iPhone officially switches from O2 UK to Orange UK after restore!!!

Chris344 · 4 Nov 2009 at 20:50

I can’t believe what has just happened!

I am now factory locked on another carrier!

My partner's 3G has been locked to O2 from out of the box from new but I had JB'ed and unlocked it. iPhone was on 3.0 so I updated to 3.1.2 via iTunes this evening.

When the phone switched back on it activated in iTunes then downloaded a carrier update, as Orange UK are about to start selling iPhones from next week I believe my partner's iPhone is now factory locked to Orange UK rather than O2 UK as I got full reception and haven’t even ran any other "tools" as of yet! Just tried an O2 sim and now states invalid sim inserted!

Now I’m only going to JB and not apply the unlock. My theory is Apple are going to ship O2 devices and simply change the lock status within iTunes on first activation depending on the sim card used!

I will try my 3GS as I'm on 3.1 JB and soft unlocked also on Orange UK pay monthly. Can anyone else try this?

UPDATE!

Just did the same on my 3GS and it is now factory locked to Orange rather than O2!

I restored the 3G to 3.2.1. After the iTunes restore the phone displays "Connect to iTunes" I connect it and it then says "Activated" and Orange UK was showing, this is without using any "tools".

This happened on both phones. I've only JB'ed not unlocked and both are fully working on 3.2.1 officially on Orange UK with full servies. My options have gone for editing the "Cellular data settings" under network.

Both phones are fully working without having applied a software unlock.

Means apple are selling the phones locked and activate depending on what sim card you use.

Please try this and let me know!

ethan · 4 Nov 2009 at 22:34

You mean can anyone wanting to change to orange from 02 try it lol

Stellios · 4 Nov 2009 at 22:37

Brilliant!, I dont own an Iphone but thats very useful to know

MeatLoaf · 5 Nov 2009 at 11:08

Not very good if youre on 02 tho is it if your phones magically locked to orange :confused:

rsatd · 5 Nov 2009 at 11:21

That will teach you to mess with locked hardware

Dolph · 5 Nov 2009 at 11:24

Unauthorised software modification goes wrong shocker?

Wicksta · 5 Nov 2009 at 11:28

Doesn't sound like anything went wrong to me if you read the post - sounds like his missus was on Orange and when he restored the phone he didn't need to unlock it anymore after the carrier update. If he restored it again with an O2 SIM I assume it would go back to being locked to O2, that's what it sounds like he means anyway.

Chris344 · 5 Nov 2009 at 13:01

Wicksta said:
Doesn't sound like anything went wrong to me if you read the post - sounds like his missus was on Orange and when he restored the phone he didn't need to unlock it anymore after the carrier update. If he restored it again with an O2 SIM I assume it would go back to being locked to O2, that's what it sounds like he means anyway.

Exactly right. If I now restore with an O2 Sim it is then relocked to O2.

This indicates that Apple will not sell different versions with different locks.

Oh Ed not again. · 5 Nov 2009 at 13:04

I wonder if this would work with Vodafone too...?

Chris344 · 5 Nov 2009 at 15:02

randal24 said:
I wonder if this would work with Vodafone too...?

In the new year yes!

Oh Ed not again. · 5 Nov 2009 at 16:12

So essentially Apple would be unlocking existing iPhones for free to the 3 major networks based on them doing a restore?

Interesting. Legally unlocked iPhones...!

Chris344 · 5 Nov 2009 at 21:12

randal24 said:
So essentially Apple would be unlocking existing iPhones for free to the 3 major networks based on them doing a restore?

Interesting. Legally unlocked iPhones...!

Yes but only unlocked to one network at a time.

jas72 · 5 Nov 2009 at 21:40

or you can buy in Belgium where the phones are not legally allowed to be locked.

Wicksta · 6 Nov 2009 at 00:14

jas72 said:
or you can buy in Belgium where the phones are not legally allowed to be locked.

That's great, until you see it costs about 600 Euros.

Chris344 · 6 Nov 2009 at 08:11

jas72 said:
or you can buy in Belgium where the phones are not legally allowed to be locked.

It's also great until you need it replacing by Apple...

karl01 · 6 Nov 2009 at 20:03

As Anyone else tried to confirm this?

bigredshark · 6 Nov 2009 at 20:07

Chris344 said:
It's also great until you need it replacing by Apple...

I don't know that'd be problem, apple's warranty is worldwide for most things, buy a laptop in the states and you'll have no problem getting it fixed in the uk for instance...

Chris344 · 6 Nov 2009 at 22:02

bigredshark said:
I don't know that'd be problem, apple's warranty is worldwide for most things, buy a laptop in the states and you'll have no problem getting it fixed in the uk for instance...

Not so with the iPhone. Many people have had issues.

LEK-89 · 9 Nov 2009 at 09:42

So if I hooked up my o2 locked iPhone 3G into iTunes with my Orange SIM card, restored using the 3.1.2 firmware and once it is done, iTunes will detect my phone on Orange & download the new Carrier settings and once it has installed on my iPhone it will now be solely locked to Orange? Has anybody else tried this?

Thanks - Liam

Chris344 · 9 Nov 2009 at 11:21

LEK-89 said:
So if I hooked up my o2 locked iPhone 3G into iTunes with my Orange SIM card, restored using the 3.1.2 firmware and once it is done, iTunes will detect my phone on Orange & download the new Carrier settings and once it has installed on my iPhone it will now be solely locked to Orange? Has anybody else tried this?

Thanks - Liam

Yes, correct.

Again at weekend I needed to restore my girlfriends 3G as app's wouldn't load after the back-up restore.

I put the phone in DFU mode, restored firmware. iTunes displayed "Activated" then a carrier update from Apple was ready for download. I should have filmed it.