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advice on unlocking phone please

slopemaster
Posts: 1,581 Forumite


in Mobiles
I have a phone on PAYG with Tesco.
I would like to be able to use it abroad with a local SIM card.
Tesco mobile say I can have the code to unlock it - free, but I have to wait 28 days.
Am i right in thinking this will expire if I don't use it - ie I can't just get the code and keep it until I need it?
If so, I suppose I will need to move to another network now, so that I can switch SIMS later when I need to.
If I do this, it won't somehow become locked to the new network, will it?
(Sorry for showing my ignorance!)
I would like to be able to use it abroad with a local SIM card.
Tesco mobile say I can have the code to unlock it - free, but I have to wait 28 days.
Am i right in thinking this will expire if I don't use it - ie I can't just get the code and keep it until I need it?
If so, I suppose I will need to move to another network now, so that I can switch SIMS later when I need to.
If I do this, it won't somehow become locked to the new network, will it?
(Sorry for showing my ignorance!)
0
Comments
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slopemaster wrote: »I have a phone on PAYG with Tesco.
I would like to be able to use it abroad with a local SIM card.
Tesco mobile say I can have the code to unlock it - free, but I have to wait 28 days.
Am i right in thinking this will expire if I don't use it - ie I can't just get the code and keep it until I need it?
No, a unlock code is phone hardware specific, it does not expire. You can get it an keep it but there is no benefit. In fact you'd be better unlocking it as soon as you get it so you don't loose it and can check they gave you the right code before you *have* to swap the sims in anger. It would not be helpful if you come to use the code abroad to find they gave you the wrong code.
I think your confusing an unlocking code (also called a subsidy code) and a PAC code you need to move your number to another network. PAC Codes expire after 30 days.slopemaster wrote: »If so, I suppose I will need to move to another network now, so that I can switch SIMS later when I need to.
If I do this, it won't somehow become locked to the new network, will it?
(Sorry for showing my ignorance!)
Once unlocked swapping sims or networks (usually the same thing) will not lock the phone to the new network.
You CANNOT get the code from the new network, only the network who supplied the phone, there are other ways (online for some codes, market traders usually can unlock phones too) but only the original network can supply the code you need, not any other network.0 -
Oh, thanks. So I can unlock the phone but continue to use it on Tesco network?0
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slopemaster wrote: »Oh, thanks. So I can unlock the phone but continue to use it on Tesco network?
Yep.
All the lock / unlock does is lock it to one network. Once the lock is removed it woll work with any sim card, be it the same one you have or another entirely0
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