Carrier Sprint. BYOD iDevice starts today

[eyoungren]

Not that anyone around here cares…but Sprint has finally decided to stop shooting itself in the foot by denying customers the ability to BYOD.

I guess this terminates the longstanding policy to not activate any non-Sprint phone.

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/blog/1/entry-384-take-two-sprint-offers-byod-for-apple-devices/

Sprint is opening this up to unlocked models of the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad Mini Retina and iPad Mini 3. The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c Verizon models are also eligible. The iPhone 5s/5c AT&T and Tmo model have CDMA disabled and thus are not eligible. BYOAD can be used with any Sprint rate plan, except for the Cut Your Rate in Half. Some special terms and conditions apply.

 

[I7guy]

That's big, will verizon follow?

 

[eyoungren]

Don't know. All I can say is that this should have happened years ago. When you're on a sinking ship and someone shows up to help bail you out, telling them to get bent isn't helpful.

Or read another way, Sprint is now so desperate that opening the doors to foreign devices is now a serious option.

My only other question is…too little too late?

 

[eclipse01]

Does this mean, I can take my Sprint Iphone6 over to another carrier as well?

 

[eyoungren]

Does this mean, I can take my Sprint Iphone6 over to another carrier as well?

Well, this thread is about BYOAD (Bring Your Own Apple Device) to Sprint, not about getting your Sprint phone unlocked to take to another carrier.

That said, if you have not heard, the unlock policy changed in February. Sprint will give you a DSU (Domestic SIM Unlock) for the iPhone 5c, 5s, 6 and 6+ if your device is paid off and you are not under contract or owe anything to Sprint.

In the context of this thread, if you are bringing a non-Sprint Apple device TO Sprint then the device is unlocked already - which means you can leave Sprint for another carrier with that device. Because it's unlocked.

 

[MrXiro]

Not that anyone around here cares…but Sprint has finally decided to stop shooting itself in the foot by denying customers the ability to BYOD.

I guess this terminates the longstanding policy to not activate any non-Sprint phone.

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/blog/1/entry-384-take-two-sprint-offers-byod-for-apple-devices/

Thanks for the info! That is actually amazing news! I'll probably give my iPhone 6 to my wife (who is on Sprint using my old SERO plan) and upgrade to a 6S+ later this year!

On Second though... SERO phones are subsidized so it'd be better for her to just buy a subbed phone from Sprint.

 

[perkedel]

good luck to them. I used to be on sprint's network.
My 56K modem was faster than their network.

 

[eclipse01]

Well, this thread is about BYOAD (Bring Your Own Apple Device) to Sprint, not about getting your Sprint phone unlocked to take to another carrier.

That said, if you have not heard, the unlock policy changed in February. Sprint will give you a DSU (Domestic SIM Unlock) for the iPhone 5c, 5s, 6 and 6+ if your device is paid off and you are not under contract or owe anything to Sprint.

In the context of this thread, if you are bringing a non-Sprint Apple device TO Sprint then the device is unlocked already - which means you can leave Sprint for another carrier with that device. Because it's unlocked.

right I know that, but I figured since they are doing this. I was wondering if the reverse was going to be made available.

 

[MrXiro]

good luck to them. I used to be on sprint's network.
My 56K modem was faster than their network.

Their LTE isn't bad in LA. And they get better building penetration than Tmobile. My wife claims that TMobile has zero data signal where she works but Sprint does well so she watches Netflix at lot on her phone during downtime at work. They don't have internet access there (yes... places like that still exist)

 

[eclipse01]

Their LTE isn't bad in LA. And they get better building penetration than Tmobile. My wife claims that TMobile has zero data signal where she works but Sprint does well so she watches Netflix at lot on her phone during downtime at work. They don't have internet access there (yes... places like that still exist)

I 2nds this, in my building that I work with (basically a factory) I get far better signal (full LTE basically) than any other carrier...now outside city limits on the other hand....Yikes!

 

[eyoungren]

right I know that, but I figured since they are doing this. I was wondering if the reverse was going to be made available.

Oh, I think I get what you are saying. No idea!

----------

Their LTE isn't bad in LA. And they get better building penetration than Tmobile. My wife claims that TMobile has zero data signal where she works but Sprint does well so she watches Netflix at lot on her phone during downtime at work. They don't have internet access there (yes... places like that still exist)

Not until last week was I getting any reasonable speed at work. There are two towers I connect to here at work depending on which part of the building I am in. The second one finally got backhaul last week. A year or so after the first one!

Sprint's been working on the Phoenix market since December 2012 and to date are only 75% complete. PHX was 'launched' at 40%.

Now I'm pulling down 6mbps+. Just wish it hadn't taken 2.5 years to get here.

 

[KUguardgrl13]

So the Verizon 5 is not eligible? Oh well! Sprint couldn't pay me enough to switch anyway I think whenever my parents spin me off on my own plan I'll bring my boyfriend over from T-Mobile and we'll share a Verizon plan if we make enough money.

 

[rockitdog]

BYOiD to Sprint and cut your service level in half!!

 

[ET iPhone Home]

Well, this thread is about BYOAD (Bring Your Own Apple Device) to Sprint, not about getting your Sprint phone unlocked to take to another carrier.

That said, if you have not heard, the unlock policy changed in February. Sprint will give you a DSU (Domestic SIM Unlock) for the iPhone 5c, 5s, 6 and 6+ if your device is paid off and you are not under contract or owe anything to Sprint.

In the context of this thread, if you are bringing a non-Sprint Apple device TO Sprint then the device is unlocked already - which means you can leave Sprint for another carrier with that device. Because it's unlocked.

I have a sim-free unlocked 6+. Lets say, I take it to Sprint for a few months of service, then later switch back to T-Mobile, can Sprint do anything to my 6+ to lock it to prevent me from going to any other carrier?

I was with Sprint for a good number of years. Their Voice signal was excellent; not sure about Data. I left them 2 months ago. I doubt anything has changed, but I did have a 4S back then. They told me I needed a 5S or 6/6+ to gain and benefit from their data speeds.

 

[eyoungren]

I have a sim-free unlocked 6+. Lets say, I take it to Sprint for a few months of service, then later switch back to T-Mobile, can Sprint do anything to my 6+ to lock it to prevent me from going to any other carrier?

No.

Let me emphasize this with an explanation. No carrier can relock your phone. Period. Once your phone is unlocked, it is unlocked permanently.

Once the IMEI of your phone is submitted to Apple, it's inserted in their unlock database and the iTunes server issues a new activation policy to your phone. Only Apple and not the carrier can remove your IMEI from the database.

Now, if you leave and do not pay your bill or anything that you owe the carrier your IMEI can then be blacklisted by the carrier, but that is an entirely different matter.

Again. Once unlocked there is nothing any carrier can do to relock your phone.

 

[617aircav]

Too late. I have figured a way to get unlimited LTE for $20 a month so I'm good.

 

[ET iPhone Home]

No.

Let me emphasize this with an explanation. No carrier can relock your phone. Period. Once your phone is unlocked, it is unlocked permanently.

Once the IMEI of your phone is submitted to Apple, it's inserted in their unlock database and the iTunes server issues a new activation policy to your phone. Only Apple and not the carrier can remove your IMEI from the database.

Now, if you leave and do not pay your bill or anything that you owe the carrier your IMEI can then be blacklisted by the carrier, but that is an entirely different matter.

Again. Once unlocked there is nothing any carrier can do to relock your phone.

Thanks.

 

[gotluck]

I'm having trouble bringing my ipad air Gen 1 to sprint. It was originally purchased from T-Mobile. It works on att as well. Sprint has added my meid to their database and the device now passes ting.com cdma byod check. When a sprint sim in placed into the ipad it prompts for icloud credentials then says sim not valid.

It appears apples 'activation policy' on the device does not allow sprint even though the device has always been unlocked. I have a case with Apple that has been escalated to an engineer. Hoping they can help me out because I don't know what else to do.

When the ipad air first came out it was indeed sprint policy to activate only sprint ipad airs. It seems Apple also has a check on their side otherwise the meid being added should be enough eh?

First tier Apple support kept trying to tell me I need T-Mobile to unlock it. I've never heard of a partially unlocked device!

Not that anyone around here cares…but Sprint has finally decided to stop shooting itself in the foot by denying customers the ability to BYOD.

I guess this terminates the longstanding policy to not activate any non-Sprint phone.

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/blog/1/entry-384-take-two-sprint-offers-byod-for-apple-devices/

 

[eyoungren]

I'm having trouble bringing my ipad air Gen 1 to sprint. It was originally purchased from T-Mobile. It works on att as well. Sprint has added my meid to their database and the device now passes ting.com cdma byod check. When a sprint sim in placed into the ipad it prompts for icloud credentials then says sim not valid.

It appears apples 'activation policy' on the device does not allow sprint even though the device has always been unlocked. I have a case with Apple that has been escalated to an engineer. Hoping they can help me out because I don't know what else to do.

When the ipad air first came out it was indeed sprint policy to activate only sprint ipad airs. It seems Apple also has a check on their side otherwise the meid being added should be enough eh?

First tier Apple support kept trying to tell me I need T-Mobile to unlock it. I've never heard of a partially unlocked device!

You might get some Sprint engineers to check on things. Could be a backend issue.

I've heard of that kind of thing happening. Unless of course Sprint still hasn't added your IMEI. They should have done that with a ClickIt ticket.

 

[Breaking Good]

I'm having trouble bringing my ipad air Gen 1 to sprint. It was originally purchased from T-Mobile. It works on att as well. Sprint has added my meid to their database and the device now passes ting.com cdma byod check. When a sprint sim in placed into the ipad it prompts for icloud credentials then says sim not valid.

It appears apples 'activation policy' on the device does not allow sprint even though the device has always been unlocked. I have a case with Apple that has been escalated to an engineer. Hoping they can help me out because I don't know what else to do.

When the ipad air first came out it was indeed sprint policy to activate only sprint ipad airs. It seems Apple also has a check on their side otherwise the meid being added should be enough eh?

First tier Apple support kept trying to tell me I need T-Mobile to unlock it. I've never heard of a partially unlocked device!

Can you make it to an Apple Store? If your particular model is suppose to work on Sprint and it doesn't, I think Apple owes you a replacement. I would make sure you have proof directly from Sprint (not Ting) that your MEID has been added to their network and go to an Apple retail store.

When did anyone start locking iPads? I thought all iPads were unlocked. How long ago did this change?

In all honesty, it could be a simple natter of loading a different version of iOS which the Apple Store should be able to do.

 

[Charadis]

Thought it was kinda funny that my 6s I got 4 months ago passed Ringplus's imei checker, and was able to use as a placeholder for a plan (had a spare uicc from a Virgin Mobile purchase).

Had submitted unlock requests to AT&T a couple of times, both rejected, and still on contract until Dec 2017. Anyone know if I can still activate on Ringplus if I pop in the UICC? (Currently has AT&T sim).

Don't wanna try and get it tied to sprint or something crazy like that, just curious

 

[Channan]

Thought it was kinda funny that my 6s I got 4 months ago passed Ringplus's imei checker, and was able to use as a placeholder for a plan (had a spare uicc from a Virgin Mobile purchase).

Had submitted unlock requests to AT&T a couple of times, both rejected, and still on contract until Dec 2017. Anyone know if I can still activate on Ringplus if I pop in the UICC? (Currently has AT&T sim).

Don't wanna try and get it tied to sprint or something crazy like that, just curious

There's no risk of it getting locked to Sprint. The worst thing that would happen is it just won't work on RingPlus. If you got a good plan on RingPlus, you might want to buy a cheap Sprint phone and transfer the plan over to that phone so you don't lose it. You need to make one phone call every month to keep your RingPlus plan.

 

[gotluck]

Thought it was kinda funny that my 6s I got 4 months ago passed Ringplus's imei checker, and was able to use as a placeholder for a plan (had a spare uicc from a Virgin Mobile purchase).

Had submitted unlock requests to AT&T a couple of times, both rejected, and still on contract until Dec 2017. Anyone know if I can still activate on Ringplus if I pop in the UICC? (Currently has AT&T sim).

Don't wanna try and get it tied to sprint or something crazy like that, just curious

Passing the ring plus check and the ting cdma check is not a guarantee that it will work. It sounds like your 6s is locked to att. The device checks don't know your unlock status. Believe it only checks for clean esn and eligible meid/imei
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Can you make it to an Apple Store? If your particular model is suppose to work on Sprint and it doesn't, I think Apple owes you a replacement. I would make sure you have proof directly from Sprint (not Ting) that your MEID has been added to their network and go to an Apple retail store.

When did anyone start locking iPads? I thought all iPads were unlocked. How long ago did this change?

In all honesty, it could be a simple natter of loading a different version of iOS which the Apple Store should be able to do.

Its a weird situation for sure. I'm not sure that it effects any devices aside from the air 1 and mini 2. I'm going to see what happens with the case first, then we'll see.

The device did not pass the checks (both ting and ring plus, I don't see a publicly available direct sprint check, though I was there when sprint rep called it in) prior to me visiting sprint and now they do pass so my faith is pretty high there but I hear you about proof from sprint directly

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2013/11/03/ipad-air-unlocked-partially-compatible-networks-video/

This article explains what is going on for me I believe, except now sprint will add meids to their database and they wouldn't before. But it seems Apple has an activation policy that blocks it anyway. The sprint variant was the model to buy for maximum compatibility at the time (which was sprints fault, but it seems apple accommodated the process with some kind of 'activation policy' that keeps att/Verizon/T-Mobile variants from activating on sprint , meid aside)

 

[gotluck]

For anyone that searches for this in the future, Apple was able to help me on their side.

Received word to try again today and I am good to go!

My bought from tmobile ipad air 1 now works on sprint

Wonderful support Apple!