Selling an iPhone, can the mobile operator block the phone if the bill isn't paid?

[wacattack]

Basically as the title suggests. A friend of mine has had a iPhone bought for her from her boyfriend but just wants to cash it in. However, he has a bit of a reputation for not paying all his bills so she doesn't want to sell it to someone for her boyfriend to not pay the bill and the mobile operator blocks the phone.

The question is, Is it possible for the operator to block a phone when the bill isn't paid even if it is a totally separate sim being used

[Dudders]

Our local phone unlocker always asks his customers if the account has been settled, so I'm guess they can. Not 100% though.

[Stotty]

Most modern smartphones can be blocked to stop insurance fraud.
So im gatherin if u dont pay they will do the same.

[MatJohnson]

Prolly not worth the hastle of blocking, debt collectors would just come round if needed.

[Dudders]

Debt collectors is hassle compared to blocking it? :o:o

[mark christopher]

techniacally the phone is the property of the operator/bill payer till the account /contract is complete, as she is not the legal owner i dont see she can sell it

[Shaun 'TheSheep' Atkinson]

Yes they can. They use the phone's IMEI number to block the phone not your mobile number.

[rondoolaa]

one of my wifes friends always forfeits her bills by not having enough money in her bank, o2 always block her iphone until the bill is paid, she has had it blocked approx 7 times in the 12 months she has owned it and they unblock it everytime she settles her bill

[pro4nut]

techniacally the phone is the property of the operator/bill payer till the account /contract is complete, as she is not the legal owner i dont see she can sell it

almost true Mark, the phone belongs to the network from begining to end of contract they then have the right to request ts return at the end of the contract period.

can they block it, yes in event of unpaid bills, however this will not normally done as an imei block as suggested above is can be tricky to get lifted. it will also only work in the uk.

normal process is to block the sim and then sell the debt to a debt collector. in the meantime black listing the address for the network but not the credit agencies, however a Non paying customer will also lose a lot of points from their credit rating.

HTH

[pro4nut]

Most modern smartphones can be blocked to stop insurance fraud.
So im gatherin if u dont pay they will do the same.

Again almost true.

change to, ALL MOBILE PHONES can be blocked, but only within the uk

[pro4nut]

one of my wifes friends always forfeits her bills by not having enough money in her bank, o2 always block her iphone until the bill is paid, she has had it blocked approx 7 times in the 12 months she has owned it and they unblock it everytime she settles her bill

Actually your wrong, they block her sim not the phone

[pro4nut]

Yes they can. They use the phone's IMEI number to block the phone not your mobile number.

Close, they can block via both if needed, although its not the mobile number but the sim card number that will be blocked