iPhone unlocking

Tony_Rundle

I've had an iPhone 4S on a monthly plan with O2, via a third party company (DBfB). The contract has finished so I decided to transfer to another network (Virgin) who are offering good deals for existing customers. I got a new SIM card, got the PAC code, and the number has been swapped to the new SIM. So far, so good. But it turns out that I need to also get my phone unlocked so it can be used on a different network. Apparently O2 have to ask Apple to do this, and Apple quote a delay of up to 28 days!

Surely this must be in contravention of some legislation - it seems strange that numbers have to be swapped in a reasonable time, but that phones don't?

You might want to recommend that anyone in a similar position requests that their phones be unlocked first, and the waiting until this is done before transferring to a new network.

d123

Tony_Rundle wrote: »

I've had an iPhone 4S on a monthly plan with O2, via a third party company (DBfB). The contract has finished so I decided to transfer to another network (Virgin) who are offering good deals for existing customers. I got a new SIM card, got the PAC code, and the number has been swapped to the new SIM. So far, so good. But it turns out that I need to also get my phone unlocked so it can be used on a different network. Apparently O2 have to ask Apple to do this, and Apple quote a delay of up to 28 days!

Surely this must be in contravention of some legislation - it seems strange that numbers have to be swapped in a reasonable time, but that phones don't?

You might want to recommend that anyone in a similar position requests that their phones be unlocked first, and the waiting until this is done before transferring to a new network.

It's a well known fact that networks lock phones, you are lucky enough to be asking O2 who normally have it processed in under a week. If it had been EE you could be waiting between 45 and 60 days for it to be processed.

And, no, there is no legislation about the network unlocking of a mobile phone.

grumbler

Reportedly, O2 are pretty fast in unlocking iPones, so I think 28 days was the most pessimistic scenario.

J_B

Tony_Rundle wrote: »

Surely this must be in contravention of some legislation - it seems strange that numbers have to be swapped in a reasonable time, but that phones don't?

Welcome to the world of iLove Apple

Tony_Rundle wrote: »

You might want to recommend that anyone in a similar position requests that their phones be unlocked first, and the waiting until this is done before transferring to a new network.

Who is this mystical 'you'

It is regularly discussed in this section of the forum.