Inexperienced buyer, phone is locked.

Alter_ego

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?

Alter_ego

Bump, anyone please?

soolin

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?

forgotmyname

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.

Alter_ego

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?

Inner_Zone

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

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.

Alter_ego

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

paddyrg

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

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

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!