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Anyone ever buy and iPhone unlock code from eBay?


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Old 26-09-2015, 13:37
1manonthebog
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I purchased an iPhone unlock from eBay for my 5s, Its a week now and still not unlocked. Is it normal to take this long? Why is this process different than regular phones?
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Old 26-09-2015, 13:43
moox
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With other phones, it's more likely that a code can be generated because the algorithm to generate codes has been figured out and someone is selling generators to the people on eBay, the market stalls, etc. It doesn't necessarily need to go to Nokia or HTC or LG or whoever.

With the iPhone, Apple is deeply involved as the phone asks Apple for its lock status each time the phone is first used/restored or when a new SIM is inserted. This means the seller on eBay is likely having to pass your details onto someone at the network operators, or even Apple themselves, who is willing to put it into the system for a bit of cash on the side (how that works without someone at the network or at Apple figuring it out, I don't know).

If you could, you probably should have gone through the actual network - they'd likely have done it more quickly
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Old 26-09-2015, 13:58
1manonthebog
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With other phones, it's more likely that a code can be generated because the algorithm to generate codes has been figured out and someone is selling generators to the people on eBay, the market stalls, etc. It doesn't necessarily need to go to Nokia or HTC or LG or whoever.

With the iPhone, Apple is deeply involved as the phone asks Apple for its lock status each time the phone is first used/restored or when a new SIM is inserted. This means the seller on eBay is likely having to pass your details onto someone at the network operators, or even Apple themselves, who is willing to put it into the system for a bit of cash on the side (how that works without someone at the network or at Apple figuring it out, I don't know).

If you could, you probably should have gone through the actual network - they'd likely have done it more quickly

I did, I went to O2, they would not unlock it, the reason being this phone was bought second hand through a CeX shop, only the original owner could unlock it.

So if this is the way it works I doubt this seller will be unable to unlock it either.
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Old 26-09-2015, 14:03
Gigabit
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I expect it is somebody working for the network. Nobody inside Apple can actually unlock an iPhone as far as I'm aware.

Apple has a huge database of which phones are unlocked and which aren't, which I believe the networks add to.
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Old 26-09-2015, 14:16
moox
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I did, I went to O2, they would not unlock it, the reason being this phone was bought second hand through a CeX shop, only the original owner could unlock it.

So if this is the way it works I doubt this seller will be unable to unlock it either.
In that case I'd have taken it back if it's within the return period. Did you buy the phone knowing it was locked to O2?

IMO it's stupid that you can't unlock a second hand phone officially - if you've got paperwork saying you bought it through CeX and it isn't lost/stolen/original owner didn't fully pay it off, what's the problem? A policy like that doesn't make me want to use O2.
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Old 26-09-2015, 14:22
1manonthebog
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In that case I'd have taken it back if it's within the return period.

IMO it's stupid that you can't unlock a second hand phone officially - if you've got paperwork saying you bought it through CeX and it isn't lost/stolen/original owner didn't fully pay it off, what's the problem?
Na it suited me OK I've had it a year or as I was with O2, I have moved to EE now. I agree its stupid, I might just have to sell it, I will be surprised if the guy can unlock it.
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Old 26-09-2015, 14:24
moox
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Na it suited me OK I've had it a year or as I was with O2, I have moved to EE now. I agree its stupid, I might just have to sell it, I will be surprised if the guy can unlock it.
Did O2 tell you it was second hand or did you tell them? If you told them then I'd try again and not mention it (if the eBay method is a dud)

I wouldn't say the dodgier method won't work - I doubt they're doing the same checks that would happen if it was done officially - they want their money, after all
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Old 26-09-2015, 14:24
Synthetic42
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iPhone unlocking can be a pain, we had a problem when we changed provider at work, turned out we had to connect them up to iTunes to "activate" them, then the new network sims worked.
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Old 26-09-2015, 14:27
1manonthebog
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Did O2 tell you it was second hand or did you tell them? If you told them then I'd try again and not mention it (if the eBay method is a dud)

I wouldn't say the dodgier method won't work - I doubt they're doing the same checks that would happen if it was done officially - they want their money, after all
No what happened was I filled in the unlock form it came back I failed security. I phoned them up and ask why, they told me that phone was not linked to my account but someone elses so they could not unlock it.
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Old 26-09-2015, 14:40
d123
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I purchased an iPhone unlock from eBay for my 5s, Its a week now and still not unlocked. Is it normal to take this long? Why is this process different than regular phones?
I've done a few, it's never taken a week, but I haven't done one in about 4 or 5 months so it could have changed.

Have you asked the seller? Have you connected to iTunes and checked that way?
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Old 26-09-2015, 14:41
1manonthebog
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I've done a few, it's never taken a week, but I haven't done one in about 5 months so it could have changed.

Have you asked the seller? Have you connected to iTunes and checked that way?
Yes it was connected to iTunes this morning to update to 9.0.1, I contacted the seller but no reply, he has over 100 feedback all positive so doesn't seem like a scammer.
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Old 26-09-2015, 14:44
1manonthebog
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Got on to O2 live chat and the guy put it through again, so we will see what happens this time
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Old 26-09-2015, 14:47
1manonthebog
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WOW that was bloody quick. 5 mins later I get this,

Hi,

Your iPhone unlatching request for IMEI has been
completed. To finish off unlocking your iPhone you need to put a non-O2
sim in and connect to iTunes using a USB cable. iTunes will then tell
you the unlocking was successful; and you're away. If you've got any
more questions, have a look at our help page
www.O2.co.uk/unlockmyiphone.
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Old 26-09-2015, 14:51
d123
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Yes it was connected to iTunes this morning to update to 9.0.1, I contacted the seller but no reply, he has over 100 feedback all positive so doesn't seem like a scammer.
The guy I use has around 36000 feedback, even answers on a Sunday morning at 8am...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/O2-UK-TESC...-/131314422872
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Old 26-09-2015, 14:52
d123
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WOW that was bloody quick. 5 mins later I get this,

Hi,

Your iPhone unlatching request for IMEI has been
completed. To finish off unlocking your iPhone you need to put a non-O2
sim in and connect to iTunes using a USB cable. iTunes will then tell
you the unlocking was successful; and you're away. If you've got any
more questions, have a look at our help page
www.O2.co.uk/unlockmyiphone.
At least you are sorted.
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Old 26-09-2015, 19:13
BKM
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iPhone unlocking can be a pain, we had a problem when we changed provider at work, turned out we had to connect them up to iTunes to "activate" them, then the new network sims worked.
Connecting to iTunes should no longer be necessary! Yes! it will still work but iPhones are, these days, also able to contact Apple using their own WiFi and will unlock that way if the database has been updated correctly.

You do have to still put another network's SIM in to make it go into "activation mode"
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Old 26-09-2015, 19:41
Synthetic42
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Shouldn't, but we found we had to before it'd accept another network's sim
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Old 26-09-2015, 20:13
BKM
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Shouldn't, but we found we had to before it'd accept another network's sim
It would if WiFi on the phone was not working correctly - iTunes will use the PCs network connection. I have unlocked several iPhones successfully without involving iTunes.
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Old 26-09-2015, 20:19
Appleseed
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I purchased an iPhone unlock from eBay for my 5s, Its a week now and still not unlocked. Is it normal to take this long? Why is this process different than regular phones?
I've done loads through eBay. Works every time. Can take up to 2 weeks.
You need to bung in a different network sim and hook up to iTunes. Eventually iTunes will say 'your phone is unlocked' but as I say it can take a while.
The shop I'm in does 5/6 every week with no problems at all.
If you're on iOS 8 or above you don't need iTunes at all. Just insert a new sim and reactivate
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Old 27-09-2015, 06:03
enapace
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For the person wondering how people get away with it in networks it's quite simple. The networks get a long list of IMEI each day to be sent to Apple. It's not done completely automatically had to be checked first so whoever is on the take do to speaks adds a few to the list. Apple never think twice about it and the networks don't have time check if any extra IMEI codes have been added.

Though O2 is apparently easiest network unlock on and EE is apparently the hardest as there unlock department is smaller.
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