If you are wondering why will you ever need an Orange UK Full IMEI Check, there are two main situations when an IMEI Check Report is crucial:
- Before buying a second-hand iPhone or Android device
- Before Network Unlocking your cell phone
About Orange UK
Orange UK was launched in 1993 in Great Britain. In 2000 was purchased by France Telecom and in 2010 it was merged (alongside T-Mobile UK) with EE. Since February 2015 you can’t get a new Orange UK contract and if you wish to continue with this Mobile network you will have to upgrade to EE. Customers can also choose to remain to the existing Orange UK arrangement as long as they want. (source)
So, year by year orange devices fall off but there are still many used smartphones that remain simlocked to the Carrier. If you buy a second-hand iPhone or Android Smartphone from the UK, there is still a good chance you are buying an orange UK locked mobile.
What is the Orange UK Full IMEI Check service
In fact, I am talking about Full IMEI Checker, a service which applies to all Wireless Networks. The only requirement is the IMEI number of the mobile you want to check. You can easily find it by calling *#06# or by going to device’s general settings.
Carriers and phone manufacturers have special Databases where every info about all mobiles is stored by the IMEI number. Verified IMEI Check providers have authorized access to these databases and get you every detail about the cell phone you are interested in.
What do I get with an Orange UK Full IMEI Check report?
The data a Full IMEI Check report provides include the following:
- Carrier Lock Status: Learn if the cell phone is unlocked or SIM locked to a Carrier
- Locking Wireless Network Identification: Which Carrier is locking the mobile. This is the Mobile Network you will have to contact if you need SIM Unlocking services
- Barred/CLEAN Status: When a cell phone has unpaid contract bills, is reported stolen or lost, is replaced or is involved in fraudulent activities becomes barred, or in other words, blacklisted. You won’t be able to use any SIM card with this device unless it becomes CLEAN.
- iCloud Activation Lock Status: iPhones also have the Find My iPhone feature. As long as iCloud Lock is activated, the iPhone can be used only by the person who locked it. Orange UK Full IMEI Check report will save you from the trouble of buying an iCloud Locked iPhone.
- Contract Status: Find out if the smartphone is still under contract with the previous owner
- Financial Balance Status: Pending contract bills can get the mobile in the UK’s Blacklist.
- Warranty Status: Mobiles protected by warranty give original owner the opportunity to report it as lost or stolen or even ask for a replacement even after that person sell this smartphone to someone else. Of course, the cell phone will become barred after this
- Replaced IMEI/Serial Number Status: There is a shady SIM unlocking procedure where someone replaces the smartphone’s motherboard in order to remove the SIM Lock. After a while (maybe a few weeks), Mobile Networks will find it out through their databases and blacklist this phone as replaced. The IMEI check report will show you the original IMEI and Serial Number of the device and of course if they were changed.
How to use the Orange UK Full IMEI Check Report?
There are two categories of people who need this service.
Before you buy a used mobile
If you found an Orange UK refurbished iPhone for example from an online marker, local retailer or personal transaction, you should ask of the device’s IMEI number (and proof that it is the correct one when you have to deal with an online market) and check it with an IMEI Check Service. No one will scam you in buying a problematic refurbished smartphone ever again.
Of course, if you deal with a local market or a person, just ask to put your SIM Card in and try to make a call. If you succeed then the mobile is unlocked but as you saw there are many hidden issues that can simlock it or even flag it as blacklisted.
Before you Network Unlock a smartphone
Every Carrier has its own SIM Unlocking policy. But they will ask you for the info that is included on the Orange Uk Full IMEI Check Report. If you bought a secondhanded Orange UK locked mobile you won’t be able to provide them the correct data otherwise.
Since Orange UK was merged with EE, you must use EE SIM Lock Removal services in order to unlock it. Usually, it takes between 72 hours to 10 days in case they need to contact the manufacturer and get an unlocking code (NUC) and costs 8.99£
You can learn everything about EE SIM Unlocking procedure here.
Where can I find the Orange UK Full IMEI Check Tool?
Certified IMEI Check Providers like UnlockSpector will get you a complete IMEI Check report and if you are too busy to make the SIM unlocking arrangements with the locking Wireless Network, they can even do it for you.
If the IMEI Check report shows that your mobile is not eligible for SIM Unlocking (maybe it is blacklisted or iCloud Locked or there are pending contract bills) then there are trusted Network Unlock providers like iPhone Unlock.Zone which gets in talks with the Carrier or uses other legal means in order to unlock your cell phone.
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