Mobile locked to Orange

[Kwb0712]

Have a Old Sony Ericsson mobile locked to Orange an EE sim-Card won't Register How to fix is it best to get unlocked or do EE still do orange sims?

[James_B]

Hi @Kwb0712,

Welcome to the EE Community. 🙂

Please get in touch with Customer Care for help with unlocking your Orange phone.

Thanks

James

[XRaySpeX]

Where did you yourself get this device itself originally? Did you buy it yourself new direct from EE/Orange or from a 3rd-party reseller or is it 2nd-hand? The unlocking process & costs are different. Was it originally on contract or PAYG?

[Kwb0712]

It was bought from ebay, so it's 2nd hand and I don't know if it was
contract or PAYG originally .
Regards
Kier.

[James_B]

Hi @Kwb0712,

Our Customer Care Team will be happy to help you unlock your phone if you get in touch.

Thanks

James

[XRaySpeX · Accepted solution]

To unlock a 2nd-hand phone you need to call Customer Services on +44 800 956 6000 (option 2, option 4) to put you in touch with the Unlocking Team to request an Unlock Code. You will be asked for your email addy. They will take payment (of £8.99) from any valid UK bank card.

Once the process has been started you will receive an email from the Unlocking Team to process the unlock. It can take up to 10 days to complete the unlock.

But even so beware that EE could still refuse to unlock it. Many phones sold 2nd-hand have been reported lost or stolen, have been sold by the original owner when under 6 months old without EE's permission or have money owing on them.

If that is the case your only remedy is against whoever you got the phone from.

[shandley1]

I phoned EE a month ago to get an unlocking code. 

It took half an hour to get through on the phone. 

I was told the unlocking team would contact me in 4 days. They didnt. 

I spent another half hour trying to get through to someone at EE.

This time I was told actually the unlocking team would contact me in 10 working days. 

They didn't. 

I then spent another half hour trying to get through to the useless customer service dept. 

They said the unlocking team were mothballed/furloughed/non existent/incommunicado. 

They didn't know what to do so they gave me the email address of the escalation team. 

And told I would be contacted the next day. 

The next day no one contacted me. 

unlocking-escalations@ee.co.uk

I emailed the escalation team. No one emailed back. 

I emailed them again. No one emailed back. 

It is clear this company is manifestly incompetent. They advertise services on their website that they do not actually provide. They are incapable of answering the phone in under ten minutes. And the people who answer the phone say things that are simply not true. 

Do not waste your time or money having anything to do with this company. 

[Katie_B]

Good Afternoon @shandley1. 

Thanks for coming to the community. 

I am so sorry to hear your device is still not currently unlocked. 

I would love to look into this further for you. 

When you have a moment please check your private messages. 

Katie 🙂

[Bunkerbarge]

Just to add a balance, I tried to contact EE yesterday to unlock my very old Orange phone.  After 15 minutes waiting I gave up.

Today I tried the same process and after 10 minutes a gent answered the phone and asked me a few questions.  When it came to the password I was unable to answer as it was set up many years ago by my wife who simply couldn't remember.  I thought that would be the end of it.  I was passed over to a second chap who asked me a number of other questions before agreeing that the unlock key could be sent to me.

Both gents could not have been more helpful despite me not being able to provide the password.  On top of all that because I was the original phone owner, was no longer under contract and it wasn't blacklisted it did not cost me anything.

[Leanne_T]

Thanks for coming to the community and sharing your experience @Bunkerbarge

Have a lovely weekend. 

Leanne.