iPhone 4 unlock problem! ... Resolved

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gramps

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I have an iPhone 4 locked to the Orange/EE network and I requested an unlock - they sent me the details of how to do it, which involved the use of a SIM from a different network provider and connecting the iPhone to iTunes.
I did as instructed in the email and sure enough the iPhone connected to the new network provider - having completed the process I took the new SIM out and put my original Orange/EE SIM back in the iPhone ..... 'No SIM' !!!

It appears that the process has freed me of the chains of Orange/EE but chained me to the other network provider instead!

The Orange/EE SIM is okay, as it works in another unlocked phone, but why can't I get the iPhone to now accept any SIM ... and why has it locked to the other network provider (o2)?

Is there any way to rescue the situation and allow my iPhone to use both SIMs???
 
Nope I'm using it perfectly in a little Samsung 'make-do' phone.
 
My understanding is that iPhones can either be unlocked so that they lock to the next Sim (this might also only apply with a brand new iPhone) or that they can be truly properly be unlocked. When I spoke to Orange, they said that they charge just over £ 20 to unlock - did you pay this?
It does rather sound as if you need to speak to Orange.
 
Yes I paid the £20 ... talking to Orange about anything 'unusual' is like pushing wet porridge up hill!
 
whilst it is raining down heavily on you............I know exactly what you mean. Unfortunately, I do think that you will need to speak to them.
 
I thought iphones from 4s automatically locked to the first sim you put in when you unlocked them or when you first had them? They can't be genuinely sim free these days. You have to get them unlocked each time so if you're a sim swapper they're useless. I think the 4 is the last one that could be properly sim free.
 
It is a 4 not a 4s :)
 
Is it running ios7? That may have introduced this feature, so again you could be knacked...

It's also worth trying another sim from another phone that you know works in case your orange sim has decided to die at an inconvenient moment even though it works ok in another phone. I've had that issue with orange sims. Works ok in one phone but not the very unlocked phone I wanted to use it in. A new sim fixed it.
 
Last edited:
srichards said:
I thought iphones from 4s automatically locked to the first sim you put in when you unlocked them or when you first had them? They can't be genuinely sim free these days. You have to get them unlocked each time so if you're a sim swapper they're useless. I think the 4 is the last one that could be properly sim free.
Click to expand...

This is only true for "sim free" purchases from CarPhoneWarehouse.

Roger, I suggest you try a back up and do a complete restore in iTunes. There is only one type of unlock processed by Apple which is all unlocked.

If it works with the new sim it would point to the old Orange sim having a fault, it is possible for a sim to work in one phone and not another, I have an Ornage SIM card that will only work in one handsets and no other.

You can check that Orange works by trying another sim, if you don't have one drop me a PM and I'll put one in the post to you.
 
A contact suggested that I switch 'Airplane Mode' on and off ... I did an lo and behold I can now use my Orange/EE SIM :banana:
 
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