eyoungren: Where did you learn about this? Can you cite your source?Post #1 updated to reflect new information about the Sprint iPhone 5 reverting to international unlock only.
So you WERE successful with getting a DSU without ANY of the previous customers information? I'm looking for help unlocking two iPhone 4S but it's literally not even close to a possibility of finding or even knowing who the phones previously belonged to. Any help from someone that's still alive from this thread?Created an account to say thanks for the assist; and to let folks know that sprint are jerks. Just keep trying chat and calling until you get someone who will help you. I was told a few times that they could not get the phone information with the MEID, and that money was owed on the account, or anything else they can to not help you. Also, they like to hang up on you....a lot.
Again, thanks for this information, you all have a wonder rest of your <day, week, month, year, life> Peace.
They won't unlock the 4s. On their chart for unlocks the 4s is listed (along with the 5) as receiving an MSL code. Which is another way of saying "no unlock" because iDevices have no ability to use MSL codes.So you WERE successful with getting a DSU without ANY of the previous customers information? I'm looking for help unlocking two iPhone 4S but it's literally not even close to a possibility of finding or even knowing who the phones previously belonged to. Any help from someone that's still alive from this thread?
Well how would I go about unlocking a few iPhone 4S's? I'm looking to sell to people going overseas and it would increase the value to almost double what I would get for a sprint 4S.
Updated Post#1 to reflect that it is possible to fully unlock a Sprint iPhone 5.
I got a replacement for a swollen battery, informed the Apple genius that I was no longer with Sprint, and I was given the option to select the carrier (either Sprint or Verizon) during set up. I chose Verizon, which because of the FCC agreement means all Verizon LTE devices are fully unlocked. This activation policy was then applied and my Sprint iPhone 5 fully accepted my T-Mobile SIM.
A restore in iTunes confirmed the unlock.
So, despite Sprint's years long refrain that a Sprint iPhone 5 cannot be fully unlocked due to 'technical difficulties' it seems they are wrong. It can.
The option to choose which carrier was presented to me for the first time regarding this phone. The Apple genius did not select it on her own this time.That would be true but the only thing is that your replacement iPhone 5 had not been sent an carrier lock code prior to being boxed up and made into a "replacement". I've done send-in repairs with Sprint iPhones and stated the carrier was Sprint when they still made you choose that option (Select a Carrier). In return they send you unactivated non carrier locked phones with a list to choose from at the start up menu. Whatever carrier you click, the magic then happens where Apple gets a carrier lock sent to the device OTA. Which has always been confusing to me, I guess if you had access..you could unlock any apple iphone without the carriers consent. Or maybe it isn't possible
What I don't understand is how an iPhone 5 or 4S that had an activation policy with Sprint can't be used in the States once unlocked. If they're the same model iphone 5 (a1429) and Verizon's activation policy let's it work on any cell frequency anywhere in the world , why wouldn't it be the same once unlocked for Sprint? There's no difference in hardware. I don't get it, I hate Sprint.The option to choose which carrier was presented to me for the first time regarding this phone. The Apple genius did not select it on her own this time.
By my selecting Verizon as the carrier I bound the phone to Verizon's activation policy - which in the case of LTE enabled devices is for those devices to be unlocked. The phone is an A1429 which is the Sprint/Verizon model.
By virtue then of choosing Verizon's activation policy my formerly Sprint iPhone 5 was fully unlocked. Essentially, I was allowed to choose whether I wanted a Sprint iPhone 5 or a Verizon iPhone 5. I chose Verizon.
Had I chosen Sprint or had Sprint chosen for me, it would have followed Sprint's activation policy and would have permanently relocked to Sprint.
It all comes down to the activation policy that the carrier has with Apple. That determines what is OTA communicated to the phone from the iTunes servers.
Because Sprint's activation policy only allows for an international unlock.What I don't understand is how an iPhone 5 or 4S that had an activation policy with Sprint can't be used in the States once unlocked. If they're the same model iphone 5 (a1429) and Verizon's activation policy let's it work on any cell frequency anywhere in the world , why wouldn't it be the same once unlocked for Sprint? There's no difference in hardware. I don't get it, I hate Sprint.
You insert a different SIM and if you are asked for your Apple ID or the phone activates you know it's unlocked.Unlocking my Sprint IPhone 7+ called sprint 48 hours latter they called back and said my iPhone was domestically and internationally unlocked , so I called AppleCare to confirm and was told to back up my phone wipe it clean then restore it , then they verified it was unlocked!
However itunes or the settings menu gives me no confirmation how do I know for sure it's unlocked??????
Thank you
You insert a different SIM and if you are asked for your Apple ID or the phone activates you know it's unlocked.
If you get anything else, such as 'Invalid SIM' or problems activating then the phone is still locked.
BTW, it's unnecessary to restore. The only real situation where it applies is if you do not have a different SIM or if you REALLY want to see that 'Congratulations' message.
Restoring hasn't been necessary since 2011.
Looking back at this thread and my comments I have to rephrase what I said. When I think about it further I have a couple questions about your Sprint iPhone 5 replacement getting unlocked experience. Upon further run-ins with the Apple Store and overall Apple policies, I'm not sure what happens in the cases where they allow you to choose from a list of carries when receiving a replacement iphone. Per Apples policy and "by law" as they claim, they have to send the same exact carrier lock policy to the replacement phone that the faulty one had. So in your iphone 5 case, I'm wondering...did you have it internationally unlocked before getting it replaced? I'm thinking you somehow got lucky and the *no domestic* sim unlock applied to Sprint iPhone lock policies somehow slipped through the cracks when the lock policy of the replacement iphone 5 IMEI was applied in apples servers. I'm also confused at the same time, as to why in certain cases we have the choice of a list of carriers to choose lock policies from. If I go into an Apple Store with an unlocked phone, shouldn't they just replace it with an unlocked model? Technically, even if I go into an Apple Store with a Sprint iPhone to get replaced..I can't ask for a different unlock policy as you did in your case. It's automatically applied from what I've come to understand.The option to choose which carrier was presented to me for the first time regarding this phone. The Apple genius did not select it on her own this time.
By my selecting Verizon as the carrier I bound the phone to Verizon's activation policy - which in the case of LTE enabled devices is for those devices to be unlocked. The phone is an A1429 which is the Sprint/Verizon model.
By virtue then of choosing Verizon's activation policy my formerly Sprint iPhone 5 was fully unlocked. Essentially, I was allowed to choose whether I wanted a Sprint iPhone 5 or a Verizon iPhone 5. I chose Verizon.
Had I chosen Sprint or had Sprint chosen for me, it would have followed Sprint's activation policy and would have permanently relocked to Sprint.
It all comes down to the activation policy that the carrier has with Apple. That determines what is OTA communicated to the phone from the iTunes servers.
Just a few points. Both my old Sprint iPhone 5 and my wife's Sprint iPhone 5 are fully unlockedLooking back at this thread and my comments I have to rephrase what I said. When I think about it further I have a couple questions about your Sprint iPhone 5 replacement getting unlocked experience. Upon further run-ins with the Apple Store and overall Apple policies, I'm not sure what happens in the cases where they allow you to choose from a list of carries when receiving a replacement iphone. Per Apples policy and "by law" as they claim, they have to send the same exact carrier lock policy to the replacement phone that the faulty one had. So in your iphone 5 case, I'm wondering...did you have it internationally unlocked before getting it replaced? I'm thinking you somehow got lucky and the *no domestic* sim unlock applied to Sprint iPhone lock policies somehow slipped through the cracks when the lock policy of the replacement iphone 5 IMEI was applied in apples servers. I'm also confused at the same time, as to why in certain cases we have the choice of a list of carriers to choose lock policies from. If I go into an Apple Store with an unlocked phone, shouldn't they just replace it with an unlocked model? Technically, even if I go into an Apple Store with a Sprint iPhone to get replaced..I can't ask for a different unlock policy as you did in your case. It's automatically applied from what I've come to understand.
I think I may have worded my sentence the wrong way or just made it run on too long. When I brought up the whole "no domestic sim" unlock for Sprint towards iphone 4S and 5 (phones manufactured before feb 2014 date or w/e), I was basically referring to the fact that you had your iphone 5 internationally unlocked, which is the only option. Since the genius scanned that sprint internationally unlocked IMEI in apples database before issuing your replacement, I'm guessing that it picked up the previous phone policy as just being "unlocked" and couldn't detect the fact it was blocked to US sims. I wasn't saying your phone was one of those accidental domestic sprint unlocks before hand, as I don't even believe those claims. How sprint fully unlocked phones and then was able to get them off Apples whitelist after the fact is beyond me. I can't really imagine those claims were true. Just wanted to clear that up. By the way, I'm almost 100% sure it's apple policy and a "law" (as multiple geniuses have told me) that they have to automatically apply the previous carrier lock policy even if it's unlocked, so I can't seem to find the exact reason why some phones give the consumer an option to choose from a carrier list.Just a few points. Both my old Sprint iPhone 5 and my wife's Sprint iPhone 5 are fully unlocked
Yes, I had asked for international unlocks on these phones some time in late 2014, early 2015 I believe. When that didn't turn in to a full unlock I was unable to move to T-Mobile with those phones.
The loophole you mention has to my knowledge been closed by Sprint. They have even (I've heard) started to relock phones that got fully unlocked this way.
In replacing my wife's 5 I mentioned to the genius when he asked what carrier the phone was on that we no longer had Sprint. That is when he allowed me to choose the carrier.
I specifically asked when I replaced my iPhone 5 if I could choose the carrier as I was no longer with Sprint. The genius informed me that the majority of the time the screen allowing the choice of carrier would come up when the phone was started. She implied that being able to make the choice at this screen was something available to all customers.
Now, I've had my iPhone 5 replaced in the past and this was the very first time I was allowed to make the choice.
Both phones will be five years old in September.
I can only speculate that since these were NOT my primary phones and because they are as old as they are either Apple or it's geniuses just did not really care one way or the other.
When replacing with Apple the mantra has always been you get back what you give them.
Why I was allowed to make this choice twice in the span of a month I do not know. And I suppose it is possible that because I chose Verizon and because they were internationally unlocked anyway I was able to benefit from that. But I just assumed it was Verizon's unlock policy.
However, both phones are unlocked and both are currently on 4G on T-Mobile with their own phone numbers.
This particular thread is maintained by me, so you haven't necroed it.I hate to necrobump a thread, but I need help.
I recently called Sprint's international number to request an international unlock on an iPhone 5 (hoping to get domestic too) that hasn't been in service for 2 years (I'm assuming that means it's out of contract?), it's been paid off already. Anyways, I called and at first everything seemed to be going well, the rep asked for my imei and said he'd try to request an unlock, then I was put on hold for about 2-3 minutes, when he came back he said "The system won't allow me to unlock the phone because it was purchased before February 2015" and instead gave me a MSL (which I know doesn't apply to iDevices).
Should I call back in a day or two and ask again?
I hate to necrobump a thread, but I need help.
I recently called Sprint's international number to request an international unlock on an iPhone 5 (hoping to get domestic too) that hasn't been in service for 2 years (I'm assuming that means it's out of contract?), it's been paid off already. Anyways, I called and at first everything seemed to be going well, the rep asked for my imei and said he'd try to request an unlock, then I was put on hold for about 2-3 minutes, when he came back he said "The system won't allow me to unlock the phone because it was purchased before February 2015" and instead gave me a MSL (which I know doesn't apply to iDevices).
Should I call back in a day or two and ask again?