I've read a lot of conflicting reports on being able to use an Unlocked AT&T Iphone 6 on a Verizon network. Some have said it's possible, some have said that Verizon won't do it, others have said Verizon can't do it. Can someone PLEASE help me out here. It took me a week and 5 hours on the phone to get AT&T to finally unlock an Iphone 6 under contract. I can't get a signal on my AT&T phone with my verizon sim card. The tech support people at Verizon added my imei number to their database but I'm still not getting a signal. Is this something that just won't work? The reason I'm trying to do this is because I'm trying to swap a 6 for a 6plus with a friend on AT&T.
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Confused: Using an unlocked AT&T Iphone 6 on Verizon. Can't or Won't?
- Thread starter mgdpublic
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Okay. So I don't know what you did when you spoke with ATT or what they said to you but I just got my phone unlocked by a third party and put in a work VZ SIM card. The phone rebooted and then said it said phone activated I think in a new popup. The Verizon carrier signal then popped up in the upper left. Haven't tried with T-Mobile yet as I need to ask my coworker to borrow their SIM card. I know when I had ATT unlock our iPhone 5, I erased network settings and then connected my phone to iTunes. iTunes then told me that my phone was unlocked.
Was the Verizon sim you put in the phone an active Verizon sim card?
I also suspect it might not work since the AT&T version doesn't seem to support CDMA as per Apple's specs:
Model A1549 (GSM)*
Model A1522 (GSM)*
UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29)
Yes it is. I was worried because in the past, I would get the same invalid sim error. (Failed unlock attempts). Try resetting network settings?
Either way, if it was ATT that unlocked your phone, and the phone won't get 'unlocked' on your end, the Apple Store should be able to help you too bc it's an official unlock.
Even for me, who has a third party unlock, any replacements should carry over my unlock. But I'm not testing that!
As long as the SIM is valid you should be able to use it in an unlocked AT&T iPhone 6. However, Verizon won't supply you with a new SIM if you attempt to register your account using the serial number of the AT&T iPhone (they WILL if you buy the new SIM-free model). Your error may be a result of a defective SIM. If you already have an account, see if a Verizon store will give you a replacement SIM.
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CDMA works on the iPhone 6, even the AT&T version. Apple just doesn't advertise that.
The above is false.
Any unlocked iphone 6 models will work fine with verizon.
Wether its an AT&T, Tmobile or factory unlocked iphone 6 or 6 Plus.
Is why they advertise that in the Apple Stores? I really would not mind one where i can swap sims betweek ptel and vz.
They don't advertise that fact, except for the new SIM-free model, which is whitelisted for Verizon and Sprint. However, the unlocked T-Mobile and AT&T phones will work on Verizon (not Sprint, though), if you already have an active Verizon SIM card. Unfortunately, because they aren't whitelisted to Verizon, you can't use them to open a brand new Verizon account, though (they insist on inputting the IMEI of a whitelisted phone when establishing an account - i.e. they won't just hand you a SIM card like AT&T or T-Mobile will).
I am sorry... What you mean whitelisted? So I have to buy a VZ full price/contract from apple store and can use it on tmo?
Verizon and Sprint maintain lists of the IMEIs of phones that they will officially activate on their networks (i.e. a "whitelist"). AT&T and T-Mobile do not. You can bring any unlocked iPhone 6 on T-Mobile or AT&T and they will give you a SIM card to insert into it.
The T-Mobile iPhone is sold without a contract at Apple. It will work on T-Mobile or AT&T. If you have a Verizon SIM already, you can also use it on Verizon. However, the SIM-free model is the better one to get if you plan to pay full price, since it will work with all 4 major carriers, including Sprint, and thus may have a slightly higher resale value down the road.
If you already have or are planning to sign a contract with Verizon, then the cheapest method is to get the Verizon edition from Apple or a Verizon store, since you can get the subsidized price. That version is unlocked and will work with T-Mobile or AT&T if you later switch carriers (though you'll still need to honor your contract with Verizon or pay the ETF).
I would get it on VZ since BestBuy has a 150 dollar credit and have an older vz phone to trade in. Also could use it with ptel... Thank you.
Remus
The AT&T and T-Mobile iPhone 6 and 6+ will function just fine on Verizon if you already have a Verizon account and sim.
The AT&T and T-Mobile iPhone 6 and 6+ cannot be activated as a new device or on a new account because Verizon doesn't recognize it as a Verizon device.
So all I have to do it use another sim to activate the phone then put in the vz sim?
I have learned the hard way, from personal experience, that an "unlocked" phone doesn't nessesarily work with Verizon.
If you buy an unlocked Verizon phone at the Apple Store, it works with Verizon, ATT, etc...
If you buy an unlocked ATT phone, it works with all the same carriers as the phone above EXCEPT Verizon.
Most Verzion (and even many Apple Store people) don't realize this. I only learned this over time and buy buying new and used phones for myself to use on Verizon or TMobile accounts. There's something about Verizon that doesn't work with a phone that's not originally a Verizon-purposed phone. So if you're going to buy new or used, always get an unlocked VERIZON phone... so that it includes the option to use it with Verizon.
*One time I bought an unlocked phone at the Apple store, spent weeks trying to get it to work with Verizon, the (many different) Verizon people only said that the phone IMEI number (or whatever) didn't "come up" on their system and didn't know why. I went back to the Apple Store, they spent an hour on the phone with Verizon who told them the same thing (they called a different level of support as an Apple store than what I did) and it took all of the hour before any of the Verizon customer service people explained it as such, or any of the Apple Store reps (who were extremely helpful) realized this. I suspect it will become common knowlege as time goes on, but it's confusing.
If it's an unlocked ATT phone, it won't work with Verizon, it's unlocked, but the carriers it works on will NOT include Verizon. But if you buy an unlocked Verizon phone, it's unlocked and the carriers it works on WILL include Verizon.
Am I right? I don't understand CDMA GMS and all that other stuff.... This is just what I've discovered in time and with experience, and it's worked for me since... if I'm not right, someone please correct me...
If you buy an unlocked Verizon phone at the Apple Store, it works with Verizon, ATT, etc...
If you buy an unlocked ATT phone, it works with all the same carriers as the phone above EXCEPT Verizon.
Most Verzion (and even many Apple Store people) don't realize this. I only learned this over time and buy buying new and used phones for myself to use on Verizon or TMobile accounts. There's something about Verizon that doesn't work with a phone that's not originally a Verizon-purposed phone. So if you're going to buy new or used, always get an unlocked VERIZON phone... so that it includes the option to use it with Verizon.
*One time I bought an unlocked phone at the Apple store, spent weeks trying to get it to work with Verizon, the (many different) Verizon people only said that the phone IMEI number (or whatever) didn't "come up" on their system and didn't know why. I went back to the Apple Store, they spent an hour on the phone with Verizon who told them the same thing (they called a different level of support as an Apple store than what I did) and it took all of the hour before any of the Verizon customer service people explained it as such, or any of the Apple Store reps (who were extremely helpful) realized this. I suspect it will become common knowlege as time goes on, but it's confusing.
If it's an unlocked ATT phone, it won't work with Verizon, it's unlocked, but the carriers it works on will NOT include Verizon. But if you buy an unlocked Verizon phone, it's unlocked and the carriers it works on WILL include Verizon.
Am I right? I don't understand CDMA GMS and all that other stuff.... This is just what I've discovered in time and with experience, and it's worked for me since... if I'm not right, someone please correct me...
An unlocked at&t iPhone 6 WILL work on the Verizon network only if you place an already activated Verizon sim card in the phone. I have both at&t and verizon and have swapped iPhone 6's.
so...
ATT locked then unlocked does not work on VZ
Sprint locked/unlocked will never work on VZ
Tmo locked then unlocked will not work on VZ
VZ locked to VZ on CDMA but not GSM will work on VZ and any other GSM
iPHone factory unlocked will work on any network as long as it takes a sim but not activated on VZ first?
No, you're not right.
For previous iPhone models what you state is correct.
For the iPhone 6 and 6 plus things have changed.
And you didn't have to call Verizon with your IMEI number and have them add it to their database?
I know my Verizon sim is valid and I know this AT&T phone is unlocked, but i can't connect to Verizon network. Your the only person I know who this worked for. Grrrrrrr
When I had the AT&t 6 Plus unlocked, I inserted an active sim card that I use for my ipad mini cellular and worked just fine on it. Even tested data and it was working.
He's not the only person, you're the only person this has NOT worked for.
If the Verizon sim is fully functional and the particular att iPhone 6 is unlocked it works for everyone.