What is wrong?

[lilatheflirt]

I have a friend who bought an iPhone 5 whilst on holiday in Japan. When we tried to insert a sim card from another country this is what happened:

 

[pmontanarella]

I have a friend who bought an iPhone 5 whilst on holiday in Japan. When we tried to insert a sim card from another country this is what happened:

It means the iPhone is carrier locked. It cannot be used with any carrier other than the one it was bought from.

Pietro

 

[lilatheflirt]

That's what I thought. He was duped, having been told it was unlocked. Thanks!

 

[bjb.butler]

What's wrong?

It says very clearly what is wrong.

 

[narutoninjakid]

That's something you test before you leave. Sorry though

 

[lilatheflirt]

That's something you test before you leave. Sorry though

True. He doesn't know anything about these things, I guess the seller was very convincing. lol. This is his first smartphone and he bought it by himself. He used it whilst in Japan so didn't really think anything was wrong at first. It was only when he got back and was able to get a nano sim from his own carrier when this happened.
We'll try to get it unlocked somehow and see if it'll work

 

[Nermal]

Am I just going blind or is there no space between the second and third sentences? Is that an Apple-provided message?

 

[Applejuiced]

Is says very clearly what is wrong.

Lol
Correct, its very clear.
Obviously the phone is locked to another carrier.

 

[veneto]

Am I just going blind or is there no space between the second and third sentences? Is that an Apple-provided message?

That is a new sentence. Apple had gotten complaints about customers not knowing whether or not their phones was unlocked, and I got routed to an Engineer, after that complaint they started adding these new messages, better explaining why the phone is not operational. It used to just say, "Please insert another SIM...etc" then they added the new sentence. Without putting a space.

There is always carrier confusion. Call, complain, and then only buy from Apple.

 

[braddick]

Probably locked to SoftBank and let me tell you, an unlock won't be a part of that iP5's feature.

 

[lilatheflirt]

Ah damn. Really?! There's no way out at all?

 

[Skika]

Ah damn. Really?! There's no way out at all?

its still an marvellous iPod touch.

 

[braddick]

its still an marvellous iPod touch.

Might need to get a Softbank SIM card though (or, Hactivate) to get even that to work out for the OP.

 

[Applejuiced]

its still an marvellous iPod touch.

He can't even get that far

 

[lilatheflirt]

It actually works as an ipod touch. He was able to talk to a friend and it seems there's a way out of it. He needs some sort of microchip to unlock the phone and it'll work.

 

[iDuel]

It actually works as an ipod touch. He was able to talk to a friend and it seems there's a way out of it. He needs some sort of microchip to unlock the phone and it'll work.

Maybe you could call SoftBank in Japan and explain the situation. Since he doesn't live there, they may be able to unlock it for him.

 

[lilatheflirt]

iPhone can now be used. The microchip worked