Can all iphones be unlocked

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Hi all

Looking to buy a refurb Iphone 11 from CEX. Im with 02 but they dont have one on the 02 network at the price I was looking to pay.

They have them on Vodafone and EE.

So, can all iphones be unlocked? Is it easy? Cheap?

I am of the belief this is totally legal and would not invalidate any warrenty, correct?
 
I believe they can be unlocked but not sure how you'd do it, normally you'd contact the provider and ask them for a code to unlock the phone (but as you aren't with the network it's locked to I haven't a clue how to contact them), I buy mine from Apple so have never had a locked phone but have seen the answer provided in the MM by people who queried phones for sale.

Not sure if you could go to Apple (not during lockdown though) and get them to unlock it as I think they would think it's been nicked.
 
eBay code :)

Do you think this would work even if you dont meet the usual criteria?

So for example it seems on EE your device has to be older than 6 months AND you need to have an accout with them (ie you are the original owner, not purchased it via a 3rd party company like CEX). And with Vodafone it says the same... 'Unfortunately, we can't unlock your device if you didn't buy it directly from us, for example, from Carphone Warehouse.'

Do you think the ebay unlock codes work regardless of the above stuff?
 
Do you think this would work even if you dont meet the usual criteria?

So for example it seems on EE your device has to be older than 6 months AND you need to have an accout with them (ie you are the original owner, not purchased it via a 3rd party company like CEX). And with Vodafone it says the same... 'Unfortunately, we can't unlock your device if you didn't buy it directly from us, for example, from Carphone Warehouse.'

Do you think the ebay unlock codes work regardless of the above stuff?
Read the thread I linked, it's exactly the same issue.
 
The new law comes into effect this year - https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofco...ile-firms-banned-from-selling-locked-handsets

You’ll probably have an issue trying to get it unlocked as it “has” to be the original owner who would request to have it unlocked by the carrier - preferably before they leave.

As it’s from CEX* it’s likely (very) to not have been reported stolen, so you should theoretically be able to phone up the originals carrier and request it to be unlocked, still under contract you’re snookered as they can legally refuse to unlock it. The sad thing is, what you’ll find with a lot of these phones is people will take out a 24 month contract at a low monthly tariff and sell them to CEX in order to get cash. :(
 
I've unlocked a used iPhone on Vodafone before. I had to get a pay as you go sim and top it up with some credit. Then after 30 days you can request to have it unlocked for free via a webform on the Vodafone site.
 
The new law comes into effect this year - https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofco...ile-firms-banned-from-selling-locked-handsets

You’ll probably have an issue trying to get it unlocked as it “has” to be the original owner who would request to have it unlocked by the carrier - preferably before they leave.

As it’s from CEX* it’s likely (very) to not have been reported stolen, so you should theoretically be able to phone up the originals carrier and request it to be unlocked, still under contract you’re snookered as they can legally refuse to unlock it. The sad thing is, what you’ll find with a lot of these phones is people will take out a 24 month contract at a low monthly tariff and sell them to CEX in order to get cash. :(
I know a chap who has at least 4 different phone contracts at any one time. He gets the most expensive phone, sells it on ebay to early adopters and just uses the contract as a loan..
Very odd
 
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