iPhone Locking to Network

Squink · 24 Sep 2018 at 20:34

I have a new iPhone, bought at full price from John Lewis. I’m using it with a Vodafone contract sim, which has another few months left to run.

Will my phone now be locked to Vodafone and if so, will there be any hoops to jump through in order to get it unlocked?

Google was vague in its response.

Alpherah · 24 Sep 2018 at 21:03

I think the only vendor that still locks to first network is mobiles.co.uk so you should be fine.

If you pass an apple store ask if they can check the imei in mobile genius as it will show the activation policy

Squink · 25 Sep 2018 at 09:20

Ok thanks - I'll be passing an Apple shop in a couple of days and might ask then.

MrRockliffe · 25 Sep 2018 at 09:23

From John Lewis, all iPhones are unlocked, and stay that way

Terminal_Boy · 25 Sep 2018 at 09:24

MrRockliffe said:
From John Lewis, all iPhones are unlocked, and stay that way

Any iPhone purchased sim-free at full RRP should be unlocked.

MrRockliffe · 25 Sep 2018 at 09:29

Terminal_Boy said:
Any iPhone purchased sim-free at full RRP should be unlocked.

Yeah they should be, but I can only vouch for JL having worked there myself.

I didn't want to categorically say yes everywhere it'll be unlocked, as I have a feeling iPhones from CPW lock to the first sim.

Alpherah · 25 Sep 2018 at 09:52

Terminal_Boy said:
Any iPhone purchased sim-free at full RRP should be unlocked.

Up until about 3 months ago full price from car phone warehouse locked to first sim put inside

Squink · 25 Sep 2018 at 12:25

Alpherah said:
Up until about 3 months ago full price from car phone warehouse locked to first sim put inside

I remember reading (several years ago) that all shop-bought iphones locked to the first network and I was feeling aggrieved at the thought that Vodafone might have some kind of say over which carrier I used. It sounds as if I have nothing to worry about.

mrochester · 26 Sep 2018 at 06:28

Alpherah said:
Up until about 3 months ago full price from car phone warehouse locked to first sim put inside

Yeah shops such as CPW were selling stock designated for contract sales as ‘sim free’, presumably because they could make more profit from that. The downside was that these contract designated phones then locked to the first sim installed into the phone. Very sneaky move by CPW.