Does this mean my old phone is unlocked?

[Judith]

Just put my new Le Clerc sim card into my old O2 (nokia) mobile, which I thought was probably still locked to O2 though I cancelled my contract last October.  Surprisingly, it worked, though I still had some O2 bits on it (like the help no, and the options for internet access etc).  But the new tel nos I'd put into the Le Clerc sim were there and when I rang the landline here, it rang - though I didn't answer it to check it was me!

So does this mean that I don't need to pay O2 to unlock it (typical - had just started the process, thinking it useful to have a spare handset for OH to use) and that it is now "free" to use again with another provider (also thinking of getting a UK sim for my pending UK trip as previously recommended by this forum).

Also: a supplementary - which may confirm or confuse.  I put the O2 sim into the new Le Clerc handset (bought it because I thought the nokia was still locked and that I did not have time to get it unlocked), and it said "unregistered sim" which is what I would expect (as it isn't), but do I read anything else into it??

Sorry, I'm a bit of mobile novice, and still don't actually like the things!!

[cooperlola]

What you describe does sound to me to be correct if your O2 phone has been unlocked.  The Leclerc phone is responding as it should.

Unlocking should be free after a year (this is normally written into your contract) but I've never heard of it being done automatically as appears to have been the case with you.  Just enjoy your bit of good luck.[:)]

[Judith]

Coops,

Thanks - yes, though I wonder since I did cancel the old contract when I left the UK and I had had the contract since 2001 (!!! - non-one has them that long they said ....!) maybe they are just being kind.

[Théière]

o2 phones were never locked to their network, unlike the others orange etc.

Note if you buy an orange phone to use but with a different sim card as long as you don't switch it on with the orange sim card inside it will not be locked either. They only seem to lock after the sim card is fitted and then turned on.

[AnOther]

[quote user="teapot"]Note if you buy an orange phone to use but with a different sim card as long as you don't switch it on with the orange sim card inside it will not be locked either. They only seem to lock after the sim card is fitted and then turned on.[/quote]Cool tip [8-|]

Wonder if that goes for other providers ?

Locked phones are illegal in France anyway.

[Judith]

[quote user="teapot"]

o2 phones were never locked to their network, unlike the others orange etc.

[/quote]

Now - that's very interesting - as they were going to charge me £12+ to unlock it.  But is probably why it worked.  Thanks

[Judith]

[quote user="ErnieY"]

Locked phones are illegal in France anyway.

[/quote]

But how useful is that if the phone originates in England.  It could well be locked before it arrived in France.

[Ecossais]

O2 Pay As You Go handsets are network locked, Contract handsets are not network locked although they may have network “branding” – for example the O2 bubbles wallpaper.  They may also be configured by default with the settings for O2 WAP and picture messaging although you can change this.  The “hotkeys” on a O2 PAYG will probably be set to dial O2 Voicemail and the top up line etc, but again you can change these.

There is no need to phone O2 for the unlock code as the unlock code will not remove the O2 branding or settings.

Re the message you get on the screen of your Leclerc handset when you put your disconnected O2 SIM into the handset, it suggests the handset may be unlocked – normally you would get a message like “Invalid SIM” if you put another network SIM into a PAYG phone (it varies according to handset make).  Do you have friend who has a phone on a network other than Leclerc – try the SIM from that phone in your Leclerc handset to establish if it is network locked.

[AnOther]

[quote user="Judith"]But how useful is that if the phone originates in England.  It could well be locked before it arrived in France.[/quote]It doesn't but then I was responding to teapots tip about Orange phones [;-)]

EDIT: French Orange that is of course !

[Judith]

Sorry for the confusion folks, I was just speaking metaphorically, not necessarily about my phone.

My O2 phone was a contract one, so that explains that.  Thanks Ecossais, I''ll see what I can do to change the O2 stuff when I have time, but from all the tips and advice here I think the phone must be unlocked (or I could not have used the Le Clerc sim) so thank you all, once again.

EDIT - Today (Mon 4th) rec'd an email from O2 saying they have unlocked my mobile - but since the English is poor (I think they must use non-natives  from the names they use) it may indeed actually mean that it was always unlocked, rather than that they have unlocked.  Thus I may never know, but it does seem that I do have a handset I can now re-use (which is fairly typical as I'd just bought the LeClerc's one in case I couldn't ..!!)