How To Unlock iPhone 6s on T-Mobile?

[ghsDUDE]

I paid off my iPhone 6s on T-Mobile last month and just requested to have my iPhone unlocked...I'm moving to Verizon on Sunday and T-Mobile sent me an email with the following instructions to unlock my iPhone.

"Thank you for taking the time to contact T-Mobile. 24 hours after receiving this email, follow the below instructions for unlocking your T-Mobile iPhone.
If you have a non-T-Mobile SIM card, follow these steps:

If you have a non-T-Mobile SIM card:
1. Insert non T-Mobile SIM Card
2. Complete the setup process.

If you will be using your T-Mobile SIM card follow the steps below:

1. Back up your iPhone using iTunes.
2. When you have a backup, erase your iPhone.
3. When you see the Welcome screen, connect your device to iTunes.

If successfully unlocked, the message Congratulations, your iPhone has been unlocked will display. Additional information for unlocking Apple iPhone devices can be located at https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201328"

I don't have a new Sim Card yet since I'm switching on Sunday but I followed the bolded steps above and I never got the "Congratulations, your iPhone has been unlocked" message that it mentions.

Can anyone who's gone through this explain in better detail how to unlock (or confirm) my iPhone has been unlocked?

Thanks!

 

[Applejuiced]

You don't really need to do anything than stick the other carriers sim when you need to.
The congratulations message doesn't always pop up and it's not a sure indicator if it's unlocked or not.
The only 100% way to tell is stick a non T-Mobile sim inside.

 

[ghsDUDE]

You don't really need to do anything than stick the other carriers sim when you need to.
The congratulations message doesn't always pop up and it's not a sure indicator if it's unlocked or not.
The only 100% way to tell is stick a non T-Mobile sim inside.

Thanks - so the email from T-Mobile today with these instructions titled "T-Mobile Sim Unlock Notification" is all I need since I called yesterday and got the email today?

Once I go to Verizon they should be able to pop in the new SIM Card and I should be good to go?

Appreciate your help...sucks I have to reset my fingerprints and Apple Pay since I backed up and reset like they recommended in the bolded steps.

 

[Applejuiced]

Yes, any active Verizon sim will work.
But Verizon might give you problems stating the device is not compatible.
It will work it's just their way of getting you to buy one of their devices. Don't believe the bs they tell you that that unlocked 6S doesnt work with Verizon.

 

[eyoungren]

Thanks - so the email from T-Mobile today with these instructions titled "T-Mobile Sim Unlock Notification" is all I need since I called yesterday and got the email today?

Once I go to Verizon they should be able to pop in the new SIM Card and I should be good to go?

Appreciate your help...sucks I have to reset my fingerprints and Apple Pay since I backed up and reset like they recommended in the bolded steps.

Yes, any active Verizon sim will work.

@Applejuiced 's statement is important. "Any active Verizon sim will work."

The emphasis here being on an already active SIM. Verizon does not like to activate BYOD devices because as AJ mentioned, they want you to buy from them.

So, the workaround is to activate a SIM with a Verizon device or use an already active Verizon SIM as AJ stated.

If you're new to Verizon what you can do is buy a cheap, burner Verizon phone, activate the SIM that comes with it, put that SIM in your T-Mob iPhone and go. Sell off or return the cheapie burner phone.

 

[Applejuiced]

Or borrow someone's Verizon phone for a day to start the account.
They want a Verizon devices serial number to enter in the system.
If it's an imei or esn from an unlocked device they will reject it and claim it will not work and they cannot open the account.
Just so you know, their reps will lie to you and claim that it's not possible to work and other bs....

 

[ghsDUDE]

@Applejuiced 's statement is important. "Any active Verizon sim will work."

The emphasis here being on an already active SIM. Verizon does not like to activate BYOD devices because as AJ mentioned, they want you to buy from them.

So, the workaround is to activate a SIM with a Verizon device or use an already active Verizon SIM as AJ stated.

If you're new to Verizon what you can do is buy a cheap, burner Verizon phone, activate the SIM that comes with it, put that SIM in your T-Mob iPhone and go. Sell off or return the cheapie burner phone.

We've been talking to the Verizon rep (at our local store) and told her we're using our own phones or we're not switching over...period.

She then sent us an email explaining we needed to call T-Mobile and have them unlock our 6s' (which we did yesterday/today and got the email) so when we come in on Sunday we can use our current phones.

I hope they don't try to pull one on us...but since she recommended calling T-Mobile to have it unlocked (since we paid them off last month) I hope we have everything go smoothly.

 

[Applejuiced]

Some Verizon reps were able to bypass it and used an imei number from one of their display model iPhones.
Then they got the activated sim and put it in the unlocked iPhone and that's it.
But if they're not knowledgeable enough they might hit a wall not knowing what to do or how and tell you it cannot be done unless you lease an iPhone from them made for their network.

 

[ghsDUDE]

Some Verizon reps were able to bypass it and used an imei number from one of their display model iPhones.
Then they got the activated sim and put it in the unlocked iPhone and that's it.
But if they're not knowledgeable enough they might hit a wall not knowing what to do or how and tell you it cannot be done unless you lease an iPhone from them made for their network.

Perfect - makes sense. So it seems like I did my pat in calling T-Mobile to unlock it...I just didn't get the congratulations message I originally asked about...but that doesn't matter I guess.

Thanks for a ll the advice. Let me know if I'm missing anything or if you have any additional suggestions. I'l post back here on Sunday.

 

[kevink2]

When I moved to Verizon last year, I took my already unlocked (from ATT) 6 with me. They checked with one of their SIMs to verify that it was unlocked, and I was able to port my number.