Contradictory Unlock Information on EE's Unlock Help Page

[doby_p]

I just purchased a used Pixel 5, locked to EE.

Before purchasing I made a quick check about how the unlock procedure works for EE, and was directed to the relevant help article.

At the top of the page it says,

"The following devices are already unlocked, including old devices:

• All Google Pixel devices"

So, I thought great and went ahead with the purchase. 

Now, having made the purchase I went to read more about the procedure to find further down the page it presents contradictory information, 

"Google Pixel phone - [automatically unlocks] 721 days from the day it was activated" 

What?? But I thought it was already unlocked as stated right at the start of the help article??

[mikeliuk]

Hi @doby_p ,

Have you confirmed the device remains locked to EE, and what does EE say when you ask to unlock the device?

[doby_p]

Thanks for your reply @mikeliuk

I've only just purchased it from a website today, I'll have the device sometime in the coming week. The listing said the carrier was EE, with the phrase "EE Only" so that's the only information I have.

I'm just surprised (and annoyed) the information on the help page is so glaringly contradictory. 

[Christopher_G]

Hi @doby_p

All Pixel phones are sold already unlocked.

Could you send me a link to the page where it says after 721 days please? I'll feed that back.

Thanks

Chris

[XRaySpeX]

@Christopher_G : Unlock an EE device to use with another network :

1. The following devices are already unlocked, including old devices:

   • All Google Pixel devices

2. Pay monthly devices

   iPads, iPhones and Google Pixel phones will also unlock automatically - for free - after a certain amount of time: 

   • an iPad or iPhone - 18 months after it was sold (or after it was dispatched, if it was a replacement) 
   • a Google Pixel phone - 721 days from the day it was activated 

[Christopher_G]

Thanks @XRaySpeX.

@Doby-p - I'm going to look into this a bit further to double check which statement is true and look to get the page updated so that it's clearer.

Thanks

Chris

[doby_p]

Thanks @Christopher_G (and @XRaySpeX for linking the page)

I did a bit of digging on the wayback machine and the statement about all Pixels being unlocked appeared on the site within the first few months of this year.

So presumably the 721 day unlock referred to older Pixel devices and should have been removed from the article (or clarified which generations it affects if still relevant). 

I look forward to the clarification anyway. 

[Chris_B]

@doby_p  You can request a device be a unlocked after six months and that’s the rule of locked devices, this 721 days is almost three years that’s the first time I’ve seen that.   The device is unlocked as it’s a pixel device.     

[doby_p]

@Chris_B 

721 days (which is just under 2 years) is for the automatic unlock, the 6 month rule still applied (but you'd have to pay £8.99 to unlock).

Like I said, I'm now pretty sure this only applied to the first few Pixel generations.

[doby_p]

I've now got the phone and my O2 sim works so they are sold unlocked. Thanks everyone.