iPad not recognised by EE so can’t unlock!

[DonnieSparko]

Hi, I have a 4th Gen iPad Pro that I got through EE. It is out of contract and I got a free data SIM from Virgin that I wanted to use in it. When I try it is locked to EE.

Trouble is when I put the IMEI into the EE site it tells me it’s not one of their devices which of course it is.

What can I do? I don’t want some dodgy unloving place to do it so is this a long call to Customer Services?

Thanks,

Simon

[Ali_A]

@steviejones133 

You can find the steps at the link I posted above- How do I complete the unlock process on my iPhone or iPad. 

Ali 

[steviejones133]

I have followed those steps 1 to 3 and the iPad checks for updates, connects to WiFi, then tries to activate my Sky SIM but keeps coming back with not supported.

I have also tried restoring network settings to no avail, tried restoring the iPad back to factory and trying again with no success - as I say, as soon as the Sky SIM is installed, the iPad just loops through the above process of checking for updates, connecting to WiFi and finally tells me the SIM isn’t supported.

I have reposted the image from my last post with sensitive info redacted.

[Ali_A]

That's great, thanks for confirming you've already tried those steps @steviejones133

Sounds like the unlocking may not yet be updated on Apples servers. 

I appreciate it's not ideal, but at this stage the only option would be to ask the original owner to get back in touch and request the unlocking to be resubmitted to Apple. 

Ali 

[steviejones133]

This is messaging between the seller and myself - she says EE were now seeing it as unlocked on their end……and my SIM is unlimited calls & texts & 80gb data so that shouldn’t be an issue…..

Ive just done yet another factory reset and set up again and still not supported 

[Ali_A]

@steviejones133 

Thanks for the details. 

If It is now showing as unlocked from our side, and the Customer Service team have checked this with the Apple Service to confirm it's "Ready for Unlock", I'd recommend getting back in touch with Apple to see if they can help further with the tablet. 

Has the previous owner checked the device is not blacklisted? 

Ali 

[steviejones133]

Looks like Apple finally removed their activation lock this morning as when I tried again this morning I was prompted to sign into the iCloud account to be used with this iPad - cellular now working and network shown as Sky. 😄.

[steviejones133]

Surprised to get an email from EE’s [email protected] today as per below. Saying the iPad was never locked, but the unlock date (clearly shown as today) was the day I finally got this damn iPad unlocked from EE.

Way to go EE. Claim it was never locked, deny all responsibility about it being locked, deny that it was an EE iPad and finally when you got around to sending my “unrecognised by you” IMEI to Apple, miraculously it becomes unlocked. 

Funny how the unlock date shown below was today…….

Obviously, prior to Apple removing the network lock, this was the message I was constantly seeing - to contact the network provider, which I did with constant denial it was EE locked.