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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 157867 times)

Offline AsherO

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #80 on: January 15, 2012, 08:12:14 PM »
I have a sprint bb bold, it has a Sim slot, can I put in an Israeli Sim when i'm in Israel, I once heard that is only locked in the USA.

Sprint doesn't lock their world phones.

Either way I have purchased unlock code on ebay for only $0.99

The only unlock code sold on eBay for this phone is $10+
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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #81 on: January 15, 2012, 08:55:16 PM »
The only unlock code sold on eBay for this phone is $10+

I was referring to the BB for $0.99

Either way I do have a few of the ZTE F160 that I was trying to unlock
I tried a few websites and didnt work...

I basically gave up - now reading that people succeeded in unlocking them if anyone want to buy this phone from me (locked) I got 3 of them for $10 a piece 
They are all "NEW..."
« Last Edit: January 15, 2012, 09:15:00 PM by Name Changed »

Offline AsherO

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #82 on: January 15, 2012, 08:57:24 PM »
I basically gave up - now reading that people succeeded in unlocking them if anyone want to buy this phone from me (locked) I got 3 of them for $10 a piece 
They are all NEW...

Where are you located? They are NEW (not refurbished)? Did you try any of the eBay auctions offering unlock codes (specifically for that phone) for 99 cents?
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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #83 on: January 15, 2012, 09:02:53 PM »
Where are you located? They are NEW (not refurbished)? Did you try any of the eBay auctions offering unlock codes (specifically for that phone) for 99 cents?
I'm located in Lakewood NJ - I could ship if you (or anyone is interested) they have been collecting just for quite some time... I got them for my friends to use in Israel but...

I actually dont remember if they are new or refub, thats why I wrote "NEW ..." I could check.

I once tried an ebay auction - but prob like a year ago... 

Offline elikay

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #84 on: January 15, 2012, 09:05:16 PM »
Sprint doesn't lock their world phones.
+1 They stopped a few years ago.
Where are you located?
Look at his profile (on screen)  :P

 

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #85 on: January 15, 2012, 09:09:47 PM »
I actually dont remember if they are new or refub, thats why I wrote "NEW ..." I could check.

You didn't write "NEW...", you wrote NEW (no quotes) :P

A relative is going to Israel tomorrow, so shipping from Lakewood won't really work for me this time around. $10 is a great deal IMHO.
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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #86 on: January 15, 2012, 09:19:05 PM »
You didn't write "NEW...", you wrote NEW (no quotes) :P
Fixed it  ;)

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #87 on: August 07, 2013, 05:25:39 PM »
Does anyone know of someone who flashes phones in brooklyn?
I have the droid pro - verizon (world phone) - it's SIM unlocked, but needs to be flashed so that it reads the at&t network...

Offline yyg

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #88 on: August 07, 2013, 06:48:41 PM »
try yoni he's located in bp new utrecht corner 53rd st. Call him before 7183055860

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #89 on: August 08, 2013, 02:07:54 PM »
Anyone know where I can unlock the AT&T ZTE u2800a for cheap ($5 or less)? Does AT&T freely give out GoPhone unlock codes to their postpaid customers?

I unlocked 2 AT&T Huawei U2800a Go Phones (bought on best buy for $10) at https://www.swiftunlocks.com/ for $6 each, worked like a charm. (BTW the phones are junkie). Also unlocked AT&T zte 431 for $5 at same site.

Offline miles

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #90 on: August 09, 2013, 08:31:44 AM »
I unlocked on ebay fir 2.99

Offline sammy n

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #91 on: August 09, 2013, 11:10:41 AM »
I have a Verizon galaxy s3, and im going to Israel for succos and wanted to use my phone, but a friend told me that I wont be able to change apn from Verizon to an Israeli carrier. Does anyone have any experience with this?

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #92 on: August 09, 2013, 11:23:50 AM »
What's the best way to unlock a T-Mobile galaxy s4?

Offline sky121

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #93 on: August 09, 2013, 11:32:56 AM »
What's the best way to unlock a T-Mobile galaxy s4?

Will they unlock it if you tell them you're heading out of the country?
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Offline miles

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #94 on: August 09, 2013, 12:55:40 PM »

Offline 972sg212

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #95 on: August 09, 2013, 01:49:23 PM »
What's the best way to unlock an iPhone 5 from AT&T that they refuse to unlock ?

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #96 on: August 09, 2013, 02:10:46 PM »

Offline netzih

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #97 on: August 09, 2013, 02:11:11 PM »
Will they unlock it if you tell them you're heading out of the country?
not unless it's activated for 14 days.

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #98 on: August 09, 2013, 02:37:56 PM »
not unless it's activated for 14 days.
all carriers will unlock if you are a paying customer who has the phone for a short time.

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #99 on: August 11, 2013, 01:29:09 AM »
What's the best way to unlock an iPhone 5 from AT&T that they refuse to unlock ?
Use http://www.swiftunlocks.com/
You can email him swiftunlocks.ebay[at]gmail.com
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