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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 158000 times)

Offline Racer7400

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #280 on: July 19, 2015, 12:55:30 PM »
Verizon iPhone 5c is factory unlocked for gsm so it should work.
Att won't work unless it's unlocked.
thanx

Offline sky121

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #281 on: January 04, 2016, 09:58:20 PM »
Has anyone unlocked a Sprint cell phone recently for international use? Do you not have to do the whole spiel with itunes like you used to? 

Also is there still now a way to check that the phone is indeed unlocked?
"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline yakov116

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #282 on: January 05, 2016, 12:02:06 AM »
Has anyone unlocked a Sprint cell phone recently for international use? Do you not have to do the whole spiel with itunes like you used to? 

Also is there still now a way to check that the phone is indeed unlocked?
Yes

You do not have to do the whole iTunes thing.

All you have to do is connect to wifi and put in a non-sprint sim (can't be at&t or t-mobile). 
Then one of 3 things will happen

1. It will show the apple logo and ask for your apple ID and password. Afterwards number 2 will happen.
2. It will say no service in the to right corner = the phone is unlocked
3. It will say "Sim not valid" then you know the phone is NOT unlocked and you have to call sprint
Money talks...mine says goodbye!

Offline Thingywingy

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #283 on: February 10, 2016, 10:14:29 PM »
I'm looking for a S5 mini  on Verizon but it seems it was never released for Verizon...Anyone know if I can use a US Cellular (CDMA) phone? Can it be unlocked easily?
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline SZY

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #284 on: February 15, 2016, 03:20:08 PM »
Call up verizon and give them the IMEI number to test if it will work.

Offline nafnaf12

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #285 on: February 22, 2016, 05:29:24 PM »
need to unlock galaxy s6 at&t
 and 3 iphone 6s
any advice?
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

Offline yakov116

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #286 on: February 22, 2016, 05:46:21 PM »
need to unlock galaxy s6 at&t
 and 3 iphone 6s
any advice?

Company?
Money talks...mine says goodbye!

Offline nafnaf12

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #287 on: February 22, 2016, 05:49:05 PM »
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

Offline yakov116

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #288 on: February 22, 2016, 06:04:25 PM »
AT&T
Why don't you try to submit a request by att?
Money talks...mine says goodbye!

Offline nafnaf12

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #289 on: February 22, 2016, 06:07:09 PM »
Why don't you try to submit a request by att?
denied me bc I'm still on the next plan
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

Offline srap

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #290 on: February 22, 2016, 06:16:29 PM »
need to unlock galaxy s6 at&t
 and 3 iphone 6s
any advice?
If you go overseas, I think the carrier is supposed to unlock it for you.  You may have to be a customer for more than 30 days.

Offline yakov116

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #291 on: February 22, 2016, 11:13:26 PM »
If you go overseas, I think the carrier is supposed to unlock it for you.  You may have to be a customer for more than 30 days.
Nope not if he did not pay up the phone
Money talks...mine says goodbye!

Offline Live N Learn

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #292 on: February 23, 2016, 01:16:54 PM »
need to unlock galaxy s6 at&t
 and 3 iphone 6s
any advice?

If the phones are paid up, you can find someone on eBay for $2-$3.
".איזהו חכם, הלומד מכל אדם"

Offline cozmohoot

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #293 on: February 23, 2016, 01:23:52 PM »
If paid up you can have att do it for free

Offline nafnaf12

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #294 on: February 23, 2016, 01:47:02 PM »
If paid up you can have att do it for free
denied me bc I'm still on the next plan
anyway, I bought on eBay for 10$ hopefully will work.
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

Offline yakov116

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #295 on: February 23, 2016, 08:32:14 PM »
anyway, I bought on eBay for 10$ hopefully will work.
Should work don't see why not?
Money talks...mine says goodbye!

Offline Live N Learn

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #296 on: February 24, 2016, 01:14:59 AM »
anyway, I bought on eBay for 10$ hopefully will work.
There are cheaper ones that work just as well.
".איזהו חכם, הלומד מכל אדם"

Offline nafnaf12

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #297 on: February 24, 2016, 02:41:36 PM »
There are cheaper ones that work just as well.
not if you are still on the next plan..
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

Offline juda

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #298 on: February 24, 2016, 05:43:15 PM »
best way to unlock a galaxy s3 from T-Mobile ?

Offline B.D.Da'ehu

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #299 on: April 01, 2016, 02:31:11 PM »
I have a verizon Moto X 1st gen. that currently has (pre-paid) page plus service. How can i use it in Israel? How do i unlock it?