IMEI barred iPhone 4S - using abroad

peejay1986

Long story short, my girlfriend bought a phone and it turned out to be part of a mobile insurance scam. The phone was reported stolen and it no longer works here. The phone was locked to Vodafone Ireland.

Stupid mistake, should've been more careful and will know better in the future. However, need to move on and try and get something from this.

My girlfriend's family live in England and it just so happens that her mother is looking for a new phone. Our plan is to give her this phone as a birthday present, so long as we can be sure it will work on a UK network.

We had the phone unlocked (I think!) in a local store, however I still can not select a different carrier. We were in Newry at the weekend and tried with an 3 UK sim, but it was showing 'No Service' before switching to 'Invalid SIM'.

Anyone any ideas on (a) whether this iPhone sounds as if it's now unlocked and (b) whether the phone would work in the UK?

Any help would be hugely appreciated. This situation is such a mess. I'd like it over with at least some form of positive outcome.

guil

Looks like it isn't unlocked.

peejay1986

guil wrote: »

Looks like it isn't unlocked.

Ah. That's my fear.

Is it even possible to unlock a barred phone? Once unlocked am I able to change the carrier?

jaymcg91

A barred phone is the equivalent of trying to use a brick as a phone. Absolutely useless. This is why I'd never buy a second hand iPhone, way too easy to be scammed, just to save a few quid.

If you bought it on eBay maybe raise a dispute with PayPal, if it was in cash...harsh lesson learnt .

Mourinho

It would work in another country. I'm just not sure on how Ireland and the UK works though, I think an Irish blocked phone works I the UK, I think.....

peejay1986

Mourinho wrote: »

It would work in another country. I'm just not sure on how Ireland and the UK works though, I think an Irish blocked phone works I the UK, I think.....

Yeah, that's what I'm getting told by most but not had any joy with this one in on UK networks so far.

I'm still not able to select a CARRIER so, in my uneducated opinion, it's not been unlocked. Surely after being unlocked I could select a carrier? I'm an Android user myself so not entirely sure how iPhones function in this sense.

FourFourRED

Getting an "Invalid Sim" message indicates the phone is locked to a different network.

Mourinho

peejay1986 wrote: »

Yeah, that's what I'm getting told by most but not had any joy with this one in on UK networks so far.

I'm still not able to select a CARRIER so, in my uneducated opinion, it's not been unlocked. Surely after being unlocked I could select a carrier? I'm an Android user myself so not entirely sure how iPhones function in this sense.

It actually sounds like it's not properly unlocked. The lads here have good experiences from some eBay sellers who do unlocking remotely hopefully someone will post a link to one for you.

naasrd

jaymcg91 wrote: »

A barred phone is the equivalent of trying to use a brick as a phone. Absolutely useless. This is why I'd never buy a second hand iPhone, way too easy to be scammed, just to save a few quid.

If you bought it on eBay maybe raise a dispute with PayPal, if it was in cash...harsh lesson learnt .

I've bought around 8 2nd iPhone's on adverts over the years, never, ever had a problem. Cop on and common sense is all that's required.

peejay1986

Mourinho wrote: »

It actually sounds like it's not properly unlocked. The lads here have good experiences from some eBay sellers who do unlocking remotely hopefully someone will post a link to one for you.

That'd be great. If someone could point me towards this, I'd really appreciate it.

naasrd

peejay1986 wrote: »

That'd be great. If someone could point me towards this, I'd really appreciate it.

Just have a search on eBay. There's a few who do it. Takes 2 or 3 days, just check their ratings and you'll be fine. Not sure though if a blocked imei can be unlocked. Let us know how you got on.

sdanseo

You're missing the fairly large point that you have someone else's stolen phone.

The right thing to do would be to hand it over to the network and let them give it back to its rightful owner.

challengemaster

sdanseo wrote: »

You're missing the fairly large point that you have someone else's stolen phone.

The right thing to do would be to hand it over to the network and let them give it back to its rightful owner.

Very little point, afaik networks don't un-block the IMEI even if its handed back.

naasrd

challengemaster wrote: »

Very little point, afaik networks don't un-block the IMEI even if its handed back.

Yes, it's a fairly straight forward process. Sdanseo is quite right, we got carried away here. There is a victim to all this, the original phone owner.

GhostInTheRuins

It should work in another country all right.

Years ago I was given an iPhone 3G from a relative that lives in the UK. I never had any problems with it until I went up north and I couldn't get it to connect to any networks.

It turns out my relative bought it in a pawn shop, so it was probably stolen and then blocked in the UK.

It sounds like your phone is still actually locked to a specific network though.

peejay1986

sdanseo wrote: »

You're missing the fairly large point that you have someone else's stolen phone.

The right thing to do would be to hand it over to the network and let them give it back to its rightful owner.

To be honest, that point has recently been on my mind. My initial thinking was that the phone was that of the conman. He had a phone, sold it, got money and then claimed for a new phone.

I was so angry and that I never thought it could be someone else's. Just assumed it was his.

naasrd

peejay1986 wrote: »

To be honest, that point has recently been on my mind. My initial thinking was that the phone was that of the conman. He had a phone, sold it, got money and then claimed for a new phone.

I was so angry and that I never thought it could be someone else's. Just assumed it was his.

You could be right.