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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 157979 times)

Offline ludmila

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #600 on: February 03, 2019, 04:28:22 AM »
Is there any easy / cheap way to unlock an iPhone 7 locked to simple mobile?

I bought online an unlock service from 2 websites so far, 1 was a complete scam one was a bait and switch demanding another $30 to unlock after I already paid
Did you do a chargeback on both?
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Offline KidOOO

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #601 on: February 04, 2019, 01:48:31 PM »
Did you do a chargeback on both?

Didn't need too just threatened and they refunded. but I still need to unlock the phone...

Offline lazertek

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #602 on: February 04, 2019, 02:03:15 PM »
re:
iphone 7 unlocking did u have this phone activated already and if yes for how long?
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Offline shwarmabob

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #603 on: February 04, 2019, 02:59:11 PM »
Didn't need too just threatened and they refunded. but I still need to unlock the phone...
if it's fully paid then your provider should unlock it for free. if not then you need a service. the last one used was doctorsim.com

Offline coffeebean

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #604 on: February 04, 2019, 03:11:04 PM »
I have a Galaxy Note 9 from AT&T, I plan on going to Israel soon, and AT&T won't unlock it. They said because its not fully paid off. I don't want to pay it off because this phone is the "free" phone from a bogo sale, and I get a promo for it each month. I put in a Google Fi sim card and it said that the phone is locked. Any ideas on how to unlock it, or how I would be able to use it in Israel? TIA

Offline shwarmabob

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #605 on: February 04, 2019, 05:20:37 PM »
I have a Galaxy Note 9 from AT&T, I plan on going to Israel soon, and AT&T won't unlock it. They said because its not fully paid off. I don't want to pay it off because this phone is the "free" phone from a bogo sale, and I get a promo for it each month. I put in a Google Fi sim card and it said that the phone is locked. Any ideas on how to unlock it, or how I would be able to use it in Israel? TIA
you need to pay an unlock service. google. or see above. you will also need a non-ATT SIM card at least temporarily for the unlock procedure.

Offline KidOOO

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #606 on: February 04, 2019, 11:45:24 PM »
re:
iphone 7 unlocking did u have this phone activated already and if yes for how long?

No brand new from Amazon locked to simple mobile, I have T-mobile

if it's fully paid then your provider should unlock it for free. if not then you need a service. the last one used was doctorsim.com

Thanks will try doctorsim
« Last Edit: February 04, 2019, 11:49:22 PM by KidOOO »

Offline grodnoking

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #607 on: February 05, 2019, 05:25:26 AM »
I have a Galaxy Note 9 from AT&T, I plan on going to Israel soon, and AT&T won't unlock it. They said because its not fully paid off. I don't want to pay it off because this phone is the "free" phone from a bogo sale, and I get a promo for it each month. I put in a Google Fi sim card and it said that the phone is locked. Any ideas on how to unlock it, or how I would be able to use it in Israel? TIA
I know with tmobile you where able to get your phone temporarily unlocked for travel abroad.
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Offline myi

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #608 on: February 05, 2019, 12:24:56 PM »
I have a Galaxy Note 9 from AT&T, I plan on going to Israel soon, and AT&T won't unlock it. They said because its not fully paid off. I don't want to pay it off because this phone is the "free" phone from a bogo sale, and I get a promo for it each month. I put in a Google Fi sim card and it said that the phone is locked. Any ideas on how to unlock it, or how I would be able to use it in Israel? TIA
How long you've been with at&t?
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Offline coffeebean

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #609 on: February 05, 2019, 12:27:16 PM »
How long you've been with at&t?
Around 2 years with 10 lines
« Last Edit: February 05, 2019, 12:31:22 PM by avrohomgelb »

Offline myi

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #610 on: February 05, 2019, 12:34:10 PM »
Around 2 years with 10 lines
Amazing, call them and speak straight to a supervisor and explain how you have the bogo plan and by paying the full amount due it would take away from the whole offer, and being that I'm a customer for x years and have x amount of plans with you guys I'm not running off and now when I want to take a vocation I won't be able to as it's locked.

 Speak straight to a supervisor not a regular front line rep! 
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Offline coffeebean

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #611 on: February 05, 2019, 12:35:44 PM »
Amazing, call them and speak straight to a supervisor and explain how you have the bogo plan and by paying the full amount due it would take away from the whole offer, and being that I'm a customer for x years and have x amount of plans with you guys I'm not running off and now when I want to take a vocation I won't be able to as it's locked.

 Speak straight to a supervisor not a regular front line rep!
Sounds good. Thanks

Offline myi

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #612 on: February 05, 2019, 08:56:16 PM »
+1 Works for me with T Mobile.
t-mobile has a monthly unlock and permanent.
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Offline ludmila

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #613 on: February 05, 2019, 08:58:54 PM »
t-mobile has a monthly unlock and permanent.
?? What is a monthly unlock and permanent? They usually unlock my phones for 30 days when I go overseas? When paid off they unlock permanent? Am I correct or missing something, thanks.
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Offline myi

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #614 on: February 05, 2019, 09:01:31 PM »
?? What is a monthly unlock and permanent? They usually unlock my phones for 30 days when I go overseas? When paid off they unlock permanent? Am I correct or missing something, thanks.
Yup that's correct, I always go for the permanent lock, but if your phone is... then go for the monthly unlock.
 Also if neither works, give a call straight to T-mobile supervisors and have them manually generate the unlock code when putting in another carriers sim card. 
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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #615 on: February 05, 2019, 09:21:39 PM »
Thanks.
my pleasure.
 Tried on a phone of mine last week, which didn't work. I had that phone for a while but the unlock request said error, or we can't unlock it for you. So with such a phone you speak to the supervisor and get the pin manually. 
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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #616 on: February 25, 2019, 04:43:29 PM »
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
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Offline Yehuda25

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #618 on: February 27, 2019, 12:59:55 PM »
Is the net10 lg rebel 3 on ddms unlockable?

Offline grodnoking

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Re: cell phone unlocking
« Reply #619 on: February 27, 2019, 01:15:40 PM »
Is the net10 lg rebel 3 on ddms unlockable?
Highly doubt it. I've Only seen tracfone and such unlocked by rooting it.
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