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< Esato Forum Index > General discussions > General > Revisted: iPhone unlocking now it won't be exclusive to O2? Bookmark topic

Hi!

before the iPhone came to UK, we had a topic discussing whether O2, Apple and CPW would have to unlock the iPhone.

Now that the iPhone will no longer be exclusive to O2, this question must surely be asked again as it remains the only phone I am aware of where you cannot get an unlock code from the phone company for a fee. If this remains it will prevent people moving companies with their iPhone once out of commitment and surely there is now no reason for this to be allowed to continue by ofcom?

what do you think?
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Posted: 2009-10-31 20:21:14
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My understanding is that the unlock code is provided by the mobile maker. In this case it is Apple. The phone is locked at Apple before it is sent out to the network in this case O2.

I believe that Apple will also be locking the handset to Orange when it is available on Orange and also locking it to Vodafone when it is available to Vodafone.

From what i remember in France, however Apple was made to provide the handset unlocked. I might be wrong, but I am sure they were made by some French Law.

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Posted: 2009-10-31 21:24:25
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yes, but thats nothing new. phones are generally locked to the provider (well, except vodafone now), but that fact doesn't remove the possibility of them being unlocked and though the manufacturer may provide the code, we get them through the provider



though I have been looking, especially in regards to Vodafone, I haven't seen this written anywhere so I'm curious where you got your info?



...and Italy and others... but that doesn't apply here though technically providers must provide unlock codes when the commitment has ended and at reasonable cost though somehow that hasn't applied to the iphone up till now
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Posted: 2009-10-31 21:31:18
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though I have been looking, especially in regards to Vodafone, I haven't seen this written anywhere so I'm curious where you got your info?


I am made that point because since they have locked it to the network they got an agreement with as in O2, why they would do anything different with Orange and Vodafone. If they do end up making it available unlocked on Orange and Vodafone then one would assume they would end up providing the unlock code to O2.

One has to realise that a 2 year agreement was signed in the UK for the phone to be only made available to the O2 network. Maybe that was the reasoning for the phone to be locked to O2. It makes business sense that for that to be the case, as Apple would not want other networks to use the handset in the UK nor would they have wanted to, as O2 and Apple were in an agreement for O2 to be the sole network. Now that agreement has came to an end, they will either have it locked again to Voda and Orange, to stop (even though it didn't really) people on other networks like t mobile and 3 using the iphone. Or they would simply make the phone available to be unloced. However again i doubt that would be the case, as I am sure Orange and Vodafone would want to be sure that the financial money revenue they will be gaining from the Apple Iphone remains with the relevant network concerned and would not want the handset to be unlocked.


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Posted: 2009-10-31 21:42:39
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but the point of me revisiting this topic was that this is ofcom's position (apparantly unchanged since 2002) is that consumers should be able to unlock their phones once any subsidy is recovered.

Locking is not there to protect networks comericial investment in a product and why should iphone be ay different to any other phone they take into their portfolio? Vodafone phones are currently unlocked, Orange can be unlocked after 3 months, not sure what O2 policy is. so I'm not convinced by the suggestion that because O2 locked the iphone that orange and vodafone will, and really now that other operators will have it, iphone should be no different than any other phone on the market in regards to being unlockable on request

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Posted: 2009-10-31 22:27:50
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perhaps this answers the question of this topic. Its a Times article called "Ask the Boss: Matthew Key, head of O2, answers your questions"

Specifically:

Q: Is there any truth in the rumour that after Orange and Vodafone are able to sell the iPhone you will not allow people to unlock their iPhone, even if they are out of their contract period? If so, how can you justify this action if the customers have paid for the phone over the life of their contract and you will not be the sole carrier? Do you not think this would possibly be illegal under EU law?

A: There is absolutely no truth in that rumour. Once the iPhone becomes available on other UK networks, we will allow O2 customers to unlock their iPhones, although of course they will still need to honour any outstanding contract period they have. At the end of their contract period, they are entirely free to move to another operator — though naturally we hope they won’t want to!

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Posted: 2009-11-01 23:00:08
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thanks to xperia_man for bringing this to my attention...

http://shop.o2.co.uk/update/unlockmyiphone.html


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Posted: 2009-11-09 20:40:36
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does this mean the Orange iPhones will be unlocked as standard!?
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Posted: 2009-11-09 21:26:19
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fatreg i would imagine though. all networks should now be doing them unlocked since O2 are going to be doing it from tomorrow.
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Posted: 2009-11-09 21:29:14
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This is good news... I will be looking to get this done asap...

Cheers
ENJOY
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Posted: 2009-11-09 22:08:18
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