I'm a muppet with technology

[Two_Sheds]

I'm so cross!
I bought a new PAYG Nokia y'day ~ everyone had sold out of the t-mobile version, so I asked Mr Sheds if I could put my own SIM into the Virgin version.
"yes"
~ are you sure?
"yes"

----
Ripped open the box, put my SIM in ... it's locked. Virgin (canny people) charge you £30 to unlock the phone. So my bargain phone will now cost me more than double

I'm sure everyone else in the world already knew this, but I didn't. For an extra £5 I could've got a different model t-mobile handset. I'm so cross, and feel such a muppet for not knowing about this
(I previously put a t-mobile SIM in a Vodafone phone with no locking probs).

[piskieinboots]

You're not a muppett lass - I thought only contract sims were locked

[di]

Two_Sheds..I too am techno muppet,so you may choose to ignore this if you wish!!But there's often signs outside shops that claim they can unlock your phone for a tenner.....not sure how good/reliable they are,but it makes me suspicious that Virgin hike their prices up for something that others can do at a fraction of the price.May be worth looking around?....

[Flytrap]

You may be able to unlock for free. See link below.
Mobile Unlocking: Unlock the Savings for free...



Flytrap

[SarzWix]

For future reference; if a phone has a network logo on it, be it contract or PAYG, chances are that it'll be locked to that network. For that reason, everyone in our family is on Orange so we can all swap phones/use spares.
Di is right though, if you go to a small independent phone supplier they can often unlock them a bit cheaper than the big ones advertise.

Sounds like another boot up the *rse for Mr Sheds

[Two_Sheds]

You may be able to unlock for free.

I tried that - I got 6 different codes to try, with a warning saying I can only try 3 times and then my phone is "hardlocked" and impossible to use

* I bought a code for £3 and it failed. I have one try left

[Two_Sheds]

Virgin hike their prices up for something that others can do at a fraction of the price.

"Vodafone is the only exception from all this (unlock) pricing; its contract customers can get phone unlock codes for free regardless of how far into the contract they are, and so can Pay As You Go customers provided they've been with the network for at least 12 months." (moneysavingexpert dot com)

that explains why I could change my vodafone SIM for free then.

[Capsid]

A colleague gave me their old phone which was T-mobile and I have an O2 SIM. I unlocked it and it works a treat even abroad.

Alternatively, take it back and explain that you are a muppet and get it swapped for the Virgin tariff.

[zazen999]

take it back and explain that you are a muppet and get it swapped for the Virgin tariff.

take it back and explain that Mr 2_Sheds is a muppet and get it swapped for the Virgin tariff

[Two_Sheds]

I can't take it back ... it's all been unwrapped and everything. T3sco are bad at customer service at the best of times ...

I don't want the Virgin tariff. It's 3 times the price of my old T-Mobile tariff

Can I just travel back in time please?

[zazen999]

er...no, sorry.

Unless you know a good doctor who can take it back for you.

[lynda66]

i bought a t mobile mobile last week, bargain at a tenner .... does nothing but phone and text .... perfect ...... asked them in the shop about unlocking and they said it would take 3 months lol .... so took it into an unlocking shop paid them a tenner now works with my o2 sim card no problem ....... take it into a shop they will be able to do it.

i'd still be inclined to take it back to the shop, even if you've unwrapped it, it still hasn't been used ...... good luck xx

[BrideXIII]

I can't take it back ... it's all been unwrapped and everything. T3sco are bad at customer service at the best of times ...

I don't want the Virgin tariff. It's 3 times the price of my old T-Mobile tariff

Can I just travel back in time please?

yep take in back anyway, cant hurt to try

[nerobot]

If you haven't yet paid that daft price yet, there is an alternative: most market places and high streets will have somewhere that you can take your phone and get it unlocked. Done it a few times and last time it cost me about £7 (prices can be very different through). It's completely legal and only takes about 10 minutes.

Steven

[shirlthegirl43]

I will alert Madmax to this thread when he gets in from work. I am sure I recall him saying they are not allowed to lock the handsets any more. (He also may have software to unlock the phone but no promise on that)