Tutor
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7 Messages
Why would you lock my phone?
The main reason I bought my Iphone 5 from Amazon as an unlocked phone, was because I never wanted to deal with a company locking my phone.
I had been using a SIM card that I got as a pre-paid plan from AT&T (I think they call it a GoPhone SIM card), and everything was working fine. I've now moved to Madrid, Spain and I bought a prepaid SIM card that I thought I could use on my "unlocked" phone, but oh surprise, it is apparently locked. Why the **** would you block my phone from using other companies SIM cards?
Anyways.. I found out the site att.com/deviceunlock and I submitted my request for my phone to be unlocked, however, I haven't received the e-mail that you need in order to confirm your request (yes, I already checked my spam/junk folder and no, I didn't misspell my e-mail).
So, basically I can't do anything because my request is in hold because I haven't confirmed the e-mail that they sent me (because they didnt send anything), and I cannot submit a new request because it says I've already done it once.
I'm out of the country and I can't do anything, what was the point of buying an unlocked phone then?..
Accepted Solution
Official Solution
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117.4K Messages
6 years ago
The FCC, which is the agency that governs cell carriers allows carriers to lock phones as long as they publish terms to unlock them. Which ATT does.
If the phone were unlocked out of the box, it wouldn’t be locked to ATT. It’s that simple. Paying full price does not mean a phone is unlocked, it means if all other requirements are met, it can be unlocked.
Since only Verizon sells phone unlocked, and even they are cracking down and locking phones until activated, there is no carrier that sells unlocked phones.
https://9to5google.com/2018/10/19/verizon-pixel-3-sim-lock/
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sandblaster
ACE - Expert
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64.7K Messages
8 years ago
You clearly did not buy an unlocked phone. ATT does not lock any phone after it has been unlocked.
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117.4K Messages
8 years ago
1. Amazon falsely advertised the phone, not AT&Ts fault.
2. If the email didn't come, you have to wait 24 hours for the request to be canceled. Then request again. Rumor is Gmail doesn't go through. I've had no problem with it.
3. If you used on Gophone for less than 6 months, you will have to ask for an exception. Gophone are locked for 6 months.
Exception: message here > > @ATTMobilityCare. Explain it was a full price Amazon purchase.
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montalvo12
Tutor
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7 Messages
8 years ago
It was an unlocked phone from Amazon, there is no doubt about that. I have used different SIM cards with this Iphone before and never had any issues until this time. In fact, I had already used AT&T, then Orange (the Spanish company), then I started using AT&T again, and wanted to do the same thing again (Orange), but this time it didn't work and it says "The SIM card inserted in this Iphone does not appear to be supported"
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117.4K Messages
8 years ago
Once a phone is unlocked, it can't be locked again. Period. If you used the phone with orange, it is not locked,
iPhones are locked by Apple servers, not ATT. When someone requests an unlock, it passes through the carrier for verification of eligibility, then to Apple. To complete an unlock, backup, erase restore with iTunes completes the unlock with Apple servers.
Phones that are "factory unlocked" cannot become locked, but they may not be compatible with all networks.
Finally, iPhone are not branded devices. A factory unlocked iPhone has never, will NEVER and can never be associated with any carrier. Why you would consider it is locked to ATT or any other carrier is a false assumption.
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montalvo12
Tutor
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7 Messages
8 years ago
Well.. I don't know what to do then.. I also didn't think it made sense that AT&T had locked my phone, and I already erase/restored my Iphone twice and still couldn't make it work. So, I don't know what to do now.. I know that Orange is compatible with my phone since I used it before..
When I'm erasing/restoring my Iphone, should I have any SIM card inside my phone?.. I think I used the AT&T SIM when I did the whole erase/restore thing
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117.4K Messages
8 years ago
An unlocked phone never needs to do that again. I had a sim free version of the iPhone 6 Plus. To switch it back to Verizon we just popped the SIM card in and it instantly worked.
The problem has to be on the carrier/sim side.
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Gary L
ACE - Expert
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16.5K Messages
8 years ago
(deleted wrong answer)
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117.4K Messages
8 years ago
@Gary L.
No, no! Once a phone is unlocked, nothing can lock it again.
Gophone ONLY locks an already locked phone to it for 6 months.
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sandblaster
ACE - Expert
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64.7K Messages
8 years ago
@Gary L Putting a GoPhone sim into an unlocked phone will not relock any phone. The 6 month requirement applies only to phones already locked.
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