Unlocking iPhones

Being a techno dinosaur (I don't own a mobile phone) I'm looking for advice.  My sister-in-law is currently in 14 day quarantine in Sydney after returning last week to Australia from Texas where she has resided for the last 15 or so years.  She has been diagnosed with in-operable cancer so the future is not great.  Anyway she failed to ensure her iPhones were unlocked by her US service provider prior to leaving the US and now they don't work after inserting new SIM cards.  I have Googled 'unlocking iPhones' and there appear to be options available but I'm not sure whether these are scams. 

Any advice / recommendations welcome.         

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scotto's picture

Posts: 2470

Date Joined: 21/04/08

check

Mon, 2021-03-22 11:31

 I'm not 100% sure USA phones work in Aus.  I believe they use different frequencies? 

davewillo's picture

Posts: 2398

Date Joined: 08/09/16

 I bought a Blackberry for my

Mon, 2021-03-22 12:15

 I bought a Blackberry for my daughter from the US years ago pre-smartphones and that worked fine.

Sorry can't help on the unlocking but I'll ask our IT guys.

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 PGFC member and lure tragic

Posts: 1086

Date Joined: 21/05/12

 i had a optus locked phone

Mon, 2021-03-22 13:38

 i had a optus locked phone unclocked to telstra

was done by 1 of these in the shopping centre small phone kiosks  - like the blokes who fixes shoes

failing that i have a iphone 6 - it hink its  6- not new but it does everything it should-  i  can donate to a worthy cause

 

Alan James's picture

Posts: 2223

Date Joined: 30/06/09

New iPhone

Mon, 2021-03-22 16:03

The family have since organised for a new iPhone to be delivered to her in quarantine tomorrow.  Once she's out we'll see if the phone kiosk outlets, (good idea), can help unlock the iPhones she brought in from the US.  I would like to thank you for the very generous offer but all being well she's sorted.

As she has been out of the country for sometime she has no australian bank account, medicare card, tax file no. etc for ID purposes and this is providing other challenges that the family don't really need at this time.

 

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davewillo's picture

Posts: 2398

Date Joined: 08/09/16

 Our IT guys said you need to

Mon, 2021-03-22 14:43

 Our IT guys said you need to contact the US provider and request they unlock it. I'm sure there's an easier way but I don't know what it is!

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Alan James's picture

Posts: 2223

Date Joined: 30/06/09

..

Mon, 2021-03-22 15:43

It is my understanding that the unlocking by the US provider needs to be done within country and she's not about to return to US.  Thanks for asking.

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davewillo's picture

Posts: 2398

Date Joined: 08/09/16

 No worries Alan

Wed, 2021-03-24 16:00

 No worries Alan

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 PGFC member and lure tragic