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Inexperienced buyer, phone is locked.

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Alter_ego
Alter_ego Posts: 3,842 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
I bought a smartphone from a UK Ebay address, it arrived from china.
It is dual SIM and works. the second SIM slot is locked. I only found this out after using phone for 3 days. The advert states unlocked (have a screenshot)
What are my options? Are there time limits?
I am not a cat (But my friend is)
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Comments

  • Alter_ego
    Alter_ego Posts: 3,842 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Bump, anyone please?
    I am not a cat (But my friend is)
  • soolin
    soolin Posts: 74,123 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Alter_ego wrote: »
    I bought a smartphone from a UK Ebay address, it arrived from china.
    It is dual SIM and works. the second SIM slot is locked. I only found this out after using phone for 3 days. The advert states unlocked (have a screenshot)
    What are my options? Are there time limits?

    When did you buy it and how did you pay?
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 32,922 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Are you sure its locked, who would a chiinese phone be locked to?

    I think you may find the 2nd slot is a basic SIM not the latest network speeds etc. Maybe just 2G for calls etc.
    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

  • Alter_ego
    Alter_ego Posts: 3,842 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Bought last week paid debit card.

    Standard sim slot works on o2 (Tesco) micro sim slot forbidden on 3 and all other uk networks, thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately I cannot swap the sims round (size) But they worked in previous Chinese phone.
    Have read of some phones that lock on the first sim inserted?
    I am not a cat (But my friend is)
  • Inner_Zone
    Inner_Zone Posts: 2,856 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    edited 21 June 2016 at 11:53AM
    Alter_ego wrote: »
    Bought last week paid debit card.

    Standard sim slot works on o2 (Tesco) micro sim slot forbidden on 3 and all other uk networks, thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately I cannot swap the sims round (size) But they worked in previous Chinese phone.

    If you can't swap the SIMs around how do you know it locked? And to what network?

    On most dual SIM 3/4G phones SIM 2 is 2G only so that would exclude 3 but other UK networks should be OK.
    Alter_ego wrote: »
    Have read of some phones that lock on the first sim inserted?

    Yes IPhone's bought from CPW.
  • Alter_ego
    Alter_ego Posts: 3,842 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Inner_Zone wrote: »
    If you can't swap the SIMs around how do you know it locked? And to what network?

    In the sim card settings, the option to choose network provider only o2 was available. All other said forbidden, I assumed that meant locked.
    I am not a cat (But my friend is)
  • Alter_ego
    Alter_ego Posts: 3,842 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Inner_Zone wrote: »
    On most dual SIM 3/4G phones SIM 2 is 2G only so that would exclude 3 but other UK networks should be OK.

    Perhaps you are correct, but I swapped the sims directly from previous Chinese phone where 3 had worked in sim2
    I am not a cat (But my friend is)
  • paddyrg
    paddyrg Posts: 13,543 Forumite
    Take screenshots of it saying 'locked' or whatever and send it to vendor - they may have a simple solution.

    It's certainly unusual for a dual SIM to have one SIM locked - SIM locking is to prevent you from using other networks, so makes no sense in the context of a dual SIM device!
  • Inner_Zone
    Inner_Zone Posts: 2,856 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Alter_ego wrote: »
    Perhaps you are correct, but I swapped the sims directly from previous Chinese phone where 3 had worked in sim2

    So the other phone may have supported 3G on SIM 2 and this one does not?
  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 32,922 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    What does it say for the networks or band?

    Just had a quick look and one listing showed their phone as.. Dual SIM.

    SIM 1, standard size. 2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz ONLY!

    SIM 2, micro SIM. 3G: WCDMA /UMTS 850/2100MHz ONLY!
    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

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