iPhone Confusion on unlocking A1429 iPhone 5 CDMA

[nola.ron]

I have a C-SPIRE iPhone 5 that was purchased at full retail price in November 2012. I am trying to use it on my company VZW account and have discovered that C-SPIRE has the phone locked. They are refusing to unlock this device even though I am in good standing with my account and have paid full retail price for this phone. I have escalated this issue to management, threatened to cancel my account, etc. They are refusing to help and claim that Apple made this device to only work on CSPIRE. LOL yea ok tell that to the idiots that call in.

So...I do not want to jailbreak the phone. I want to just unlock it. I have apple care and a warranty left on this phone and don't think I should have to void them just because C-SPIRE is being a bunch of crooks.

I have read that what I need is an IMEI unlock, however, all the sites I look at show this service for AT&T and Verizon.... but it's not a Verizon phone, it's from C-SPIRE... does that matter? According to apple.com/iphone/LTE the A1429 model will work in the USA for both Verizon and C-SPIRE. So if that's the case what do I need to do to get it unlocked and used on VZW. Can someone help me out and direct me to a legit site, if there's even one that will do this?

 

[Applejuiced]

You're sol. You can't use that phone on verizon.
Sell it and get a verizon iPhone.

 

[nola.ron]

Why not? According to http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/ the A1429 is supported on both Verizon and C-Spire.

 

[aristobrat]

At one time, Verizon had a policy where they wouldn't activate phones on their network if the ESN of the phone indicates that phone came from another carrier. Don't know if they've changed that policy, but don't recall ever seeing a thread where anyone's had a non-Verizon iPhone activated on Verizon.

Sprint definitely has that policy in effect.

I think what you're saying about A1429 technically being able to work on multiple networks is correct, but at least with Sprint/Verizon, even if you could get an unlocked A1429, it seems that they have internal policies that squash that.

As for what C-SPIRE said about Apple making the phone only work on their network, here's the first screen I saw when I got a replacement Verizon iPhone from the Genius Bar (and they let me activate it).

 

[aristobrat]

Also FWIW, HowardForums.com might be a better place to ask this question.

They're the MacRumors of cell phone carriers.

Their forums usually have carrier employees that are active posting, so you can usually get better information (from the carrier side) vs. from the customer side (like here).

 

[Applejuiced]

Why not? According to http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/ the A1429 is supported on both Verizon and C-Spire.

Verizon won't activate another carriers locked phone.
Simple solution. Sell it as is.

 

[nola.ron]

At one time, Verizon had a policy where they wouldn't activate phones on their network if the ESN of the phone indicates that phone came from another carrier. Don't know if they've changed that policy, but don't recall ever seeing a thread where anyone's had a non-Verizon iPhone activated on Verizon.

Sprint definitely has that policy in effect.

I think what you're saying about A1429 technically being able to work on multiple networks is correct, but at least with Sprint/Verizon, even if you could get an unlocked A1429, it seems that they have internal policies that squash that.

As for what C-SPIRE said about Apple making the phone only work on their network, here's the first screen I saw when I got a replacement Verizon iPhone from the Genius Bar (and they let me activate it).

Thanks for the info and clarification. How did you manage to get the Genius Bar to let you do the activation?

 

[Carlanga]

You don't need an IMEI unlock; it won't work for Verizon or any other on a CDMA network. Sell t and get a Verizon one.

 

[aristobrat]

How did you manage to get the Genius Bar to let you do the activation?

I used to work there as a Specialist a few years ago. They were busy, so the Genius asked if I didn't mind doing the activation myself.

 

[burnout8488]

I have a C-SPIRE iPhone 5 that was purchased at full retail price in November 2012. I am trying to use it on my company VZW account and have discovered that C-SPIRE has the phone locked. They are refusing to unlock this device even though I am in good standing with my account and have paid full retail price for this phone. I have escalated this issue to management, threatened to cancel my account, etc. They are refusing to help and claim that Apple made this device to only work on CSPIRE. LOL yea ok tell that to the idiots that call in.

Sounds like you were a real pest to those people. It's a CDMA phone, but it's locked to C-Spire. It can't be undone. Same goes for Sprint iPhones, and Verizon iPhones. A quick search on the internet would have told you this before calling them.