Best Buy iP7/7+ Models are Subject to the US Reseller Flex Policy

[Brookzy]

Surprised so few are aware of the lock to the first SIM tactic.

It's been used in the UK for many years, I assume because it massively streamlines inventory requirements for third parties.

(That said there are now third party resellers that are starting to sell genuinely SIM free and unlocked stock - John Lewis being an example.)

 

[C DM]

Nope no law. People don't know the facts. Voluntary agreement and they will do it if the device is active on TMobile for 40 days and 50 days for Sprint. AT&T will probably do it if you simply submit an online request.

People like you keep saying there is a law. Then others read it and repeat it. There is no law that requires this.

Verizon is the exception that is why their devices are unlocked.

Well, there's certainly a law that makes it legal to unlock a phone. And there are some regulations/agreements relating to unlocking as laid out at https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/cell-phone-unlocking-faqs. It just seems the other important part about it all when it comes to actually regulating the appropriate unlocking policies doesn't quite exist, at least not in US.

 

[JulesJam]

Surprised so few are aware of the lock to the first SIM tactic.

Up until Best Buy started selling the SIM free subject to the USRFP, only a few low volume retailers sold them like Target and Walmart.

Prior to the iP7/7+ BB was selling the carrier models, which aren't like that. Same with Apple - Apple sells the carrier models, too not those subject to the USRFP.

 

[Wowereit]

I'm from Germany, so maybe I'm missing something here, but that's insane.
You are paying full prize for your phone and still getting carrier-locked, if you put certain carrier's SIM into your phone?

 

[JulesJam]

You are paying full prize for your phone and still getting carrier-locked, if you put certain carrier's SIM into your phone?

Only if you buy from certain 3rd party retailers and only if you do that on the initial activation.

 

[C DM]

I'm from Germany, so maybe I'm missing something here, but that's insane.
You are paying full prize for your phone and still getting carrier-locked, if you put certain carrier's SIM into your phone?

Seems like loopholes and/or just good old shadiness are in play. Not sure how all of that hasn't been dealt with by this point in time.

 

[Shreeaunsh]

My ip7 was simfree when I bought it from best buy , and now its locked , when for some airport issues had to.put simcard in it. And my friend put T-Mobile sim card as it was handy

When I bought it , they said
Unlocked by Verizon (No sim came with it)
See the attached image

 

[Brookzy]

My ip7 was simfree when I bought it from best buy , and now its locked , when for some airport issues had to.put simcard in it. And my friend put T-Mobile sim card as it was handy

When I bought it , they said
Unlocked by Verizon (No sim came with it)
See the attached image

So you put a T-Mobile SIM in first, so it followed T-Mobile's activation policy, meaning it locked to T-Mobile.

Whoops...

 

[Shreeaunsh]

So you put a T-Mobile SIM in first, so it followed T-Mobile's activation policy, meaning it locked to T-Mobile.

Whoops...

My friend was getting phone for me..
From US to INDIA
Worst part is T-Mobile doesn't work in India and now its locked .... aaaaand I paid in full for.it

 

[Brookzy]

I'm from Germany, so maybe I'm missing something here, but that's insane.
You are paying full prize for your phone and still getting carrier-locked, if you put certain carrier's SIM into your phone?

Unless there is a law in Germany prohibiting it you will probably find that there are retailers in your country where this happens.

For example, phones sold by Carphone Warehouse in the UK are "SIM-free" but lock to the first SIM inserted.

Why?

It's just a pragmatic approach to inventory. Such retailers sell most of their phones on contracts via the carriers. It is infeasible to stock phones pre-locked to each carrier, and SIM-free stock, so instead they use iPhones that lock to the first SIM.

For example, this means a Carphone Warehouse shop can have just one phone in stock, and sell it on any network's contract - EE, Vodafone, O2, Three, you name it. The alternative would be to stock five times more phones, which only Apple can really afford to do.
[doublepost=1476547506][/doublepost]

My friend was getting phone for me..
From US to INDIA
Worst part is T-Mobile doesn't work in India and now its locked .... aaaaand I paid in full for.it

I guess all you can do is contact T-Mobile customer service and ask nicely and hope.

If they won't do it, maybe ping John Legere an email so one of his minions can maybe make an exception? He seems to encourage emailing him...

 

[Shreeaunsh]

Unless there is a law in Germany prohibiting it you will probably find that there are retailers in your country where this happens.

For example, phones sold by Carphone Warehouse in the UK are "SIM-free" but lock to the first SIM inserted.

Why?

It's just a pragmatic approach to inventory. Such retailers sell most of their phones on contracts via the carriers. It is infeasible to stock phones pre-locked to each carrier, and SIM-free stock, so instead they use iPhones that lock to the first SIM.

For example, this means a Carphone Warehouse shop can have just one phone in stock, and sell it on any network's contract - EE, Vodafone, O2, Three, you name it. The alternative would be to stock five times more phones, which only Apple can really afford to do.
[doublepost=1476547506][/doublepost]
I guess all you can do is contact T-Mobile customer service and ask nicely and hope.

If they won't do it, maybe ping John Legere an email so one of his minions can maybe make an exception? He seems to encourage emailing him...

Hope ?? Then its very less..Doing all this from India is gonna be very tough as T-Mobile doesn't work here..and where do I get John legere's email !!

 

[Brookzy]

Hope ?? Then its very less..Doing all this from India is gonna be very tough as T-Mobile doesn't work here..and where do I get John legere's email !!

Well give customer support a chance - even if it's just via Twitter if you can't phone them. As a very last resort you could try emailing him/his people at John.Legere@t-mobile.com.

 

[Shreeaunsh]

Well give customer support a chance - even if it's just via Twitter if you can't phone them. As a very last resort you could try emailing him/his people at John.Legere@t-mobile.com.

Thanks ! I'll give it a try !

 

[Beenblacklisted]

Correct, @Beenblacklisted said he/she was in Panama. I'm not sure if it was first activated in the US and then went to Panama, or if it was purchased in the US without activation, then went to Panama and tried to use a local SIM there. But from my understanding, you're correct that it must first be activated with a US sim card.


That is a fantastic question. Based on what I'm reading if it's purchased from a company (such as Best Buy or Walmart) that sells iPhones that fall under the "US Re-seller Policy" it still needs to be activated in the US first. It seems like if somebody is purchasing where it needs to be fully unlocked, it would be best to buy from Apple directly. I purchased mine from Best Buy as I wasn't aware of any differences until I read on here, unfortunately I am out of the return period so I wouldn't be able to return the device. But I am still trying to get clarification on this from Best Buy, but they don't seem to know.

i activated them myself here in the usa first.

 

[Shreeaunsh]

Does that

Well give customer support a chance - even if it's just via Twitter if you can't phone them. As a very last resort you could try emailing him/his people at John.Legere@t-mobile.com.

Does unlockriver.com really work ??
And would that help me ?? It'll be my last resort it seems

 

[JulesJam]

My ip7 was simfree when I bought it from best buy , and now its locked , when for some airport issues had to.put simcard in it. And my friend put T-Mobile sim card as it was handy

If the very first time you activated it you used a TMobile SIM card, it is now locked to TMobile.

 

[Shreeaunsh]

If the very first time you activated it you used a TMobile SIM card, it is now locked to TMobile.

Yeah I guess so , as @Brookzy said I'll try contacting customer care and see what output I get.
P.S. that phone costs fortune in our currency

 

[JulesJam]

Yeah I guess so , as @Brookzy said I'll try contacting customer care and see what output I get.
P.S. that phone costs fortune in our currency

I think it is awful that BB isn't telling people about this. Neither BB nor Apple can unlock this phone for you. It has to be done through TMobile but since the phone was never active on TMobile, I don't think they will do it and they may have no way to do it if it were never active on TMobile.

I would tell your friend to dispute the charge on their credit card. Best Buy needs to accept the phone as a return and give your friend a new one - this is a BB problem.

 

[Shreeaunsh]

I think it is awful that BB isn't telling people about this. Neither BB nor Apple can unlock this phone for you. It has to be done through TMobile but since the phone was never active on TMobile, I don't think they will do it and they may have no way to do it if it were never active on TMobile.

I would tell your friend to dispute the charge on their credit card. Best Buy needs to accept the phone as a return and give your friend a new one - this is a BB problem.

If this is the case , I have most fortune.. As my friend has also returned to India...

 

[JulesJam]

If this is the case , I have most fortune.. As my friend has also returned to India...

You can try contacting Apple, TMobile and Best Buy to see what they can do for you, but AFAIK, it must be TMobile who does the unlock.

 

[Brookzy]

I think it is awful that BB isn't telling people about this. Neither BB nor Apple can unlock this phone for you. It has to be done through TMobile but since the phone was never active on TMobile, I don't think they will do it and they may have no way to do it if it were never active on TMobile.

If it's locked to T-Mobile, they can unlock it no matter what. Whether they will or not, however, is another matter!

(Technically so can Apple - indeed they are the ones who lock and unlock all iPhones - but I guess them doing so would breach their contract with T-Mobile? I know I'm preaching to the converted here, @JulesJam, but just general information for the thread. )

 

[JulesJam]

(Technically so can Apple - indeed they are the ones who lock and unlock all iPhones - but I guess them doing so would breach their contract with T-Mobile? )

That's how I understand it - Apple cannot do it b/c of their agreement.

And Apple's replacement policy won't allow the store reps to do it either. But maybe he could deal with Apple's corporate entity in India, idk.

 

[M5RahuL]

Yeah I guess so , as @Brookzy said I'll try contacting customer care and see what output I get.
P.S. that phone costs fortune in our currency

That sucks!! Do you have the receipt for the paid device ? If you do, attach it with your email to John. Doesn't hurt to provide proof of purchase and establishing authenticity to your claim.

I have TMobile, and they usually work to resolve the issues. Emailing John is a good idea, and someone ( probably a guy named Art, from executive customer relations ) will respond to to you, in about 48 hrs.

Don't forget to include a phone number where you can be reached in the email.

 

[Shreeaunsh]

That sucks!! Do you have the receipt for the paid device ? If you do, attach it with your email to John. Doesn't hurt to provide proof of purchase and establishing authenticity to your claim.

I have TMobile, and they usually work to resolve the issues. Emailing John is a good idea, and someone ( probably a guy named Art, from executive customer relations ) will respond to to you, in about 48 hrs.

Don't forget to include a phone number where you can be reached in the email.[/QUOTE
Yes I have everything to authenticate my purchase , I'll definitely do that if customer care doesn't resolve it..
Apple people said they'll call me on Monday but I feel they gonna ask me to contact T-Mobile as everyone said

 

[JulesJam]

Yes I have everything to authenticate my purchase , I'll definitely do that if customer care doesn't resolve it..
Apple people said they'll call me on Monday but I feel they gonna ask me to contact T-Mobile as everyone said

You need to make clear to them what happened - Best Buy sold you a device that they said was a Verizon device. You paid full retail price for it and used a TMobile SIM to do the initial activation - now the device is locked to TMobile. This is because Best Buy did not inform you that the device would lock to the whichever carrier's SIM was used for the initial activation. Had BB told you this, you would have used a Verizon SIM for the initial activation.