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Anyone ever buy and iPhone unlock code from eBay? |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 2,328
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Anyone ever buy and iPhone unlock code from eBay?
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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#2 |
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 14,641
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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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#3 |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
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Quote:
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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#4 |
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Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 2,876
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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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#5 |
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Join Date: Oct 2004
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Quote:
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. 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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#6 |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
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Quote:
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? |
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#7 |
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 14,641
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Quote:
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.
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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#8 |
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Newcastle
Posts: 1,510
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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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#9 |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
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Quote:
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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#10 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,987
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Quote:
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?
Have you asked the seller? Have you connected to iTunes and checked that way? |
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#11 |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 2,328
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Quote:
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? |
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#12 |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 2,328
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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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#13 |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 2,328
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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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#14 |
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,987
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Quote:
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.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/O2-UK-TESC...-/131314422872 |
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#15 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,987
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Quote:
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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#16 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,288
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Quote:
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.
You do have to still put another network's SIM in to make it go into "activation mode" |
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#17 |
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Newcastle
Posts: 1,510
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Shouldn't, but we found we had to before it'd accept another network's sim
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#18 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,288
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Quote:
Shouldn't, but we found we had to before it'd accept another network's sim
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#19 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3,673
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Quote:
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?
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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#20 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,249
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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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