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iPhone Unlocks. iPhone Unlocks everywhere?

Applejuiced said:
An i5 from verizon comes already unlocked and can be used on any gsm network including AT&T but it won't be able to connect to AT&T LTE, just 3G and hspa+.
The unlocked verizon 4S can only be used with any gsm sim outside the US. It won't work with AT&T or any other us carrier.
I know, it gets confusing:)
Click to expand...

thanks a lot as now I got these basics straight. You are the man!!!
 
Can someone tell me how an unlocked vs locked phone behaves when you put in a SIM from another carrier?

For my iPhone 4 which lock status was unknown, I tried a SIM from another carrier at the store. Rebooted the phone and it came up as "No Service" and had the grey set up screen. My carrier was telling me it was unlocked because it was a replacement from Apple and was not showing up in their database as being one of their phones (original phone bought locked through carrier). The guy at the other carrier's store said it was locked, else he said it would have worked after reboot rather than taking us to set up screen. I didn't want to take up any more of his time, so I wasn't able to do any further investigation.

The phone IS unlocked now as my carrier got permission to unlock the phone even though it wasn't in their database, but now I'm wondering if it was always unlocked and I should be asking for my money back...
 
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SnowDX said:
Can someone tell me how an unlocked vs locked phone behaves when you put in a SIM from another carrier?

For my iPhone 4 which lock status was unknown, I tried a SIM from another carrier at the store. Rebooted the phone and it came up as "No Service" and had the grey set up screen. My carrier was telling me it was unlocked because it was a replacement from Apple and was not showing up in their database as being one of their phones (original phone bought locked through carrier). The guy at the other carrier's store said it was locked, else he said it would have worked after reboot rather than taking us to set up screen. I didn't want to take up any more of his time, so I wasn't able to do any further investigation.

The phone IS unlocked know as my carrier got permission to unlock the phone even though it wasn't in their database, but now I'm wondering if it was always unlocked and I should be asking for my money back...
Click to expand...

It wasnt unlocked. If it was it would have worked with any gsm sim card.
When you replace your iphone at Apple they put in the old imei and the properties transfer over to the replacement phone you receive.
So you hand in a locked iphone you're getting an iphone that's also locked to the same carrier.
You dont get a factory unlocked replacement.
If that was the case we would all go to apple to have our locked iphones replaced for any random excuse to get an unlocked one in return.
Get it?
 
Applejuiced said:
It wasnt unlocked. If it was it would have worked with any gsm sim card.
When you replace your iphone at Apple they put in the old imei and the properties transfer over to the replacement phone you receive.
So you hand in a locked iphone you're getting an iphone that's also locked to the same carrier.
You dont get a factory unlocked replacement.
If that was the case we would all go to apple to have our locked iphones replaced for any random excuse to get an unlocked one in return.
Get it?
Click to expand...

Yes I always did get it. The problem is, the 2 Telus reps I spoke to did NOT get it and wouldn't allow me to pay for an unlock because they said it WAS unlocked even though I told them that's not the way Apple did things. It was replaced through the AppleCare Advance Replacement program, so I received the new phone and was using it prior to sending the old one back. We don't have an Apple store anywhere near us. Not that it makes a difference, but this is why the Telus guy was trying to tell me that it was unlocked because Apple didn't know the one they were getting back was locked...I said, "wouldn't their database tell them that the one I'd be sending back is locked?" and he just repeated, "it's already unlocked".

The third rep is the one I convinced to unlock it. They had to request special permission to do so since it wasn't in the Telus database.

On the off chance they were correct, I figured I'd check how locked phones behaved with a different sim since I keep reading that the phone will say "invalid sim" and mine didn't.
 
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SnowDX said:
Yes I always did get it. The problem is, the 2 Telus reps I spoke to did NOT get it and wouldn't allow me to pay for an unlock because they said it WAS unlocked even though I told them that's not the way Apple did things. It was replaced through the AppleCare Advance Replacement program, so I received the new phone and was using it prior to sending the old one back. We don't have an Apple store anywhere near us. Not that it makes a difference, but this is why the Telus guy was trying to tell me that it was unlocked because Apple didn't know the one they were getting back was locked...I said, "wouldn't their database tell them that the one I'd be sending back is locked?" and he just repeated, "it's already unlocked".

The third rep is the one I convinced to unlock it. They had to request special permission to do so since it wasn't in the Telus database.

On the off chance they were correct, I figured I'd check how locked phones behaved with a different sim since I keep reading that the phone will say "invalid sim" and mine didn't.
Click to expand...

That was a lot of running around.
Glad it worked out in the end.
 
$4.62 and my iPhone 5 is unlocked (for next year's sale of course) :D Gotta love it, w00t. Took less than two hours with Unlock Fusion.
 
ive used premiumunlocks.com for $10 for at&t unlock. then i followed them on twitter and got my next one for 8usd. hope it helps!
 
in case anyone is wondering, your phone may be unlocked already from the factory. i order an ATT black 15g on ip5 on launch day and when i called about the unlock status of my wifes old ip4 the rep accidently looked up my new ip5 imei # and told me it was unlocked. i confirmed this calling a second time.
 
bhigh8 said:
Can apple just at anytime go and lock their phones? if verizon wants their phones unlocked would apple or verizon go and change it later? seems like that would be real bad CS.
Click to expand...

Apple has no motivation to lock the devices. I doubt Verizon would turn around and change the lock status of the device after it's sold. I guess they could do it for future devices, but I doubt it.
 
Simm0nS777 said:
Has anyone confirmed that a restore is not necessary by unlocking through fusion and just immediately popping in a different carrier sim?
Click to expand...

It's funny because I am currently having an issue with unlocking my phone.

Itunes will not confirm the unlock, and I have no way of checking because I don't have a nano sim from another carrier.

I unlocked because I am traveling out of the country in a couple of months, and planned on buying a sim cutter and bringing it with me. What i am going to do is buy a blank tmo sim card and the sim cutter and check when both items come in
 
I restored my iPhone without my AT&T sim in, waited until the restore finished and got the message in iTunes saying the phone has no sim card, please activate. I unplugged my iPhone, inserted my sim, plugged it back in iTunes and got the unlock message.

solo118 said:
It's funny because I am currently having an issue with unlocking my phone.

Itunes will not confirm the unlock, and I have no way of checking because I don't have a nano sim from another carrier.

I unlocked because I am traveling out of the country in a couple of months, and planned on buying a sim cutter and bringing it with me. What i am going to do is buy a blank tmo sim card and the sim cutter and check when both items come in
Click to expand...
 
I can confirm that unlockfusion worked for me on my iPhone 4. They sent me the code about 4-5 hours after the purchase. I did a restore in iTunes which upgraded me from iOS 5 to 6. I tested at home with a Vodafone Egypt sim that I picked up while traveling for business. I didn't see any error messages but didn't have service either. I took it to the tmobile shop today and had service with one of their cards. I'm hopefully selling it to someone on cragislist tonight.

I'm debating unlocking my new iPhone 5. I don't have any imminent travel plans but you never know if the unlock door will get closed or if I'll suddenly have to leave the country. I can't see any downside. Why would AT&T want to cancel me or charge outrageous fees if I'm still paying the monthly contract?
 
Simm0nS777 said:
Has anyone confirmed that a restore is not necessary by unlocking through fusion and just immediately popping in a different carrier sim?
Click to expand...

I unlocked 3 iPhone 5s. Never connected to iTunes or restore. Just popped in a T-mobile SIM after receiving the emails and they were unlocked.

All phones were confirmed as locked via T-mobile SIM prior to purchasing unlocks from eBay.
 
wpalomine said:
I unlocked 3 iPhone 5s. Never connected to iTunes or restore. Just popped in a T-mobile SIM after receiving the emails and they were unlocked.

All phones were confirmed as locked via T-mobile SIM prior to purchasing unlocks from eBay.
Click to expand...

Same here.
I didnt restore my i5 either.
Just got a prepaid Tmobile microsim. Cut it down to nano and then popped it in and brought me into the welcome screen. The phone activated and showed tmobile on the corner.
That's enough of verification for me that it is 100% unlocked.
 
Applejuiced said:
Same here.
I didnt restore my i5 either.
Just got a prepaid Tmobile microsim. Cut it down to nano and then popped it in and brought me into the welcome screen. The phone activated and showed tmobile on the corner.
That's enough of verification for me that it is 100% unlocked.
Click to expand...

I got a tmo sim, popped it in and it only says no service instead of Tmobile.

Is this because its just a blank unused sim card? Or should I be able to grab a signal regardless?
 
solo118 said:
I got a tmo sim, popped it in and it only says no service instead of Tmobile.

Is this because its just a blank unused sim card? Or should I be able to grab a signal regardless?
Click to expand...

Not sure.
Mine said no service and after 10-20 seconds Tmobile popped up.
If the phone was still locked it would have said invalid sim I believe.
 
What if I put my freinds iPhone 5 Verizon sim in my AT&T phone will that tell me if its unlocked? Anyone try this?
 
solo118 said:
I got a tmo sim, popped it in and it only says no service instead of Tmobile.

Is this because its just a blank unused sim card? Or should I be able to grab a signal regardless?
Click to expand...

I got a free nano sim from tmobile (upgraded my micro to nano). The micro sim in my old ip4 registered no service now since tmobile activated my nano sim. I then put the nano sim in my ip5 and it registered tmobile. Is your sim an activated sim?
 
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