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I think there is a big misunderstanding what locked/unlocked means.

All phones that are made are always assigned to a carrier (yes even the ones that say "Factory GSM Unlocked") to prove that just look up the model of the phone and you will see what carrier it was assigned to.

In order for a phone to have service the company has to know that you want service on this phone.

In the past company's like Sprint and Verizon did not work with a sim card they worked with the id of the phone to recognize what kind of phone / what carrier it was assigned to. This is know as CDMA. Yet company's like att/t-mobile did that too but the service was applied by using a sim.

Once LTE came out for what ever reason all company switched to the "Sim technology". There is still one thing that did not change, each carrier has their assigned bands that they have from the FCC that they are allowed to use.

Being that there are standard bands that every one uses (for international or the like) these are included in every phone. So.... All verizon phones will work on att, BUT will only have the bands for slower internet since those are standard bands.

Now verizon's LTE band is NOT a standard nor is their CDMA a standard so an att or a t-mobile phone will NOT be able to accept a Verizon sim.

Now lets go to sprint phones,

All other company's when they had the phones made for them all they do is have it customized for its own use (Read: their own LTE bands). Sprint on the other hand not only did they have them customize it they put a lock in the software blocking all local USA bands (Verizon ATT and Tmobile).

They even go a step farther and they still do the old way of checking the device ID to see if its a sprint phone or not.

Hope this explains a few things feel free to ask any questions.

Att has an easy way to ask for an unlock https://att.com/deviceunlock

How to check a Sprint iPhone (only): You cannot check it with an american sim you must put in a foreign sim. You DO NOT have to backup and restore as sprint sends in the email! Connect to wifi before starting this procedure.

When you put the sim in one of 3 things will happen.
1. It will say no service in the top right corner = Unlocked
2. It will do a soft restart and ask you for your apple id password = Almost unlocked, after putting in the password its unlocked
3. It will do a soft restart and say "Sim not valid" = Phone is locked

If you got number 2. and you dont know the password just put in your old sim and all will return. When you find out the password repeat the steps.

Willmyphonework.net Can check if the phone will work
« Last edited by yakov116 on June 29, 2016, 01:34:42 PM »

Author Topic: cell phone unlocking  (Read 157875 times)

Offline Mordy

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #20 on: February 09, 2010, 01:26:57 PM »
I'd just buy a cheap prepaid GSM phone for $15. Nokia's are usually very easy to unlock. Or hit up ebay.

Unless you are hankering for the fruit phone, in which case you have to pay for that privilege.
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Offline SuperFlyer

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #21 on: February 09, 2010, 02:27:31 PM »
Mordy, fix your signature.

Offline Mordy

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #22 on: February 10, 2010, 01:58:55 AM »
Super, thanks for catching that! :)
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Offline hocker

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #23 on: August 04, 2010, 07:35:12 PM »

Offline lazalaz

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #24 on: August 04, 2010, 08:13:42 PM »
FYI Sprint phones can technically be used on Verizon through cloning. It's illegal and not a "clean" solution per se, but if you want to know how, PM me. I've got a guide somewhere in my email.

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #25 on: August 05, 2010, 01:08:20 AM »
FYI Sprint phones can technically be used on Verizon through cloning. It's illegal and not a "clean" solution per se, but if you want to know how, PM me. I've got a guide somewhere in my email.

Does data work too?
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Offline lazalaz

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #26 on: August 05, 2010, 10:58:46 AM »
Does data work too?

Depends on the phone/carrier. Usually yes, but not at the speed that it would work on it's home carrier.

Offline ceejay

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #27 on: August 05, 2010, 12:17:27 PM »
The method is very different from phone to phone especially with smartphones

Offline lazalaz

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #28 on: August 05, 2010, 12:36:38 PM »
Like I said... It varies. I'm assuming that most people would want to clone a fairly popular phone, which makes it easier, b/c other people will have done the initial legwork for you ;)

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #29 on: August 05, 2010, 06:08:38 PM »
Depends on the phone/carrier. Usually yes, but not at the speed that it would work on it's home carrier.

Please read the post I was responding to:

FYI Sprint phones can technically be used on Verizon through cloning.
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Offline lazalaz

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #30 on: August 06, 2010, 11:51:16 AM »
Please read the post I was responding to:

Please read my post as well

Depends on the phone/carrier. Usually yes, but not at the speed that it would work on it's home carrier.


Offline Avid Reader

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #31 on: August 26, 2010, 10:34:02 AM »
I'd just buy a cheap prepaid GSM phone for $15. Nokia's are usually very easy to unlock.


How do I unlock an ATT Nokia 2330?

Not sure yet but will prob. use with sprint.

Offline moish

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #32 on: August 26, 2010, 10:37:02 AM »
can anyone help me unlock a nokia 6500c?

Offline elikay

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #33 on: August 26, 2010, 10:39:09 AM »
I don't think you can use Att on Sprint.

Offline Avid Reader

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #34 on: August 26, 2010, 10:40:25 AM »
I don't think you can use Att on Sprint.

Even w a cheap GSM?

What can it be used with then?

Offline Chaikel

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #35 on: August 26, 2010, 11:39:40 AM »
Sprint doesn't use GSM
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Offline gozalim

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #36 on: August 26, 2010, 11:54:28 AM »
Even w a cheap GSM?

What can it be used with then?
tmobile

Offline Chaikel

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #37 on: August 26, 2010, 12:09:51 PM »
Verizon in about a year
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Offline elikay

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #38 on: August 26, 2010, 12:31:04 PM »
Sprint and verizon are CDMA while Att and Tmobile are GSM. Usually if its a sim then it won't work on Sprint.

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #39 on: August 26, 2010, 01:03:53 PM »
Verizon in about a year

You didn't quote, so I'm not sure who/what you're responding to.

Are you saying VZW will be GSM in a year???
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