Unlock iphone 5 - Germany

Hello there,
1,5 years ago I bought a new iphone 5 over the internet. When I now tried to replace it with a new one in the Apple store they told me that my phone was originally a Verizon phone and apparently someone has unlocked it (for other sim uses). The problem I am now facing is, that they would be willing to replace it, however, apparently in the system it says that my phone is still locked. Hence, even if they give me a new Verizon phone it will apparently still be locked and I might not be able to use it in Germany.
Now I am not quite sure (and they couldn't tell me in the apple store) what it actually means if the phone is locked - does it only refer to sim lock or is there also another type of locking the phone?
In either way, could anybody please help me out on how I go about unlocking the new phone?

The only place in Germany to purchase an officially unlocked iPhone is directly from Apple...no where else. So, have your friend go to an Apple store.
Bear in mind, this phone's warranty/support will only be valid in the EU & the phone will only support LTE in the EU.

Similar Messages

  • Unlocked iPhone from T-Mobile does not work in Switzerland

    I'm extremely annoyed. I bought myself a *so called unlocked* iPhone in Germany for 999 Euro and now it does not work with a Swiss SIM card. When I try to make calls via dialing or when i try to read text messages (sms) the phone and the sms application will crash. Calling the different helplines ends up in the same resutls: Apple care blames either Swisscom or T-Mobile, T-Mobile blames either Swisscom or Apple and Swisscom blames Apple or T-Mobile...
    In the end however, I can't get rid of the feeling that the problem could be solved by a very simple software update, because I've seen hacker reports on the internet claiming they were able to solve the problem by changing a few settings. I don't want to be forced to hack my legally bought so called unlocked iPhone. *When will Apple set the "unlocked" iPhone really free?*

    Hi Pete,
    welcome to the club! A you can see from this thread
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1260589&tstart=0
    you are not the only one. It seems as if the T-Mobile unlocked phones work with any German SIM card, but with non from not-Apple supported countries (like CH).
    Apple support is aware of the problem, as many of us have called them and submitted bug reports, but it remains to be seen, if Apple is interested enough in "us" to provide a solution.

  • Official Unlocked iPhones - Not Cracked

    I believe apple is selling official unlocked iPhones in France. Will this unlocked iphone work in other countries? For example if I purchase unlocked iPhone in France, will it work in Australia?

    There is another post on here from a person who lives in Belgium and works 10 miles away in France. The iPhone works fine with the French Network SIM card installed, but not when they change the SIM to a Belgian network SIM.
    There is another post from a person who purchased the officially unlocked iPhone in Germany to use in Holland (Netherlands). They are experiencing exactly the same problem. With a country specific SIM installed in Germany, their iPhone works flawlessly, yet when the Dutch network SIM is installed, iPhone does not function correctly.
    Ergo, my guess is the official unlocked iPhone requires a country specific network SIM for activation and use.
    This situation is no different to any other mobile phone SIM. I can't take my O2 or 3 SIM card out of my phone and install it into a phone I bought in South Africa and expect it to log into the O2 or 3 network in the U.K. The IMEI of the phone in use would have to be registered to the SIM you are proposing to use on the O2 or 3 network in the U.K. For use abroad, International Roaming would have to be activated on your account in the country of the network providing the SIM card.
    You would therefor have to contact the network in the country the SIM was issued on, register your IMEI of the new handset and activate International Roaming on your account. You would then be able to use the new mobile overseas, piggybacking onto whichever network provides International Roaming support for your originating network, whilst incurring international call rates.
    If I didn't want to incur international call rates, I would have to buy a SIM card from a network in the country I was in and use it in either the new handset or my existing SIM FREE handset.
    Buying an unlocked (are unlocked and SIM FREE the same thing? This could be argued.) handset does not guarantee use anywhere in the world. Whilst most SIM FREE mobile phones can be used with any SIM, it could be argued that releasing an official unlocked phone in one particular country, based on the laws of that specific country, is intended for use exclusively in the country whose laws stipulate unlocking of mobile phones.
    Could I get full functionality and support on say a Treo 750 on a network which doesn't support that particular device? I would say not, hence Network operators/providers run tests on any mobile device they plan to launch to check functionality. Any upgrades to their system are carried out prior to launch of that particular model, to ensure full functionality of the device. Thus some networks offer certain mobile phones, whilst other networks don't.
    This is my understanding of the situation:
    The SIM card, read the small print, is the property of the providing network. If the network you plan to use iPhone on offers iPhone or an iPhone SIM, then it will work.
    iPhone will work properly in a country it has officially been launched in with either, in the case of the locked iPhone, a dedicated network SIM pre-installed and activated with a price plan or in the case of the officially unlocked iPhone, a SIM from a network within the country the unlocked iPhone was sold in.
    In theory, I could go and buy an unlocked iPhone in France. I could use that iPhone in the U.K, however, only on O2 with a price plan (after obtaining an O2 iPhone SIM card) or I could use the iPhone with International Roaming active with any network SIM from a Mobile provider in France, but I would incur International Call Rates.
    What you are trying to do is to get round being charged International Roaming Call Rates. This is only possible if iPhone is used with a SIM card from a mobile operator in a country iPhone has been officially released in.

  • Upgrade unlocked iphone

    Does anyone know if this is possible:
    I was lucky to buy an official unlocked iphone in Germany last year. Of course you can not buy them unlocked anymore. With being registered at apple with this iphone do you think its possible to buy an unlocked 16 GB iphone? and use as i use my iphone right now

    Michel John wrote:
    Does anyone know if this is possible:
    I was lucky to buy an official unlocked iphone in Germany last year. Of course you can not buy them unlocked anymore. With being registered at apple with this iphone do you think its possible to buy an unlocked 16 GB iphone? and use as i use my iphone right now
    No, The only way Apple sells unlocked phones is in France.

  • Can I use the unlocked Iphone 6 in germany (with german card)?

    I am only for 1 year in the us and I want to buy a new iphone but I am not sure if it would work in germany.
    i don't really know much about technics but I heard that you use gsm in europe ...
    can anyone help me ?

    Apple has not announced when or if they will be selling unlocked iPhone in the U.S.

  • Hey Guys I Travel to the States and I am from Germany. I want to buy an iPhone 4S 8GB white Version unlocked GSM. Can I use the iPhone in Germany with every SIM Card?

    Hey Guys I Travel to the States and I am from Germany. I want to buy an iPhone 4S 8GB white Version unlocked GSM. Can I use the iPhone in Germany with every SIM Card?

    As long as you buy from an Apple retail Store (Apple owned ) an unlocked iPhone 4S it will work on GSM services worldwide
    from Apple.com
    If you buy a SIM-free iPhone, you will need to purchase a GSM-compatible micro-SIM separately. When you travel internationally, you can use a micro-SIM card for iPhone 4s from a local GSM carrier.
    The unlocked iPhone will not work with CDMA carriers such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint.
    However the warranty will NOT be valid outside the US .If you need warranty or post warranty service you will have to return the iPhone to the US in person ( cannot mail in to US )

  • If I buy an unlocked iphone 6 in the uk and have a uk sim card in it initially, will i be able to use my german sim card in it when i'm in germany and return back to my UK sim card on my return?

    If I buy an unlocked iphone 6 in the uk and have a uk sim card in it initially, will i be able to use my german sim card in it when i'm in germany and return back to my UK sim card on my return?

    Yes. But make sure you buy it at an Apple Store. Other stores selling SIM free iPhones will sell those that will usually lock to the carrier whose SIM is used to first activate the phone. Then you will be stuck.

  • The Apple store sell unlocked IPhone 5 in Germany?

    The Apple store sell unlocked IPhone 5 in Germany?

    http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&ei=YYOrUMH6E_La4QTJz4 DICA&hl=en&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dapple%2Bstore%2Bgermany%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafar i%26tbo%3Dd&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&sl=de&u=http://store.apple.com/de/browse /home/shop_iphone/family/iphone5&usg=ALkJrhi8zepQa0d7iT8fQJTrVF9aixexUQ
    According to the German apple site - yes

  • Is unlocked iphone 5 available in US, UK or Germany now?!

    I am in Dusseldorf, Germany on a short business trip.  I want to buy unlocked iphone 5 here or from US or UK as I have friends who travel to UK and US weekly and bi-weekly. 
    I want to buy unlocked iphone 5 - is it available now?!
    Please let me know. 

    The iPhone 5 is available unlocked in the UK at Apple stores (that is, if you can get your hands on one).  Keep in mind, however,  that the warranty on the iPhone is NOT international.  If you need service on the phone, you'll need to return to the UK for service,

  • Used unlocked Iphone from USA in Germany

    Hello Guys! I have a question about an used unlocked iphone! A friend of mine stay's for one year in the USA till June and asked me, if it is allowed to buy an already used unlocked iphone in the USA and to use it afterwards in Germany! Does it work then? Greetings Philipp

    If officially unlocked, yes.

  • Can I use officially unlocked iPhone in different countries?

    I'm moving to Rome with my job for eight months, then on to Chicago for four months, then back to London. I'm trying to find out if I buy an unlocked Pay as You Go iPhone in one of the various EU countries selling manufacturer unlocked units (France, Germany, Italy, etc) , will it work in each country if I switch to that country's telecom's Sim cards.
    The blogs and iPhone dedicated websites are full of opinions but no one seems to have definitive experience doing this. Some users say it should work, others say the EU iPhones are unlocked for the specific country of purchase but will not work with another country's telecom's Sim cards. The Apple Stores will not confirm any usage outside their own country. Similar response from the relevant telecoms. The Apple Support pages do not make any reference to cross country usage beyond roaming.
    A privately unlocked iPhone is an option but I prefer an official unlock so there are no hassles. Not looking for opinions here - can find more than enough on the internet. I'm looking for actual first hand experience using these officially unlocked iPhones between countries.

    Thanks for the correction on the relevant carriers. Looking at the European options: Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, and Czech Republic should work based on details from Apple's carrier list.
    Before I buy I would like to confirm someone has actually purchased an unlocked iPhone in either Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg or Czech Republic and used it with Sim cards from another country.

  • Unlocked iPhone 5 keeps searching for signal overseas

    Sorry if this has been answered previously, but I could not find anything to my particular issue. I have an unlocked iPhone 5 that worked just fine in the US however, I am now stationed overseas and have purchased a contract from T-Mobile in Germany. When the new SIM card was initially inserted, the phone recieved signal and worked just fine. About an hour or two after the phone working, it began cycling through "Seaching..." and "No Service" continuously. T-Mobile would not try a new SIM card due to the current one apparently being just fine (they took mine out of my phone and put it in another iPhone and it worked). So they claim that it is either an iOS or hardware issue, which it very well may be. I have tried all the little 'tricks' found all around threads such as; turning airplane mode on and off, force reset(home and power button held together), system restore, reset network settings, and reset all settings. All to no avail. My old AT&T SIM still works just fine over here and connects to the networks over here just fine however, I have been told several times that it's a iOS or hardware issue. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

    Go back to T-Mobile and demand new SIM card. You are paying for cell sevice if they cannot provide it, then cancel T-Mobile. I am sure they will give you functioning SIM Card.

  • Hi I want to buy an unlocked iPhone 5in the Middle East. I want to know if I will be able to use my iPhone and all its applications when we go back to live in the US for long term.

    Hi I want to buy an unlocked iPhone 5 in the Middle East. I want to know if I will be able to use my iPhone and all its applications when we go back to live in the US for long term.
    Thank you

    Apple Online Store sells unlocked iPhone in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium (French, Dutch), Brazil, Canada (English, French), China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong (English, Chinese), Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland (French, German), Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and United States.
    You can probably be absolutely sure any other source will be carrier locked
    It also appears that only Zain offer unlocking (of all the ME carriers )  in Jordan and Bahrain
    A ME iPhone 5  ( A1429 GSM )will not  work on US LTE when you return 

  • HT1807 got an unlocked iphone 4s bt it asks for activation required via a wifi or mobile network each time i put a new sim. wat if i put in a sim which doesnt have 3g and i dnt have any wifi around me? how do i activate it then?

    I am living in uk at the moment and i have an unlocked iphone 4s. Each time i put a new sim in it a message appears saying ''Activation Required''. When i slide the unlock bar it asks to choose a wifi network or a mobile data network. So far this hasnt been a problem coz i always found a wifi network around me or the mobile data network worked fine. Now the problem is I am moving back to my country Bangladesh in couple of days. And back there wifi isnt a very available thingie. And mobile data network is very hard to connect. So if i put on a Bangladeshi mobile service sim in my phone how do i activate it without the wifi or mobile data network? Please some help asap would be much appreciated.

    Hi Allan,
    Sorry for the rant up there..   Thanks for your quick response.  I couldn't get to an Apple store and can't order anything from the States that contains Lithium ION batteries -- no U.S. Postal Services will deliver these to us anymore.  Target sold this to me as an unactivated Sprint phone.  I never activated it through Sprint in the States and just took it to Germany with me.  I updated to vs.6.0 via ITunes and without the Sprint SIM Card installed.  The IPhone is now accessible (Apps, Settings, etc., to be able to check firmware, et al., settings.  However, I can't tell if it's unlocked (since I upgraded the version without the Sprint SIM Card installed) until I go to the local cell phone shop and stuff in a BASE (provider) SIM card and test it out.  Is there a way to tell whether or not the phone is unlocked without a SIM card in it?  I don't think there is....

  • Can I use a foreign SIM card in my unlocked iPhone 4s?

    I Bought a second hand iphone 4s which was on Vodafone, then was unlocked for me by Vodafone to use on T-Mobile in the UK. I am moving to Germany in 2 weeks and want to know if I can use my unlocked iPhone with a German SIM card as my main phone? I don't want to have to buy another iPhone! Any help gratefully received!

    For what it's worth - I travelled to the US for a one year period and I lived in California. The reply above is correct in stating that AT&T or T-Mobile are your only options.
    To be honest, all you need is voice calls that aren't roaming as WiFi is pretty freely available - at least it was wherever we went.
    You could just get a PAYG Sim card from one of the above providers - it was relatively inexpensive for us to use for a year so it should be perfectly adequate for you to use for three weeks.
    Yes - there won't be data over Edge or 3G but as I said, WiFi is readily available.
    The only issue will be converting an ordinary PAYG Sim into a Micro Sim for your iPhone 4. There are lots of videos showing how easy it is to cut one down - I guess you just want to make sure that it doesn't get stuck in the phone!
    The other simpler option would be to leave your UK SIM in place and just turn off data roaming so you can only use WiFi. Then go and buy yourself a cheap PAYG phone from a Target or Walmart or similar. T-Mobile charged us $25 per PAYG SIM from their store whereas we realised we could get the same SIM with a cheap Nokia handset for $20 from the supermarket.
    That way, you only need to make sure that you don't use your UK number for calls etc as US roaming isn't cheap.
    Hope this helps.

Maybe you are looking for