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iPhone 5 or earlier Replacement iPhone Unlocked

D

ds.

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 18, 2012
54
3
So my iPhone 5's power/lock button had become unresponsive, and I took it in to get it replaced. They guy at the store went to the back and brought out a new (or what I believed to be new, since it was in great condition when I got it) iPhone 5 in a white box. This wasn't a retail box, it was a thinner white box with just the phone in it. (I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about)

My question is, is the phone I received as a replacement unlocked? My contract is with Rogers (Canadian) and I bought my original iPhone 5 from them, I assume that one was locked. I'm not too sure if the replacement would be locked or not, due to the fact that it was a replacement from the Apple Store and Rogers was not involved in the process at all. I also don't think that Apple would just have a stock of replacement phones in the two different colours and the three different size configurations locked to the different service providers. The guy also did not mention or ask me about my service provider at all. He just took my SIM out and put it in the new phone.
 
B

Baggio

macrumors 6502
Oct 18, 2012
442
1
ds. said:
So my iPhone 5's power/lock button had become unresponsive, and I took it in to get it replaced. They guy at the store went to the back and brought out a new (or what I believed to be new, since it was in great condition when I got it) iPhone 5 in a white box. This wasn't a retail box, it was a thinner white box with just the phone in it. (I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about)

My question is, is the phone I received as a replacement unlocked? My contract is with Rogers (Canadian) and I bought my original iPhone 5 from them, I assume that one was locked. I'm not too sure if the replacement would be locked or not, due to the fact that it was a replacement from the Apple Store and Rogers was not involved in the process at all. I also don't think that Apple would just have a stock of replacement phones in the two different colours and the three different size configurations locked to the different service providers. The guy also did not mention or ask me about my service provider at all. He just took my SIM out and put it in the new phone.
Click to expand...

Unlock is based on your IMEI number of your phone in apple's database. Whatever the status of the previous phone IMEI number transfers to the replacement phone.
 
dictoresno

dictoresno

macrumors 601
Apr 30, 2012
4,495
631
NJ
most likely will not be unlocked, as Rogers phones i believe always come locked from the factory. if you paid for an unlock on your old device, you will likely need to unlock it again.

i know in the US, when i got my phone replaced (verizon) there was a menu upon booting up the phone which asked the genius which carrier this was gonna lock the phone to but i think this is for CDMA devices only. my guess is apple carries replacement stock that are basically blanks, once a SIM is inserted and the carriers network data is downloaded for the first time, that data locks the SIM tray. or he knew you had rogers and it was indeed a rogers branded replacement device.
 
AttilaTheHun

AttilaTheHun

macrumors 65816
Feb 18, 2010
1,229
201
USA
Baggio said:
Unlock is based on your IMEI number of your phone in apple's database. Whatever the status of the previous phone IMEI number transfers to the replacement phone.
Click to expand...

U R right I alwayes buy my iphone factory unlocked at the Apple store ATT can't nor or don't have the right to lock it,
BTW you can go to the Apple store and do what ever you need to do they will do what roger can even better
 
D

ds.

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 18, 2012
54
3
Thanks for the help guys.

Anyone know if there's a site or some place I can check if my phone is locked or not? Would I be able to email Apple and find out from them if I gave them my IMEI number?
 
Applejuiced

Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
You will not get an unlocked phone in return when exchanging a locked iphone.
The replacement is done based on the serial number of the phone and the same properties get transferred over to the replacement device.
 
A

ApfelKuchen

macrumors 601
Aug 28, 2012
4,334
3,011
Between the coasts
They exchange like-for-like (or locked-for-locked, if you prefer). Even if it had been unlocked when in the white box, it was locked to Rogers when it was activated. Of course you can check status, but the chances of finding that it's unlocked are on a par with winning the lottery.

The locked status is to compensate your carrier for subsidizing the cost of the first phone. That expense did not go away when Apple replaced the phone under warranty (Apple did not pay Rogers because the phone broke). Your contract with Rogers was not voided because the phone was replaced.
 
AndrewR23

AndrewR23

Contributor
Jun 24, 2010
4,547
1,721
I had an unlocked OOW 5 that was unlocked through a 3rd party website about a year ago. Home button broke, paid the 269$ for it, then got another unlocked 5 back. Runs fine with my T-mobile. Would that mean its unlocked? Don't have any other carriers to try with.
 
B

bri1212

macrumors 6502
Feb 1, 2008
274
5
ApfelKuchen said:
They exchange like-for-like (or locked-for-locked, if you prefer). Even if it had been unlocked when in the white box, it was locked to Rogers when it was activated. Of course you can check status, but the chances of finding that it's unlocked are on a par with winning the lottery.

The locked status is to compensate your carrier for subsidizing the cost of the first phone. That expense did not go away when Apple replaced the phone under warranty (Apple did not pay Rogers because the phone broke). Your contract with Rogers was not voided because the phone was replaced.
Click to expand...

In the US, the apple store will replace the phone unlocked if it shows unlocked, when they plug it in and check the IMEI. Obviously I can't tell you what Rogers and Apple's agreement might be, but when I replaced my iphone4S in March, Apple replaced it with a phone which was also unlocked.
 
N

NickRichyRich

macrumors member
Jun 27, 2013
53
0
From what I understand Apple will replace the phone with an unlocked model. If you bought the model as unlocked then the phone is going to be replaced with one that is exactly like it. Meaning that the phone should be unlocked. Now when they activate the new phone the imei is going to be branded to your carrier.

Could be wrong but that is what I have been told.
 
X

xRpz

macrumors newbie
Dec 15, 2017
2
0
dictoresno said:
most likely will not be unlocked, as Rogers phones i believe always come locked from the factory. if you paid for an unlock on your old device, you will likely need to unlock it again.

i know in the US, when i got my phone replaced (verizon) there was a menu upon booting up the phone which asked the genius which carrier this was gonna lock the phone to but i think this is for CDMA devices only. my guess is apple carries replacement stock that are basically blanks, once a SIM is inserted and the carriers network data is downloaded for the first time, that data locks the SIM tray. or he knew you had rogers and it was indeed a rogers branded replacement device.
Click to expand...

Ok December 15, 2017 I walked out of the Apple Store phone in hand.I turned it on and it displayed a page showing the 4 major US carriers then below that was a list of smaller companies.I selected Verizon because I know they don’t have a lock policy as well as inserting a Verizon SIM card (Not Active anymore but still displays the signal).Well too my depressed amazement that didn’t work when the phone moved to the next phase (Select Language),
Everything seemed like it was working I was excited.When the home screen appeared BOOM
IT CRASHES BACK TO THE STARTUP PAGE ACTIVATION REQUIRED!!!!! It was still locked to Xfinity Mobile so it’s safe too assume that in the back when they do whatever it is they do back there,that must be when the procedure actually takes place because it did not matter I selected Verizon because the server already knew the details and over rode the manual command.
Just wanted too clear this up.
[doublepost=1513403923][/doublepost]
ds. said:
Thanks for the help guys.

Anyone know if there's a site or some place I can check if my phone is locked or not? Would I be able to email Apple and find out from them if I gave them my IMEI number?
Click to expand...

Boost Mobile BYOD check will tell you if your sim tray is locked.
 
Last edited:
BugeyeSTI

BugeyeSTI

macrumors 604
Aug 19, 2017
6,848
8,694
Arizona/Illinois
xRpz said:
Ok December 15, 2017 I walked out of the Apple Store phone in hand.I turned it on and it displayed a page showing the 4 major US carriers then below that was a list of smaller companies.I selected Verizon because I know they don’t have a lock policy as well as inserting a Verizon SIM card (Not Active anymore but still displays the signal).Well too my depressed amazement that didn’t work when the phone moved to the next phase (Select Language),
Everything seemed like it was working I was excited.When the home screen appeared BOOM
IT CRASHES BACK TO THE STARTUP PAGE ACTIVATION REQUIRED!!!!! It was still locked to Xfinity Mobile so it’s safe too assume that in the back when they do whatever it is they do back there,that must be when the procedure actually takes place because it did not matter I selected Verizon because the server already knew the details and over rode the manual command.
Just wanted too clear this up.
[doublepost=1513403923][/doublepost]

Boost Mobile BYOD check will tell you if your sim tray is locked.
Click to expand...
This thread is 4 years old...
 
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