How to Unlock EE/Orange Phone Free for Any Carrier

Hello, I want to perform EE phone unlock at end of contract, what should I do?

Like the rest of the mobile carrier networks, EE/Orange lock smartphones to their network by default. This means you can’t insert a SIM card from Tesco Mobile, Three, O2, or any other carrier unless you pay a charge, or your contract expires. It’s not impossible to unlock an EE/Orange phone and I’m going to explain everything about the process for you.

Part 1. Things You Need to Know about EE/Orange Phone Unlock

We’ve received a lot of emails from our readers about EE phone unlock. To help you learn better about it, we select several common questions about this.

Q1. Can I Unlock an EE Phone?

It all depends! If your phone is not blacklisted, then you can unlock it without hassles. If it’s blacklisted (reported stolen or lost), you’ll have to unblacklist it first (nearlly impossible for ones to unblacklist a phone) before unlocking.

To check whether your phone is eligible to unlock, use WipeLock IMEI Checker.

Q2. Why Put EE and Orange Together?

First, you might wonder why unlocking EE and Orange are grouped into the same article. This is because in 2010, Orange and T-Mobile combined their companies into one brand. Everything Everywhere, more commonly known as EE.

So, Orange phone unlock is the same as an EE device since they are now the same brand and follow the same network unlocking policy.

Q3. Is it Legal to Unlock EE and Orange?

Yes! There are no legal restrictions in the UK which prohibit users from unlocking EE and Orange devices and you can even purchase an unlock service from the carrier (albeit this is a costly service).

It’s worth remembering that although legal, there are a lot of fraudulent unlock services out there which charge you a hefty fee and don’t actually work. Only stick to reliable and reputable unlock services.

Q4. May I Know the Benefits of Unlocking a Device?

For anyone who’s on the edge about whether to unlock EE phone or not, here are some key benefits:

  • Lets you use the smartphone on any other network
  • Sell old phones without price-reducing limitations
  • Roaming charges are not applied to your phone bill
  • Switch to another carrier with better phone plans

There are so many benefits when you unlock EE phones, these are just the beginning of a long list of reasons why you should unlock your phone from EE/Orange.

Q5. Are EE Phones Unlocked? Will EE Unlock My Phone?

According to EE, all Google Pixel, Oppo, and OnePlus devices are already unlocked. Except for this, all the iPhones sold directly from EE are unlocked after 01 September 2015.

Part 2. How to Unlock EE/Orange Phone without SIM Card?

Don’t worry if you are aiming to unlock EE phone without SIM. SIM cards are tiny pieces of plastic and losing them is really easy to do if you’re not careful. If you find yourself in this situation then unlock services like DirectUnlocks are the exact solution needed.

directunlocks phone unlock

2.1 How can DirectUnlocks help?

  • Unlocks phones from any carrier, not only EE/Orange
  • Effortlessly unlock your phone by letting professionals handle it
  • Permanently unlocks phones (even after factory resets)
  • Fast unlock process that removes the carrier lock in 5 minutes
  • Unlock your EE phone even it’s in contract
  • Money-back guarantee if the carrier lock removal fails
  • Cheaper than paying carriers to remove their lock

Using DirectUnlocks is clearly the way for Orange phone unlock and it’s the method I find to be preferable. Even being as effective as it is, DirectUnlocks isn’t difficult at all.

2.2 EE | Orange Phone (iPhone/Samsung) Unlock

To prove how quick and easy the service is to use, these steps are how to unlock a EE iPhone 7:

Step 1. Head to the EE unlock or Orange Unlock service page.

Step 2. Select the phone you want to remove a carrier lock from, the country the device is in, and enter the phone’s IMEI number.

ee uk unlock form

Step 3. After you click “Continue” the next page will request the required payment amount. Enter payment details as instructed.

Once you successfully pay for the service, you will be able to track your order and you’ll be notified when the phone has been unlocked.

unlock ee uk complete

All you have to do is type in a few of your phone’s details, make a small payment, and a team of experts process the unlock for you. There’s absolutely no doubt in our minds that this is the best way to unlock EE phone without SIM.

Part 3. How to Unlock EE Phone Free (Up to 7 Working Days)

As previously stated, it’s possible to go directly to the carrier (in this case EE) to unlock EE phone out of contract free. Depending on your device there are 2 methods to consider if you want to take this route.

3.1 For Pay Monthly Device

Cases of Free Unlock

Whether your phone is iOS or Android, you could get the unlock for free or the device might already be unlocked without you realizing it. Here’s why:

  • iPhones that are bought directly from EE after 01 September 2015 are automatically unlocked for free 18 months after the purchase
  • All Google Pixel devices, Oppo devices, and OnePlus devices are unlocked
  • Devices that don’t fall into either of those categories require special unlock codes

If you have to request a replacement iPhone/Android smartphone for any reason, the unlock timer is reset. Aside from the free unlock scheme, this is how to unlock a Pay Monthly smartphone.

Unlock Requirements

EE can only unlock your phone when you:

  • have not been blacklisted (reported the device as lost or stolen)
  • have paid your bill up-to-date
  • have had your phone at least six months
  • are the account holder for the device and number
  • are an EE Small Business customer

If you’re not eligible to unlock, DirectUnlocks will help.

EE/Orange iPhone Unlock

Step 1. On a computer go to the EE Unlock Online website.

Step 2. Find your IMEI number by dialing *#06# on your device.

Step 3. Enter your IMEI number and click on “Verify IMEI Number” button.

Step 4. If your phone is eligible to unlock, you’ll be able to proceed to the next step.

Step 5. The rest of the instructions, including payment, will be shown on-screen.

Once you get a message that says your iPhone is unlocked, you can insert another SIM card into your iPhone and use it freely.

Note: if your iPhone has been jailbroken, the unlocking process may damage it.

Other Devices

For other devices (Android), the carrier will generate an EE/Orange phone unlock codes for free, then you can use it to unlock your phone.

Step 1. Visit EE Unlock Device menu.

Step 2. Find & enter your IMEI number.

Step 3. Answer the remainder of the questions to see specific steps.

Step 4. After the above steps, the carrier will generate an EE unlock code for free, but the process will take up to 7 working days.

To use the EE unlock code, you need to insert a SIM card that from another carrier to your phone, then it will ask for a unlock pin. Enter the EE unlock code and then, your phone is unlocked!

sim unlock pin enter

Note

Unlocking a Pay Monthly device, regardless of whether it’s an iPhone or Android, will cost you £8.99 if the contract is ongoing. Fortunately, once the EE phone is out of contract, you can request a free unlock.

3.2 For Pay As You Go or Flex Plan Device

Pay As You Go/Flex Plans have no restrictions on the unlock process and you are able to request the unlock at any time, provided you purchased your phone from EE. This will work for any iPhone or Android smartphone and it’s completely free:

Step 1. Go to the EE Unlock form page.

Step 2. Fill in the details that are requested about your device.

Step 3. Complete the steps that appear to unlock the iPhone/Android phone.

Note

Note that the device must be registered with EE too otherwise unlocking it won’t be a possibility. This isn’t a problem though, to register your phone with EE just give them a call.

3.3 For a Second-hand Phone

This way works for those who didn’t purchase their phones directly from EE. In this case, you’ll need to call EE to get the instructions.

  • From an EE Phone: Call 150
  • From a landline or non-EE phone: Call 0800 956 6000 and select option 2 then option 4.

Conclusion

That wraps up this article on how to unlock EE phone without SIM card as well as unlocking through the carrier you use. Some software solutions claim to be effective for unlocking but don’t let them fool you. they are a waste of time. Similarly, carriers overcharge for removing network locks and that’s why the much more affordable DirectUnlocks is the recommended option.

About the Author

Darren is an Apple Certified Independent Technician with a passion for researching all aspects of phone locks, including Activation Lock, carrier lock, screen lock, FRP lock, and more. With years of experience in the mobile phone industry, Darren has become a leading authority in his field and has been a sought-after consultant for individuals and businesses seeking to unlock their devices.

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