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Carrier Peculiar "locked" iPhone 7 Plus issue. Need your help!

W

WilliamG

macrumors G4
Original poster
Mar 29, 2008
10,055
3,978
Seattle
Hey all,

Figured I'd call upon your expertise here, as this one has me stumped. About 2 months ago I sold my iPhone 7 Plus (you know, cause iPhone X). The iPhone 7 Plus was bought full-price from Apple on AT&T at launch, and was confirmed unlocked by AT&T when I made the unlock request (just in case) soon after buying it in late 2016. Full price AT&T iPhone 7 Plus = GSM-unlocked, if purchased direct from Apple.

Anyway, I used it in the UK when I was visiting - on O2 and EE, without issue. I then used it back on AT&T when I came back to the USA. All is well. Prior to selling it...

So, two months after selling it (this past week), the guy I sold it to on Craigslist messages me and tells me the phone is not working correctly (he hasn't tried it till this point, since it was a Christmas present). He can't get any SIMs to work in it (T-Mobile, AT&T etc), and he says he always gets the same "SIM NOT SUPPORTED" message (see attached image).

I've been going back and forth with him a little, but this has me stumped. So, I'm not sure what to tell him at this point?

Any thoughts?
 

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Sounds like its locked to AT&T, you'll have to call up AT&T to get it unlocked, give them serial and or IMEI of it and should be unlocked fairly quickly (even if you bought it unlocked phones can get locked to networks but once your not in a contract with them it should be fine to get it unlocked)
 
Table Top Joe said:
Sounds like its locked to AT&T, you'll have to call up AT&T to get it unlocked, give them serial and or IMEI of it and should be unlocked fairly quickly (even if you bought it unlocked phones can get locked to networks but once your not in a contract with them it should be fine to get it unlocked)
Click to expand...

Why would it be locked to AT&T if it's confirmed unlocked and used with other SIMs prior to selling it?
 
WilliamG said:
Why would it be locked to AT&T if it's confirmed unlocked and used with other SIMs prior to selling it?
Click to expand...


Well the phone is either locked or else needs to be restored via iTunes given the message he's getting, id ask him to restore it in iTunes before anything else, if you call Apple with this issue thats what they'll tell you do(if the phone is 100% unlocked at least)
[doublepost=1515280203][/doublepost]I get that it SHOULD be unlocked of course but it can happen........tell him try the itunes restore, thats exactly what Apple tell you do if you call with a phone thats not locked but still shows that message
 
So he went to the Apple Store and said this:

“Ok weird scenario it was unlocked but was expecting a sprint sim. Might had occurred when I put in the Verizon sim (both CDMA). Works with my sprint sim so I have options if necessary. Thanks for the help and sorry for the hassle.”

That’s weird, right? I told him to restore so we’ll see if he gets back to me.
 
WilliamG said:
Why would it be locked to AT&T if it's confirmed unlocked and used with other SIMs prior to selling it?
Click to expand...
I read somewhere that sometimes popping an AT&T sim in your phone will lock it to AT&T. Since you tried it with an AT&T sim prior to selling it may have ended up locked to AT&T again.
 
borgranta said:
I read somewhere that sometimes popping an AT&T sim in your phone will lock it to AT&T. Since you tried it with an AT&T sim prior to selling it may have ended up locked to AT&T again.
Click to expand...

Necro-revive! No that wasn’t it. If a Verizon SIM is installed first, it’s unlocked. That situation was a little odd, but I assume the buyer resolved it at this point.
 
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