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Phone supposedly unlocked but shows locked!

Ramio

Ramio

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 13, 2011
919
2
Houston, TeXas
I purchased an unlock for my 6 plus on the bay and today I got a message from the seller saying that it is unlocked. When I checked the imei on one of those imei websites, it shows it as sim locked and carrier unknown. I don't have access to a computer now so how can I test if it is indeed unlocked?. It's an att phone by the way. Any tips would be appreciated.
 
The best way to test it, is to put your carrier's SIM into the phone and try to use it.
 
maflynn said:
The best way to test it, is to put your carrier's SIM into the phone and try to use it.
Click to expand...

I'm already using with att but I unlocked it so I can use it on an overseas trip soon. I just don't want to get there and find out it's not. The seller says he unlocked it but the online imei checker says locked.
 
The only way to test it,is to use another sim, maybe one of those pay as you go phones and slap that sim into the phone or borrow a friends?
 
When I had my i5 unlocked, I did a restore in iTunes and after that it would say "Crongratulations your phone is unlocked"
 
Good luck.

Is this something that maybe you can take to another carrier or apple to check as well?
 
maflynn said:
Good luck.

Is this something that maybe you can take to another carrier or apple to check as well?
Click to expand...

I'm going to call apple this morning and see if I can get any info. If that doesn't work, I'll go by a T-Mobile store and ask them if it will work on their network as I'm thinking about switching to them which I'm not lol.
 
What I usually do is I buy a non-activated t-mo sim card from target or best buy and insert it. You don't need to activate it and it should still detect a t-mo.

I'm not sure how this will work on iOS, but on Android even if you put in a non-active sim card it will tell you that it's not on the carrier it's supposed to be on and asks you to put in the unlock code that the carrier that is locked on provides to you.

So test it, just go to the store and buy a sim card if they have one and insert it. No need an active sim card.
 
Ramio said:
How can I get one without signing up for service?
Click to expand...

Simplest / easiest is test using a friend's nano SIM. I'd imagine you know someone with T-Mobile or Verizon service.


Alternately, buy a T-Mobile prepaid SIM activation kit. Usually $10 but watch Slickdeals as T-Mobile very frequently has coupons making them free or 99 cents delivered. Comes with $3 worth of prepaid credit, enough to test with.
 
deeddawg said:
Simplest / easiest is test using a friend's nano SIM. I'd imagine you know someone with T-Mobile or Verizon service.


Alternately, buy a T-Mobile prepaid SIM activation kit. Usually $10 but watch Slickdeals as T-Mobile very frequently has coupons making them free or 99 cents delivered. Comes with $3 worth of prepaid credit, enough to test with.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that's what I meant to say, just wasn't in my head at the time.
 
Thanks guys. Do you know if the t-mobile stores has these activation kits and if they do, how much are they as I'm assuming it's not the same price as online.
 
Ramio said:
Do you know if the t-mobile stores has these activation kits and if they do, how much are they as I'm assuming it's not the same price as online.
Click to expand...

When I went looking for one last year I tried a TMO store; I think they were wanting $20. Kicker was they didn't want to sell JUST the SIM, they wanted to ensure I signed up for service and so forth. It was a reminder of why I avoid cell phone stores. :cool:

Alternate idea -- see if Walmart has a Straight Talk nano SIM kit. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Straight-Talk-AT-T-Compatible-Nano-SIM-Activation-Kit/34565623
 
deeddawg said:
When I went looking for one last year I tried a TMO store; I think they were wanting $20. Kicker was they didn't want to sell JUST the SIM, they wanted to ensure I signed up for service and so forth. It was a reminder of why I avoid cell phone stores. :cool:

Alternate idea -- see if Walmart has a Straight Talk nano SIM kit. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Straight-Talk-AT-T-Compatible-Nano-SIM-Activation-Kit/34565623
Click to expand...

Just checked out the link. So I'm guessing all I have to do is put the sim in and my phone is supposed to detect it if unlocked but no need to sign up for anything, right?.
 
deeddawg said:
When I went looking for one last year I tried a TMO store; I think they were wanting $20. Kicker was they didn't want to sell JUST the SIM, they wanted to ensure I signed up for service and so forth. It was a reminder of why I avoid cell phone stores. :cool:

Alternate idea -- see if Walmart has a Straight Talk nano SIM kit. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Straight-Talk-AT-T-Compatible-Nano-SIM-Activation-Kit/34565623
Click to expand...

AFAIK, Straight talk uses AT&T network so it still works even when the phone is locked to carrier so no way of telling whether the phone is locked or not.
 
Ramio said:
Oops so I guess I'll go the T-Mobile activation kit route. Thanks
Click to expand...

Another alternative route is, as others have mentioned, if you know someone who has a cellular ipad with nano-sim that isn't AT&T then you can plug that in and see if it works. I did that when I had the AT&T 6 Plus that I purchased device only and wanted to make sure. I had a verizon nano sim from my ipad and it worked fine on my AT&T 6 Plus
 
Don't forget, with the iPhone once the unlock is processed, you have to restore in iTunes for it to take effect on the phone.
 
JakeT85 said:
Don't forget, with the iPhone once the unlock is processed, you have to restore in iTunes for it to take effect on the phone.
Click to expand...

That's what I said. It's free too. I don't know why the OP won't do this. It willl tell him if the phone is unlocked.
 
pdxmatts said:
That's what I said. It's free too. I don't know why the OP won't do this. It willl tell him if the phone is unlocked.
Click to expand...

I'm on vacation and don't have access to a pc for a good while. All I have is my 6 plus and a work laptop that doesn't allow me to download iTunes...otherwise I would have done that.
 
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