Need some advice on unlocking phone (iphone 4s / EE)

akiryn

I bought a pre-owned iPhone 4S from GAME. I requested that EE unlock it and received a phone call today that confused me.

The woman on the phone told me that even though the previous owner sold the phone, it is still theirs and only they can request that the phone be unlocked - if a contract ends and a person sells the phone, it still belongs to them. I was told that I would need to go talk to GAME to ask about contacting the previous owner.

I called customer services and spoke to a man with an Irish accent, I didn't manage to get his name. He was very rude to me when I asked him to explain to me, because I was (and am) confused. He says that because the phone is registered in the previous owner's name, even if I have proof that it has been sold by the previous owner to GAME and that I have bought it, only the previous owner can request the unlock. He also told me that the previous owner could blacklist the phone. He told me (in a condescending tone) that all other phone companies would say the same thing and put the phone down on me before I could ask him for further explanation.

How should I go forward from here? I was hoping that Customer Services could explain it to me, but instead I'm left feeling upset and like an idiot.

gjchester

Take it back to Game. Apple and/ or EE will not unlock it if its not been unregistered by the prior owner in case its stolen.


You may get this resolved but to be honest taking it back is probably the easiest and avoids future issues.

Jon_01

None of the network have a process for 'change of ownership' (as there's nothing in it for them). So the original owner is the only one they'll talk to and perform an unlock for.

As above, if it's not on the network you want it for and you can't contact the owner you can only take it back...

secretmsg

Let me share my experience..

Few days back i purchased second hand iphone4 locked on ee..My contract is with orange and started few days ago as well..I filled the form online and within 24 hours my phone was unlocked..Question is how can they unlock even though the phone is not used 6 months on my name?

They can do anything but their policies are stupid..

datostar

Apple themselves control iPhone unlocking via a worldwide database. Networks cannot themselves unlock an iPhone - they have to notify Apple and they do it. If the Apple database shows the phone as registered to other than the current owner/user there's nothing the networks can do about it. Dodgy illegitimate unlocks are likely to result in relocking as soon as the phone is connected to iTunes. Be very careful with second-hand iPhones and make sure that the previus owner has done the necessary!

d123

secretmsg wrote: »

Let me share my experience..

Few days back i purchased second hand iphone4 locked on ee..My contract is with orange and started few days ago as well..I filled the form online and within 24 hours my phone was unlocked..Question is how can they unlock even though the phone is not used 6 months on my name?

They can do anything but their policies are stupid..

You were lucky, the agent who processed your form was supposed to check the IMEI against your account and verify it had been used on the account, they were probably feeling lazy or late for their break or home time and didn't bother.

Of course EE can unlock at any time, they just choose to make their rules as they are.