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Phone unlock prices

I have recently inherited my daughter iphone 5 as she is out of contract and has got a new contract and phone.
My problem is that the old phone is locked by EE and will not accept my GiffGaff pay as you go sim.
My daughter contacted EE and they want £20.48 to unlock the phone.
My question therefore is. Is there a cheaper or FREE alternative for unlocking phones.

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  • Posts: 58,629 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    You won't get it cheaper than £20.48 for an iPhone.
  • Posts: 1,360 Forumite
    I have recently inherited my daughter iphone 5 as she is out of contract and has got a new contract and phone.
    My problem is that the old phone is locked by EE and will not accept my GiffGaff pay as you go sim.
    My daughter contacted EE and they want £20.48 to unlock the phone.
    My question therefore is. Is there a cheaper or FREE alternative for unlocking phones.

    with an Iphone it has to be unlocked by either the current network provider or Apple direct, using any other unlocking services will only work until the phone updates etc. and then it will revert back to original network
  • Posts: 6,638 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    My daughter contacted EE and they want £20.48 to unlock the phone.
    My question therefore is. Is there a cheaper or FREE alternative for unlocking phones.

    Nope, that's the price.
    Be prepared to wait ages, but, once done, that's it for life.
    Other unofficial unlocking methods may not last forever.

    :)
  • Posts: 8,691 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Collabora wrote: »
    with an Iphone it has to be unlocked by either the current network provider [STRIKE]or Apple direct, using any other unlocking services will only work until the phone updates etc. and then it will revert back to original network[/STRIKE]

    edited for clarity.

    Apple don't arrange unlocks, they only process requests from their authorised networks. There hasn't been any other unlocking services or software unlock since around iOS 4 or 5.

    OP, only EE can arrange the unlock, even the unofficial ebay unlockers process their unlocks by paying EE staff to do it unofficially.

    £20.42 is the cheapest you will get it.
    ====
  • Posts: 1,360 Forumite
    d123 wrote: »
    edited for clarity.

    Apple don't arrange unlocks, they only process requests from their authorised networks. There hasn't been any other unlocking services or software unlock since around iOS 4 or 5.

    OP, only EE can arrange the unlock, even the unofficial ebay unlockers process their unlocks by paying EE staff to do it unofficially.

    £20.42 is the cheapest you will get it.

    so again MSE are right and Apple are wrong, they will unlock an iPhone in my local apple store, but it is £25.

    my local phone shop offers iPhone 5c, 5s and even 6 unlocking, but these will only unlock the phone until it is updated then it will revert back to original network. I was told this by Apple, so tell me why i should believe someone on a public forum over a major worldwide organisation
  • Posts: 3,665 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Name Dropper
    Collabora wrote: »
    I was told this by Apple, so tell me why i should believe someone on a public forum over a major worldwide organisation


    Maybe it's something they do 'on the side' in your local one, as even the Apple website says only the carrier can unlock iPhones
    See if your carrier offers unlocking. Only your carrier can unlock your iPhone.

    http://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201328
  • Posts: 620 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper
    mije1983 wrote: »
    Maybe it's something they do 'on the side' in your local one, as even the Apple website says only the carrier can unlock iPhones



    http://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201328

    Darn, you beat me to the post by seconds!
    Imagine, if Apple did this, how networks would feel?
  • Posts: 58,629 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 24 January 2015 at 10:18PM
    Collabora wrote: »
    so again MSE are right and Apple are wrong, they will unlock an iPhone in my local apple store, but it is £25.
    It was either misunderstanding or some idiot in Apple store, not Apple.
    I guess it was the same idiot that told you that providers had "to get an official code from apple" for unlocking.
    my local phone shop offers iPhone 5c, 5s and even 6 unlocking, but these will only unlock the phone until it is updated then it will revert back to original network. I was told this by Apple, so tell me why i should believe someone on a public forum over a major worldwide organisation
    It's some idiot, not "worldwide organisation".

    Get something official from "organisation" before quoting them as a source of 'information'.

    That said, it was correct that any unlocking from a 'local store' most likely will be a temporary one. However, there are other 'grey' ways that Apple can even not know about. They provide infrastructure for locking/unlocking, but have no control over unscrupulous employees of the networks abusing/misusing the infrastructure to make money.
  • Posts: 8,691 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Collabora wrote: »
    so again MSE are right and Apple are wrong, they will unlock an iPhone in my local apple store, but it is £25.

    Either you are lying now or you were lied to by whoever you spoke to. Apple have never processed unlocks directly, it has always been through the network.
    Collabora wrote: »
    my local phone shop offers iPhone 5c, 5s and even 6 unlocking, but these will only unlock the phone until it is updated then it will revert back to original network. I was told this by Apple, so tell me why i should believe someone on a public forum over a major worldwide organisation


    Now you are talking absolute rubbish, there has never been a temporary unlock or software unlock for the iPhone 5, 5s, 5c, 6 or 6+ (actually I think from the 4s, but not being 100% sure of when the jailbreak unlock stopped won't include it).

    You really shouldn't just make up stories to try and yourself look well informed and intelligent, it just makes you look like an ignorant wannabe know-it-all.

    What was the username you were previously banned under? You are beginning to remind me of another abrasive user who acted the same way...
    ====
  • Posts: 58,629 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    d123 wrote: »
    ...What was the username you were previously banned under? You are beginning to remind me of another abrasive user who acted the same way...
    Tell us. I am intrigued.
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