A question on the actual process of unlocking as much as anything I guess. I cannot find anything definitive online that answers it:
If I have a UK iPhone that is locked to a UK network, and the phone resides abroad (in the USA in this instance) and the carrier to whom it is locked is willing and able to unlock it for me, can it be unlocked remotely while the phone is in the USA? Does the phone have to log in to the network on which it is locked in order for it to receive it's unlock or is it handled by other means?
I am a little naive on this subject and don't know whether the status of the IMEI is updated with Apple centrally, or whether the process of unlocking by the carrier pushes a new profile to the phone?
Yes it can be done anywhere world wide as long as it can connect to the internet. Once its been unlatched from apple servers simply connect to iTunes or insert different sim card and it can do it over wifi or cellular. You simply activate it again.
Simon
Great stuff, thank you.
Yes I've also done this whilst abroad with a UK phone and company. ( O2)
Only thing to add is it can take a few days. I was told leave it for at least 3 but I got bored and tried every 12 hours. Mine worked after about 1 day. If the phone has been reported lost or stolen or it's tied to an existing contract it won't work. Effectively, that's the apple database that is being checked. Good luck.
All iPhones will talk to Apple's activation server to find out if the phone has a network lock.
When the phone is unlocked it changes the flag on the handsets IMEI number to allow it to use any carrier that what it was originally supplied with.
As its locked to a UK carrier they are your only chance of getting the unit unlocked as Apple cannot and do not unlock phones - If they could i would have unlocked every phone i ever serviced.
Who is the carrier that its locked to, im going to guess EE as they are the biggest pain when it comes to this?
Do you repair iPhones Matt?Originally Posted by mattbeef
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