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isaiah82's profile

New Member

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3 Messages

Sunday, March 26th, 2023 2:34 PM

iPhone previously unlocked by AT&T but now showing as carrier locked

I previously helped my mom her originally AT&T locked Phone 6 Plus unlocked; it worked fine, she used Mint Mobile for a while before getting a newer phone.  She gave us the original for our daughter.  I was able to activate the phone with Apple, but upon trying to insert a SIM I'm unable to activate.  I called Apple and they say that they are showing as carrier locked to A&T.

I tried to submit a new unlock request but receiving the message "We can't unlock this device for you because AT&T did not sell or activate it."

Any help is greatly appreciated!

sandblaster

ACE - Expert

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63.9K Messages

2 months ago

An unlocked phone can not get relocked. That iPhone was likely never unlocked. It worked on Mint because Mint uses ATT’s network. The response you get now likely means the imei of that phone has been purged from ATT’s database. You need advanced tech support to research the imei. The quickest way to make that happen is to file an FCC or BBB complaint to escalate to corporate.

kevink

ACE - Scholar

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724 Messages

2 months ago

@sandblaster as far as I can tell, Mint uses the T-Mobile network.  So if this phone sold for ATT,  was used on Mint I don't understand how it could be locked now.

Maybe there was a memory mixup, and it was another phone used on Mint.

New Member

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3 Messages

2 months ago

@sandblaster & @kevink thank you both.

I am 100% certain this phone was originally AT&T carrier locked and they previously unlocked it (or at least claimed to.)  My understanding is that Mint currently and always has used T-mobile network, and I remember trying a Mint SIM in this phone prior to getting it unlocked (it wouldn't work.)  My Mom switched over to Mint after the unlock, and used it fine for a few months.  She initially tried to trade it in to Apple when she got a new phone (they rejected because she marked it as a 6S Plus when it reality it is a 6 Plus.)  After that it sat idle for a year or so.  I also have a current/active Mint SIM and it will not work in the phone, either.  I'm questioning if the issue is on AT&T or Apple's end; either way I think I'm out of luck and sandblaster's suggestion of FCC/BBB complaint is my only hope.

Thanks again!

dwill05

ACE - Master

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7.8K Messages

2 months ago

Unlocked phones can’t be relocked.  The fact that it was used with Mint would mean that it was not locked to AT&T.  AT&T has no capability to lock a phone that was either previously unlocked, or locked to another carrier.  Either Apple is wrong, or the phone was never used with Mint, only with AT&T and was never unlocked.

sandblaster

ACE - Expert

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63.9K Messages

2 months ago

@kevink My bad and you are right, Mint has always been on T-Mobile.

@isaiah82 As previously stated, once unlocked, an iphone should not get relocked but you mention an attempt to trade it in to Apple. Was the phone actually sent to Apple and rejected? Perhaps they didn’t send back the same phone.

New Member

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3 Messages

2 months ago

Thanks again everybody.

@sandblaster  "Was the phone actually sent to Apple and rejected? Perhaps they didn’t send back the same phone." Indeed the phone was physically sent to Apple, rejected, and she opted to have it returned.  My assumption was it was the (exact) same phone, but you make a really valid point; honestly I don't know for sure.  And totally get that once unlocked there's no going back.

Best,

Isaiah

ATTHelp

Community Support

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215.5K Messages

2 months ago

Hello isaiah82, we're here to help with your Device Unlock Request.

 

 Let's meet in a Direct Message, so that we can take a look at your device unlock request. Please check your Direct Message inbox (it's the chat icon next to the bell icon in the upper right corner of the Forums).

 

Looking forward to speaking with you.

Carlton, AT&T Community specialist

kevink

ACE - Scholar

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724 Messages

2 months ago

@isaiah82 If you are sending in a phone for tradein, who thinks to write down the serial number in case it is then rejected and sent back?

If a replacement was sent back due to repair work, they should send ATT updated information for unlocking information.  But in this case, it appears that the policies may have been missed.  Either Apple forgot to check unlock status.  They didn't send the updated serial number to ATT.  Or ATT didn't store the number properly.

ACE - Sage

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107.4K Messages

2 months ago

radein, who thinks to write down the serial number in case it is then rejected and sent back?

Lol.  I wrote down IMEI of my 2 trade in phones.

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