Apple Store.