iPhone Locking to Network

[Squink]

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]

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]

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

 

[MrRongCar]

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

 

[Terminal_Boy]

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

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

 

[MrRongCar]

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]

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]

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]

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.