Been given an iphone 4 by a friend and need to unlock so can use my own SIM

Question

I was given an iphone 4 by a friend but upon putting my SIM in, I realised he'd not unlocked the phone! He isn't able to unlock the phone via his contract (he has a new iphone) because the IMEI isn't showing on his account and it tries to unlock his current (in contract) phone. So, I've read and been told some conflicting advice. Another friend told me she had to pay Apple £50 at a store to unlock her iphone she bought secondhand that was locked. Some other forums are quoting £20+ to have it unlocked, and I've read elsewhere still, that it will cost £9. So I'm confused!! What's right?? Do I need to pay as it's an old phone, no longer on any contract, not registered anywhere (my friend who gave it to me couldn't find it on his account). Do I need to get an EE PAYG SIM and get the iphone registered to me? Will that work? Once I do that, and if I decide I want to go back to my current provider (Vodafone), can I simply request an unlock via the online forms? I shouldn't be tied in to a fixed term if i'm not a customer currently and I used a PAYG SIM, am I right? I'd appreciate some clarification please. It seems that both Apple and EE aren't the easist to get an unlock from! Never had an iphone before so had no idea it was like Fort Knox to get out of!! Thank you in advance - a newbie iphone owner and non EE customer

Answer 1

It costs £8.99 to unlock a device from EE there are a number of options that you might be able to use to get your device unlocked.
But first this.
Only contract devices have to be used for 6 months first before requesting a unlock. PAYG, Sim only or secondhand devices this rule doesn't apply.
1, If you still with EE/Orange/T-Mobile just fill out the unlocking request form with your details. Any phone that was replaced by insurance you will need to let EE know that it was a replacement device if your still in contract. You can also unlock an old device if you have a upgrade device on your account just fill out the request form with your details and the phone number you used with this device. It doesn't matter if you use this number on a new device now.
2, If you already have an account with EE and you have brought/been given a 2nd hand device lock to EE and you would like it unlocked you just need to use your Sim card in the device so the IMEI number gets registered to your account. Once your account has the IMEI number on it you can the fill out the online unlock request form.
3, If you have brought/been given a 2nd hand device and don't have a EE/Orange/T-Mobile account and you don't want to use the EE networks you need to get a PAYG SIM card and set up an account. Top-up the account to £8.99 to pay the unlock fee than fill out the online unlock request form.
(If using a PAYG you must make sure that the £8.99 is on your account when EE take the payment if it's not your device will not get unlocked and EE will not inform you that the unlock request has failed. It's you job to make sure the cedit is there when EE go to take it they will not inform you when there going to take it)
Or
4, A non EE customer can take the device to your local EE store and request the unlock from there it will still cost £8.99 and it still takes 7 to 10 days
5, If you would like a device unlocked and you are no longer with EE/Orange/T-Mobile just fill out the online unlock request form using the number that you used with that device on EE/Orange/T-Mobile. EE will unlock devices that are up to 10 years old that were used on their network. You will still be billed to unlock the device.
6, If you have brought or thinking about buying a 2nd hand device and you are not in the UK you are going to find it very hard to get a device unlocked when you setup an account you need a UK address also you will need to get a PAYG SIM card but you will also need to find away of topping up the account with GBP, if you can not do any of this the device will not get unlocked there are no exceptions.
Click here for the online unlock request form
http://ee.co.uk/help/getting-started/joining-ee/unlocking-your-phone