Can I buy a new locked phone, unlock and cancel network contract directly?

donglefan

Hi, I'd appreciate advice about whether it's permitted to buy a locked phone and then immediately unlock it, cancel the network contract and put in my own sim that is on a contract?
The phone I have in mind is this from giff gaff:
https://www.giffgaff.com/mobile-phones/apple/iphone-se-2020/new
I am thinking to choose the £10 option for 

"20 GBdata monthly rolling no contract"

But not put in the giffgaff sim, and cancel the rolling 'no-contract' directly, and use a website that pops up on google for unlocking it at https://mobileunlocks.com/unlock-phone and then putting in my current sim which is on contract.

Would that work?  Would the phone still be covered as new by warranty?

rabialiones

i beleive all phones come unlocked nowadays.

d123

Phones are sold unlocked, it was regulated byOFCOM some time ago.

Grumpy_chap

donglefan said:

Hi, I'd appreciate advice about whether it's permitted to buy a locked phone and then immediately unlock it, cancel the network contract and put in my own sim that is on a contract?
The phone I have in mind is this from giff gaff:
https://www.giffgaff.com/mobile-phones/apple/iphone-se-2020/new
I am thinking to choose the £10 option for 

"20 GBdata monthly rolling no contract"

But not put in the giffgaff sim, and cancel the rolling 'no-contract' directly, and use a website that pops up on google for unlocking it at https://mobileunlocks.com/unlock-phone and then putting in my current sim which is on contract.

Would that work?  Would the phone still be covered as new by warranty?

With that GiffGaff link you shared, the free phone is linked to a 12/24/36 month loan following the £10 upfront payment.

If your question is "can I buy this phone for only £10" then that is obviously not going to work.

donglefan

Thank you for the replies.  
I realise I cannot have the phone for £10.  My idea is to buy it outright for £149, but then pay an obligatory £10 for a giffgaff sim I don't want on a "monthly rolling no contract".
The concept of a monthly rolling no contract is baffling.  How can something that is not a contract be rolling?  It sounds as if something would need to be cancelled to stop them taking tenners on a repeated basis after I had paid for the phone in full, because of having to purchase this unfathomable rolling non contract.

PHK

No contract means there is no minimum term. 

Giffgaff do four types of service. 

Pay as you go
Bundles you can buy
Bundles that renew every month
Bundles that renew every month with a commitment to a minimum period

Browntoa

From what I can see , Amazon sell the same phone for 135 with 12 months warranty

Which is cheaper 

prowla

There's a wording "giffgaff newbie? You’ll need to buy a £10 plan (or more) to go with your shiny new phone." which suggests you could get a plan separately and then buy the phone.

Grumpy_chap

The Amazon phones are "renewed" whereas the Giff Gaff state "new"

flaneurs_lobster

Bargain. Could get £21.25 (?) cashback at TCB too https://www.topcashback.co.uk/giffgaff-phones/

Says it's a new phone, unless it arrives in the original box with the seals intact I'd be sending it straight back.

donglefan

prowla said:

There's a wording "giffgaff newbie? You’ll need to buy a £10 plan (or more) to go with your shiny new phone." which suggests you could get a plan separately and then buy the phone.

This is golden, thank you.