Iphone 5 bought off ebay question

[aalangari]

i bought an iphone 5 off ebay and it came in inactivated. is there any way where i could unlock it and use my t-mobile number without going through the activation process?

the reason am asking is because some of the unlocking services such as "unlock fusion" say that the unlock may not work if the phone is not yet activated and i don't want to go through at&t's long unlocking process that might not even be approved.

thanks!

 

[AFDoc]

No I don't believe at this time that's possible. You will have to activate it and then get it unlocked per the unlock instructions.

 

[bandofbrothers]

No I don't believe at this time that's possible. You will have to activate it and then get it unlocked per the unlock instructions.

I was under the impression that the only unlocked versions of the iphone 5 are direct from apple themselves, and that currently networks wont unlock it.

Ive heard some of the standalone shops where i live say they don't possess the necessary software to unlock the iphone 5 yet too. Online un-lockers i'm always dubious about too but thats just my opinion.

The e bay seller should have stated if it was unlocked etc so you should be checking their description and perhaps raise a dispute or simply move networks to the one its locked to if that network gives you decent coverage.

 

[aalangari]

No I don't believe at this time that's possible. You will have to activate it and then get it unlocked per the unlock instructions.

thought so, i wish there is a way around this but it seems that there isn't any! i guess i"ll try my luck with unlock fusion first. you never know and it only costs $6, otherwise i'll have to get back to the seller and convince him to activate it for me..

thanks for your replay!

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I was under the impression that the only unlocked versions of the iphone 5 are direct from apple themselves, and that currently networks wont unlock it.

Ive heard some of the standalone shops where i live say they don't possess the necessary software to unlock the iphone 5 yet too. Online un-lockers i'm always dubious about too but thats just my opinion.

The e bay seller should have stated if it was unlocked etc so you should be checking their description and perhaps raise a dispute or simply move networks to the one its locked to if that network gives you decent coverage.

its my bad. he said the phone is off contract and bought at no commitment price, but he never said its unlocked.

thanks for your post!

 

[soya]

I don't think that activation is required before going through the unlocking process. I just swapped the AT&T card with the T-Mobile one. It went back to the "Activation required" lock screen and then I just had to do a slide to unlock and I was good to go.

So if you just use your T-Mobile SIM, it will go through the first steps wizard and at the end just check & activate your card. Since your iPhone was unlocked by unlock fusion, the simcard will be accepted. Well I believe that it will work in your case.

 

[JCCL]

I don't think that activation is required before going through the unlocking process. I just swapped the AT&T card with the T-Mobile one. It went back to the "Activation required" lock screen and then I just had to do a slide to unlock and I was good to go.

So if you just use your T-Mobile SIM, it will go through the first steps wizard and at the end just check & activate your card. Since your iPhone was unlocked by unlock fusion, the simcard will be accepted. Well I believe that it will work in your case.

This.........if it is already unlocked by fusion, you can also restore with the T-Mobile sim card inside, and you should have no problem.

 

[aalangari]

thanks guys for your contribution. i think the problem is with my sim. i must have done something wrong when i tried to convert it to the nano size.

i'll stop by t-mobile and ask them for a new one. this should work, otherwise i'll be the guy who bought the world's most expensive ear pods

 

[Fgozalo]

thanks guys for your contribution. i think the problem is with my sim. i must have done something wrong when i tried to convert it to the nano size.

i'll stop by t-mobile and ask them for a new one. this should work, otherwise i'll be the guy who bought the world's most expensive ear pods

So, any news regarding your activation? I'm pretty much in the same situation as yours, except I have not received my phone yet. As an aggravation, I`m outside the country.

Please do reply, any info regarding the activation process is much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[aalangari]

So, any news regarding your activation? I'm pretty much in the same situation as yours, except I have not received my phone yet. As an aggravation, I`m outside the country.

Please do reply, any info regarding the activation process is much appreciated. Thanks.

i got my phone activated with the help of the original owner. he gave me his zip code and last four digits of ssn. after that, i went through the "unlock_fusion" instruction and got my phone unlocked. then he called at&t and deactivated his sim, which was shipped with the phone. finally, i inserted mt t-mobile sim in the phone and now its working absolutely fine

i'm not an expert but after reading some threads here, it seems that the activation process is not necessary for every phone. however, i've tried everything to activate it but with no luck! mine had to be activated through the original owner!

i would recommend you try to do it by yourself but if you couldn't, then am afraid you have to get in touch with the guy who sold it to you.

 

[Applejuiced]

I don't think that activation is required before going through the unlocking process. I just swapped the AT&T card with the T-Mobile one. It went back to the "Activation required" lock screen and then I just had to do a slide to unlock and I was good to go.

So if you just use your T-Mobile SIM, it will go through the first steps wizard and at the end just check & activate your card. Since your iPhone was unlocked by unlock fusion, the simcard will be accepted. Well I believe that it will work in your case.

Same here.
Just stuck a Tmobile sim and brought me to the activation screen again and a few seconds later the i5 connected to their network using 2G.

 

[Fgozalo]

i got my phone activated with the help of the original owner. he gave me his zip code and last four digits of ssn. after that, i went through the "unlock_fusion" instruction and got my phone unlocked. then he called at&t and deactivated his sim, which was shipped with the phone. finally, i inserted mt t-mobile sim in the phone and now its working absolutely fine

i'm not an expert but after reading some threads here, it seems that the activation process is not necessary for every phone. however, i've tried everything to activate it but with no luck! mine had to be activated through the original owner!

i would recommend you try to do it by yourself but if you couldn't, then am afraid you have to get in touch with the guy who sold it to you.

Ah, I see, problem is that I'm stuck at the screen that shows a registered phone number and afterwards it requires the Billing Zip code and last 4 SSN #s. The real issue is the fact the original owner isn't so willing to provide me with the necessary info to activate it.

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Same here.
Just stuck a Tmobile sim and brought me to the activation screen again and a few seconds later the i5 connected to their network using 2G.

Really? I haven't tried with the sim that I'll be using, from a different carrier. Was your iPhone bought on contract of full price? If the former, shouldn't it require a one time activation with the number the purchase was registered on?

"If you wish to use the iPhone with another number, please first complete your activation using the information provided when you purchased this iPhone. Once phone service has been transferred to your new iPhone, you can call AT&T to swap service between two mobile numbers."

Which means, either I manage to activate it or the phone is rendered useless.

 

[aalangari]

Ah, I see, problem is that I'm stuck at the screen that shows a registered phone number and afterwards it requires the Billing Zip code and last 4 SSN #s. The real issue is the fact the original owner isn't so willing to provide me with the necessary info to activate it.

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Really? I haven't tried with the sim that I'll be using, from a different carrier. Was your iPhone bought on contract of full price? If the former, shouldn't it require a one time activation with the number the purchase was registered on?

"If you wish to use the iPhone with another number, please first complete your activation using the information provided when you purchased this iPhone. Once phone service has been transferred to your new iPhone, you can call AT&T to swap service between two mobile numbers."

Which means, either I manage to activate it or the phone is rendered useless.

i have a solution for you. why don't you go to an at&t store and have the original owner call them on the store's land-line, while you are standing in front of the at&t representative. handover your phone to the Rep. and let him activate the phone using the owner info. who will be giving him this info over the phone?

i was planning to propose this solution to the guy who sold me the phone but i guess he trusted me with his info and didn't make me go through this.

 

[Applejuiced]

Ah, I see, problem is that I'm stuck at the screen that shows a registered phone number and afterwards it requires the Billing Zip code and last 4 SSN #s. The real issue is the fact the original owner isn't so willing to provide me with the necessary info to activate it.

----------



Really? I haven't tried with the sim that I'll be using, from a different carrier. Was your iPhone bought on contract of full price? If the former, shouldn't it require a one time activation with the number the purchase was registered on?

"If you wish to use the iPhone with another number, please first complete your activation using the information provided when you purchased this iPhone. Once phone service has been transferred to your new iPhone, you can call AT&T to swap service between two mobile numbers."

Which means, either I manage to activate it or the phone is rendered useless.

I know what you're saying.
You're basicly stuck on this screen below.
Mine was bought on contract and I had to enter my accounts zip and the last 4 of my social to activate it at first.
And unfortunatelly the only way past that is with that info. Once its entered once the phone will never ask you again but without it you're SOL.
Try bringing it to Apple and see if they will replace it for you.
What I did with mine is purchase it on contract and then unlocked it by purchasing an IMEI unlock on ebay.
But even with that if you're stuck on that screen an IMEI unlock will not get you past that.

 

[Fgozalo]

i have a solution for you. why don't you go to an at&t store and have the original owner call them on the store's land-line, while you are standing in front of the at&t representative. handover your phone to the Rep. and let him activate the phone using the owner info. who will be giving him this info over the phone?

i was planning to propose this solution to the guy who sold me the phone but i guess he trusted me with his info and didn't make me go through this.

Sounds like a plan, I try to convince the seller/owner to do it.



Thanks.

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I know what you're saying.
You're basicly stuck on this screen below.
Mine was bought on contract and I had to enter my accounts zip and the last 4 of my social to activate it at first.
And unfortunatelly the only way past that is with that info. Once its entered once the phone will never ask you again but without it you're SOL.
Try bringing it to Apple and see if they will replace it for you.
What I did with mine is purchase it on contract and then unlocked it by purchasing an IMEI unlock on ebay.
But even with that if you're stuck on that screen an IMEI unlock will not get you past that.

I bought the unlock solution via eBay as well (something fusion), but as you said, I still need to activate it. LOL, for now I'm stuck, but I'll try to reason the the owner/seller. If not possible, then I'll just return it. After all, the listing did state that the phone was new, never used, not registered or linked to a contract.

 

[jenhao]

I know what you're saying.
You're basicly stuck on this screen below.
Mine was bought on contract and I had to enter my accounts zip and the last 4 of my social to activate it at first.
And unfortunatelly the only way past that is with that info. Once its entered once the phone will never ask you again but without it you're SOL.
Try bringing it to Apple and see if they will replace it for you.
What I did with mine is purchase it on contract and then unlocked it by purchasing an IMEI unlock on ebay.
But even with that if you're stuck on that screen an IMEI unlock will not get you past that.

I am in the same boat and the seller is hesitated to give me his last 4 of SSN. He is afraid the phone will activate an AT&T contract under his SSN. He said he cancelled the service with AT&T and paid ETF.

May I ask you what happens after you input the zip and last 4 of SSN? Does it ask you to agree on some contractual agreement? If not, maybe I can convince the seller to provide the info.

Thanks

 

[acatch90]

its my bad. he said the phone is off contract and bought at no commitment price, but he never said its unlocked.

thanks for your post!

just to let you know, this doesnt sound like a no commitment phone :/...
my no commitment phone never asked for a ssn/zip code and came unlocked.

 

[AFDoc]

just to let you know, this doesnt sound like a no commitment phone :/...
my no commitment phone never asked for a ssn/zip code and came unlocked.

He isn't saying it's a no commitment phone. He's saying he bought the unlock and can't get it activated because the person that bought the phone (my addition next) was stupid and didn't activate the phone before sending it out. To actually "activate" the phone OP needs the sellers zip (easy) and last 4 of ss# (which will serve no purpose other than activation of the iPhone)but the seller will not give last 4 up.

I unlocked my 5 with the same service. Actually did 6 phones total now with awesome results. Best $42 spent for my i's

 

[acatch90]

He isn't saying it's a no commitment phone. He's saying he bought the unlock and can't get it activated because the person that bought the phone (my addition next) was stupid and didn't activate the phone before sending it out. To actually "activate" the phone OP needs the sellers zip (easy) and last 4 of ss# (which will serve no purpose other than activation of the iPhone)but the seller will not give last 4 up.

I unlocked my 5 with the same service. Actually did 6 phones total now with awesome results. Best $42 spent for my i's

he said the ebay seller said it was a no commitment phone

its my bad. he said the phone is off contract and bought at no commitment price, but he never said its unlocked.

thanks for your post!

EDIT: I actually could be wrong about the zip/ssn thing, since Apple still might use that if you buy the no commitment online.

 

[AFDoc]

Sorry missed that part in the OP..... Oh it wasn't it was in the 2nd post.

 

[jenhao]

He isn't saying it's a no commitment phone. He's saying he bought the unlock and can't get it activated because the person that bought the phone (my addition next) was stupid and didn't activate the phone before sending it out. To actually "activate" the phone OP needs the sellers zip (easy) and last 4 of ss# (which will serve no purpose other than activation of the iPhone)but the seller will not give last 4 up.

I unlocked my 5 with the same service. Actually did 6 phones total now with awesome results. Best $42 spent for my i's

Hi, can you confirm the last 4 SSN is only used to activate the phone and doesn't start any contractual agreement?

Thanks

 

[Applejuiced]

I am in the same boat and the seller is hesitated to give me his last 4 of SSN. He is afraid the phone will activate an AT&T contract under his SSN. He said he cancelled the service with AT&T and paid ETF.

May I ask you what happens after you input the zip and last 4 of SSN? Does it ask you to agree on some contractual agreement? If not, maybe I can convince the seller to provide the info.

Thanks

No, it wont tie him up into a contract. Since he already paid the ETF and cancelled he has nothing to worry about.
After the screen above shows up and you enter the correct info the phone just activates and will take you into the homescreen. That's only used as a security feature to make sure the person that receives the phone is the one that actually ordered it under his account as an upgrade and not the mailmail/ups guy, someone stealing it off your doorstep etc...
He has to give you that info or ask for a refund since you cant use the phone.
Hope he understands.

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he said the ebay seller said it was a no commitment phone




EDIT: I actually could be wrong about the zip/ssn thing, since Apple still might use that if you buy the no commitment online.

No, apple doesnt use that if you buy a full price iphone.
Why would they need your last 4 of your social and billing zip?
You're just buying a full price iphone with no contract.

 

[jenhao]

No, it wont tie him up into a contract. Since he already paid the ETF and cancelled he has nothing to worry about.
After the screen above shows up and you enter the correct info the phone just activates and will take you into the homescreen. That's only used as a security feature to make sure the person that receives the phone is the one that actually ordered it under his account as an upgrade and not the mailmail/ups guy, someone stealing it off your doorstep etc...
He has to give you that info or ask for a refund since you cant use the phone.
Hope he understands.

Thank you so much, I will ask him again.

 

[AFDoc]

Hi, can you confirm the last 4 SSN is only used to activate the phone and doesn't start any contractual agreement?

Thanks

I can not confirm this but I would assume at the time the phone is activated is when the contractual agreement starts.

 

[Applejuiced]

I can not confirm this but I would assume at the time the phone is activated is when the contractual agreement starts.

No, the contract starts before that step.
Wether you activate it or never activate the phone you're still tied up into a contract if you purchase an iphone subsidized.

 

[AFDoc]

No, the contract starts before that step.
Wether you activate it or never activate the phone you're still tied up into a contract if you purchase an iphone subsidized.

Yes but I thought he was asking the actual billing (for usage) contractual obligation. That can't possibly start without activation can it? I'm ignorant on these types of things but can't see them making you pay for the usage before you use it.

Hell if actual "contractual" commitment didn't start until you activated it I'd have 100 iPhones lol. (I thought that would of been obvious so that's why I thought he was speaking of "usage" obligation)